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Smallpox Eradication: That Time We Decided to Save Everyone

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Manage episode 474764450 series 3437166
Content provided by Ben Lord. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Ben Lord or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://staging.podcastplayer.com/legal.

What is humanity’s greatest achievement? Language? Science? Space travel? I’m not sure how you define greatness, but I would offer this one for consideration: A little over 40 years ago, humankind eradicated smallpox. In today’s episode, a celebration of the knowledge, the work, and the people who made it happen. And why they deserve to be remembered and celebrated.

References

Ali Maow Maalin. (2025). Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Maow_Maalin

BBC. (2008, March 25). War-torn Somalia eradicates polio. Bbc.co.uk; BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7312603.stm

Berche, P. (2022). Life and Death of Smallpox. La Presse Médicale, 51(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lpm.2022.104117

Breman, J. (2017). Donald Ainslie (D. A.) Henderson, MD, MPH (1928–2016) smallpox eradication: Leadership and legacy. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 215(5), 673–676. https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiw640

Brink, S. (2019). What’s the real story about the milkmaid and the smallpox vaccine? Npr.org. https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2018/02/01/582370199/whats-the-real-story-about-the-milkmaid-and-the-smallpox-vaccine

CDC. (2024a, November 6). History of Smallpox. Smallpox. https://www.cdc.gov/smallpox/about/history.html

CDC. (2024b, November 6). Signs and Symptoms of Smallpox. Smallpox. https://www.cdc.gov/smallpox/signs-symptoms/index.html

Diepenbrock, G. (2015, April 21). Book details misconceptions about smallpox’s role in Native depopulation. KU News. https://news.ku.edu/news/article/2015/04/20/book-details-misconceptions-about-smallpoxs-role-native-depopulation-and-european

Gibbons, A. (2016, December 8). Virus found in child mummy suggests recent rise of deadly smallpox. Www.science.org. https://www.science.org/content/article/virus-found-child-mummy-suggests-recent-rise-deadly-smallpox

Institute of Medicine (US) Board on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. (2009). SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND ON SMALLPOX AND SMALLPOX VACCINATION. Nih.gov; National Academies Press (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK221063/

Jonathan , J. (2023, June 9). The white lie at the heart of vaccine history. Office for Science and Society. https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/medical-critical-thinking-history/white-lie-heart-vaccine-history

Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). History of Smallpox: Outbreaks and Vaccine Timeline. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/history-disease-outbreaks-vaccine-timeline/smallpox

National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. (2023, May 8). The Triumph of Science: The Incredible Story of Smallpox Eradication - NFID. Https://Www.nfid.org/. https://www.nfid.org/the-triumph-of-science-the-incredible-story-of-smallpox-eradication/

O’Neill, A. (2024, October 7). Number of countries where smallpox was eradicated 1872-1977. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1108182/smallpox-eradication-by-country/

Science Museum. (2019, April 25). Smallpox and the story of vaccination. Science Museum. https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/medicine/smallpox-and-story-vaccination

World Health Organization. (1998, March). Building on success. World Health, 51(2), 10–11. https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/331271/WH-1998-Mar-Apr-p10-11-eng.pdf

World Health Organization. (2025). History of Smallpox Vaccination. Www.who.int; World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/spotlight/history-of-vaccination/history-of-smallpox-vaccination

  continue reading

34 episodes

Artwork
iconShare
 
Manage episode 474764450 series 3437166
Content provided by Ben Lord. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Ben Lord or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://staging.podcastplayer.com/legal.

What is humanity’s greatest achievement? Language? Science? Space travel? I’m not sure how you define greatness, but I would offer this one for consideration: A little over 40 years ago, humankind eradicated smallpox. In today’s episode, a celebration of the knowledge, the work, and the people who made it happen. And why they deserve to be remembered and celebrated.

References

Ali Maow Maalin. (2025). Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Maow_Maalin

BBC. (2008, March 25). War-torn Somalia eradicates polio. Bbc.co.uk; BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7312603.stm

Berche, P. (2022). Life and Death of Smallpox. La Presse Médicale, 51(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lpm.2022.104117

Breman, J. (2017). Donald Ainslie (D. A.) Henderson, MD, MPH (1928–2016) smallpox eradication: Leadership and legacy. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 215(5), 673–676. https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiw640

Brink, S. (2019). What’s the real story about the milkmaid and the smallpox vaccine? Npr.org. https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2018/02/01/582370199/whats-the-real-story-about-the-milkmaid-and-the-smallpox-vaccine

CDC. (2024a, November 6). History of Smallpox. Smallpox. https://www.cdc.gov/smallpox/about/history.html

CDC. (2024b, November 6). Signs and Symptoms of Smallpox. Smallpox. https://www.cdc.gov/smallpox/signs-symptoms/index.html

Diepenbrock, G. (2015, April 21). Book details misconceptions about smallpox’s role in Native depopulation. KU News. https://news.ku.edu/news/article/2015/04/20/book-details-misconceptions-about-smallpoxs-role-native-depopulation-and-european

Gibbons, A. (2016, December 8). Virus found in child mummy suggests recent rise of deadly smallpox. Www.science.org. https://www.science.org/content/article/virus-found-child-mummy-suggests-recent-rise-deadly-smallpox

Institute of Medicine (US) Board on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. (2009). SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND ON SMALLPOX AND SMALLPOX VACCINATION. Nih.gov; National Academies Press (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK221063/

Jonathan , J. (2023, June 9). The white lie at the heart of vaccine history. Office for Science and Society. https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/medical-critical-thinking-history/white-lie-heart-vaccine-history

Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). History of Smallpox: Outbreaks and Vaccine Timeline. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/history-disease-outbreaks-vaccine-timeline/smallpox

National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. (2023, May 8). The Triumph of Science: The Incredible Story of Smallpox Eradication - NFID. Https://Www.nfid.org/. https://www.nfid.org/the-triumph-of-science-the-incredible-story-of-smallpox-eradication/

O’Neill, A. (2024, October 7). Number of countries where smallpox was eradicated 1872-1977. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1108182/smallpox-eradication-by-country/

Science Museum. (2019, April 25). Smallpox and the story of vaccination. Science Museum. https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/medicine/smallpox-and-story-vaccination

World Health Organization. (1998, March). Building on success. World Health, 51(2), 10–11. https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/331271/WH-1998-Mar-Apr-p10-11-eng.pdf

World Health Organization. (2025). History of Smallpox Vaccination. Www.who.int; World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/spotlight/history-of-vaccination/history-of-smallpox-vaccination

  continue reading

34 episodes

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