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[–] 144 points 1 year ago* (2 children)

Tbh milkmaids were the prettiest women because they would get mild cases of cowpox instead of skin wrecking smallpox and it was the origin of the smallpox vaccine (vacca means cow in latin).

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  • [–] 58 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 child)

    And they had to be clean, so washed daily, and were always inside, in a very clean environment.

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  • [–] 26 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    Huh I didn’t know humans could get mild cowpox

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  • [–] 27 points 1 year ago

    Yes, it’s super interesting. The reason the word ‘vaccine’ derives from the Latin ‘vacca’ (cow) was because we observed that people who contracted the cowpox gained some protection from smallpox. We investigated that connection, did a bunch of testing and research (which included early scientists infecting themselves on purpose in some rather gross ways), and developed the theory of vaccines.

    The history of early modern medicine is very cool.

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