First published 2002
Award-winning author Albert Marrin tells the epic tale of smallpox and the country doctor who changed everything. In 1796, Edward Jenner creates the world's first vaccine, launching humanity's fight against one of history's most deadly diseases. Marrin traces smallpox from its earliest victims, found mummified in ancient tombs, to the frozen samples that remain locked in modern laboratories today. This contagious killer shaped the course of civilizations and claimed countless lives across centuries. Jenner's breakthrough marked a turning point in medicine and human survival. Marrin weaves together science and history to show how one doctor's innovation became an immortal gift to mankind. The story reveals how disease and discovery collide in humanity's ongoing war for health.
Genres: science, medical, 20th-century, non-fiction, biography-memoir, history-of-medicine, 21st-century, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-drama, medical-breakthrough
Period: 1796
96 pages · Hardcover · Dutton Juvenile