Smallpox one-third of the cases resulted in blindness. These deaths included those of four reigning monarchs and a queen consort. In the 20th century smallpox killed 200-300 million people. Edward Jenner discovered in 1798 that vaccination could prevent smallpox. In 1967, the WHO intensified efforts to eliminate the disease. Smallpox is one of two infectious diseases to have been eradicated, the other being rinderpest in 2011. The term "smallpox" was first used in Britain in the 15th century to distinguish the disease from syphilis, which was then known as the "great pox". Other historical names for the disease include pox, speckled
Jacobson v. Massachusetts eradicate smallpox were successful in Sweden, he did not agree with the methods. He said vaccination caused him "great and extreme suffering" that he would have to endure for the rest of his life. One of his sons "suffered adverse effects" after being vaccinated as a child. Jacobson and his wife were thus resistant when it came to mandatory vaccinations in Massachusetts. A leader in his community, Jacobson was one of the few who resisted mandatory vaccinations for smallpox in the early 20th century in Cambridge, Massachusetts. While many were pleased to hear about a vaccine for smallpox, others were