Preface: The silver lancet -- Introduction: The speckled monster -- The Doctor -- The deadly lottery -- The Empress -- The invitation -- The preparations -- The inoculations -- The new fashion -- The impact -- The celebrity -- The last meeting -- Epilogue: The legacy.
Summary:
A killer disease ... an all-powerful Empress ... an extraordinary encounter ... the astonishing true story. No disease sparked as much dread in the eighteenth century as smallpox. It killed children all across Europe with ruthless efficiency and those lucky enough to survive were disfigured with the tell-tale pitted scars. But a method offered hope in preventing serious infection: inoculation, the practice of inserting smallpox pustules into an open wound. Those inoculated were protected from death. Only one problem remained: convincing people to take the treatment. A pamphleteering war raged in Europe about the risks and benefits of inoculation, and public resistance ran high. Catherine the Great broke the deadlock by requesting that a young Essex doctor, Thomas Dimsdale, inoculate her. Lucy Ward expertly unveils how this extraordinary situation came about - and how it kickstarted a trend of inoculations all over Europe. This is a fascinating history of Enlightenment ideals, political intrigue, and the human quest to cure disease.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.