Smallpox (Variola Virus) had taken 56 million between 1520 and 1980. It killed an estimated 90% of Native Americans. In Europe during the 1800s, an estimated 400,000 people were killed by smallpox annually. On the onset in 1500 the world population was about .46 billion and Smallpox took 12.1%. (www.visualcapitalist.com).
First vaccination in history:
The basis for vaccination began in 1796 when the English doctor Edward Jenner noticed that milkmaids who had gotten cowpox were protected from smallpox. Jenner also knew about variolation and guessed that exposure to cowpox could be used to protect against smallpox. To test his theory, Dr. Jenner took material from a cowpox sore on milkmaid Sarah Nelmes’ hand and inoculated it into the arm of James Phipps, the 9-year-old son of Jenner’s gardener. Months later, Jenner exposed Phipps several times to variola virus, but Phipps never developed smallpox.
Intensified Eradication Program began in 1967, smallpox was already eliminated in North America (1952) and Europe (1953). Cases were still occurring in South America, Asia, and Africa (smallpox was never widespread in Australia). The Program made steady progress toward ridding the world of this disease, and by 1971 smallpox was eradicated from South America, followed by Asia (1975), and finally Africa (1977), contained by 1980.
There are now only two locations that officially store and handle variola virus under WHO supervision: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, and the State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology (VECTOR Institute) in Koltsovo, Russia.
*All information here is from www.cdc.gov*
. To enter Belle Isle State Park you will need either a Michigan State Park Passport or a day pass. Residents are $17.00 per year, non residence is $34.00 per year and the daily pass is $9.00 per day.