MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2006 Oct 6;55(39):1071-4.
Modern public health began 210 years ago, in 1796, when Edward Jenner, using material from a cowpox lesion on the hand of Sarah Nelmes, vaccinated James Phipps. A later attempt to give Phipps smallpox demonstrated his immunity, and the vaccination era had begun. Although Jenner lacked our understanding of viruses, the immune system, or vaccinology, his clinical observations had convinced him that milkmaids were protected from smallpox because of their previous exposure to cowpox, and he acted to see if nature could be replicated.
现代公共卫生始于210年前，即1796年，当时爱德华·詹纳用萨拉·内尔姆斯手上牛痘损伤处的物质为詹姆斯·菲普斯接种疫苗。后来给菲普斯接种天花病毒的尝试证明了他具有免疫力，疫苗接种时代由此开始。尽管詹纳并不了解我们现在所知道的病毒、免疫系统或疫苗学，但他的临床观察使他确信，挤奶女工因先前接触过牛痘而对天花具有免疫力，于是他采取行动，想看看能否复制这种自然现象。
