Edward Jenner's ivory vaccination points, England, 1821

Ivory points were used to give smallpox vaccinations. These ivory points were used and prepared by the pioneer of smallpox vaccination himself, Edward Jenner (1749-1823). They measure 25 mm in length. Jenner successfully tested the idea that an attack of cowpox, a milder form of smallpox, gave immunity to smallpox. The vaccine was the lymph material from a pustule of a person already vaccinated wi…