種人痘

It was to British author Lady Mary Montagu that Europe was first indebted for the introduction of inoculation against smallpox.

When Lady Mary was in Turkey, she discovered the local practice of inoculation against smallpox-- variolation. Unlike Jenner's later vaccination, which used cowpox, variolation used a small measure of smallpox itself. Perfectly satisfied of its efficacy, she had her three-year-old son inoculated in 1717.

On her return to London, she enthusiastically promoted the procedure, but encountered a great deal of resistance from the medical establishment because it was an"Oriental" practice and because of her gender. However, the British royal family had their own children inoculated. The nobility soon followed the example, and the practice gradually extended among all ranks, and to all Europe.

歐洲最初之有天花疫苗接種，得歸功於英國作家瑪麗．蒙塔古夫人。

蒙塔古夫人在土耳其的時候，發覺當地有「接種人痘」這種天花預防法。接種人痘，是直接使用小量的天花，和金納後來用牛痘接種不同。蒙塔古夫人發覺這種天花預防法十分有效，一七一七年，給她三歲的兒子接種了人痘。

她回到倫敦之後，大力提倡人痘接種，但受到英國醫學界強烈反對，原因一是這方法「來自東方」，二是提倡者並非男性。不過，英國皇家的孩子都接種了，不久，貴族家庭也都效法。人痘接種於是逐漸流傳各階層，以至全歐洲。
【附注】金納（ 1749-1823）是英國醫生，發明牛痘接種法。蒙塔古夫人自己曾患天花，玉貌留瑕。

（古德明）