Variolation shortly after variolation began to outweigh the benefits of the procedure. From the 1760s, a number of individuals, including John Fewster, Peter Plett, Benjamin Jesty, and particularly Edward Jenner, were interested in the use of material from cowpox, an animal infection, to protect against smallpox. In 1796, Jenner vaccinated James Phipps, did more vaccinations in 1798, and was the first to publish evidence that cowpox protected against smallpox, was safer than variolation, and that his vaccine could be maintained by arm-to-arm transfer. The use of variolation soon began to decline as the smallpox vaccine became widely used and its benefits
1974 smallpox epidemic in India that "If this interest and concern about ending smallpox can be maintained for the next few months, it's all over. We don't think we're overconfident, but everything looks good. By June of 1975, we hope we'll be finished with smallpox in Asia." 1974 smallpox epidemic in India The 1974 smallpox epidemic of India was one of the worst smallpox epidemics of 20th century. Over 15,000 people contracted and died from smallpox between January and May 1974. Most of the deaths occurred in the Indian states of Bihar, Orissa and West Bengal. There were thousands who survived but were disfigured or