Saunders, Vicki, and Durrheim, David N. (2003) Cuckoos, cows and a country doctor: the pioneering work of a rural professional in the development of public health. Journal of Rural and Remote Environmental Health, 2 (2). pp. 41-45.

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Abstract

The work of Edward Jenner may not be well known outside of medical and infectious diseases circles and yet his contribution to public health changed the world and altered the course of history. A ‘simple’ country doctor, he is best known for his work on proving and popularising inoculation with cowpox as an effective and safer way to protect people against smallpox. His work led to the development of smallpox vaccination and eventually to public health’s greatest triumph, the announcement by the WHO in 1979 that smallpox had been eradicated. As an early public health pioneer, Jenner demonstrated how powerful the hypothetico-deductive scientific method could be, particularly during a period in which medical knowledge and technological ability were limited. The contribution of Jenner to public health, his work, his life and the struggle to convince his critics provides important lessons for today’s rural health professionals.

Item ID:	6671
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1447-4778
Keywords:	Jenner; medical history; rural health; small pox
Additional Information:	The Journal of Rural and Remote Environmental Health (ISSN: 1447-4778) has been renamed since 2004 to The Journal of Rural and Tropical Public Health (ISSN: 1832-2921). The publisher was changed from Warwick Educational Publishing to James Cook University. http://www.jcu.edu.au/jrtph/about.htm
Date Deposited:	08 Feb 2010 06:11
FoR Codes:	11 MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES > 1117 Public Health and Health Services > 111799 Public Health and Health Services not elsewhere classified @ 100%
SEO Codes:	92 HEALTH > 9299 Other Health > 929999 Health not elsewhere classified @ 100%
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