- Joined
- Aug 25, 2012
During the Civil War did the US army use Smallpox inoculations on its soldiers?
Inoculation a.k.a. variolation started in China over 1,000 years ago. From China it spread through Asia and parts of Africa. It was practiced in the Ottoman Empire. Smallpox inoculations moved to Europe and in 1721 it was first recorded as being done in Massachusetts.
In China people inhaled powder made from smallpox scabs but in Europe and the United States smallpox scabs were scratched with a sharp object and the person getting inoculation was then scratched with the sharp object. This was fairly successful in lowering the number of deaths from Smallpox. I am not sure I have ever read of the widespread use of Smallpox inoculation on soldiers during the Civil War.
Inoculation a.k.a. variolation started in China over 1,000 years ago. From China it spread through Asia and parts of Africa. It was practiced in the Ottoman Empire. Smallpox inoculations moved to Europe and in 1721 it was first recorded as being done in Massachusetts.
In China people inhaled powder made from smallpox scabs but in Europe and the United States smallpox scabs were scratched with a sharp object and the person getting inoculation was then scratched with the sharp object. This was fairly successful in lowering the number of deaths from Smallpox. I am not sure I have ever read of the widespread use of Smallpox inoculation on soldiers during the Civil War.