First vaccine was prepared and used by Edward Jenner for?

Appeared in: MNS 2015

Explanation

Edward Jenner, an English physician, developed the world's first vaccine to provide immunity against smallpox.
His work was based on the observation that milkmaids who contracted the milder disease of cowpox did not get smallpox.
He famously demonstrated this by inoculating a boy with cowpox material, who then became immune to smallpox.
This discovery laid the foundation for the entire field of immunology and led to the eventual eradication of smallpox in 1980.

Option A: The vaccine for Diphtheria, a toxoid, was developed in 1923, over a century after Jenner's work on the smallpox vaccine.
Option B: The plague vaccine was developed in 1897, long after the smallpox vaccine.
Option D: The cholera vaccine was developed in 1917, during the World War I era, not in the 18th century.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain History of Vaccination and Edward Jenner's Discovery as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Understanding the history of vaccination helps nurses appreciate the monumental impact of immunization on public health and disease prevention.
Nurses play a critical role in modern immunization programs, such as India's Universal Immunization Programme (UIP), by administering vaccines, educating families, and tracking immunization schedules.
Knowledge of vaccine development helps nurses address patient concerns and combat vaccine hesitancy with factual information about safety and efficacy.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key elements in the question: 'first vaccine' and 'Edward Jenner'. This is a historical, factual-recall question.
Access your knowledge about the history of medicine and specifically, the pioneers of vaccination.
Recall or deduce that Edward Jenner is famously associated with one specific disease.
Evaluate the options. Connect Jenner's name to the correct disease, which is smallpox.
Eliminate the other options by recalling that vaccines for diseases like diphtheria, plague, and cholera were developed much later.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Pharmacology Nursing Lilley 11e Part 3 p. 148-150

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart A (pp 26-201 of 604) p. 97-99

Practise the full MNS 2015

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.