Cowpox children. In 1796, British medical practitioner Edward Jenner tested the theory that cowpox could protect someone from being infected by smallpox. Although cowpox originates on the udder of cows, Jenner took his sample from a milkmaid, Sarah Nelmes. Jenner extracted the pus of one of the lesions formed by cowpox on Nelmes to another individual who never had smallpox, James Phipps. He eventually developed a scab and fever that was manageable. Approximately six weeks later, Jenner then introduced an active sample of the smallpox virus into Phipps to test the theory. After being observed for an extended amount of time,
Greg Jenner Greg Jenner Greg Jenner is a British historian and author. His appearances on British television and radio discussing history has led to him being termed a ‘celebrity historian’. Jenner studied a History & Archaeology BA and Medieval Studies MA at The University of York. Jenner has worked as a historical consultant on the anarchic "Horrible Histories" books and television shows. The success of "Horrible Histories" Jenner has accredited the fact to a non-patronising approach to children’s television. Jenner is the author of "A Million Years In A Day: A Curious History of Daily Life, From The Stone Age To The