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GCSE History · key term
A highly infectious disease that caused fever and a rash developing into pus-filled blisters, and could cause death or permanent scarring.
Used by AQA, Edexcel and OCR
Paper 2
A contagious disease that caused fever and pus-filled skin sores, often leaving survivors scarred or blind and killing many of those infected.
Revise: Prevention of DiseaseIn eighteenth-century Britain, smallpox was a feared disease. It caused fever and pus-filled sores, could leave survivors permanently scarred or blind, and killed around 30% of those who caught it. Children were especially vulnerable.
Paper 1, Paper 2
Revise: Case Studies: Vaccinations and CholeraSmallpox was a highly infectious disease that caused fever and a rash which developed into pus-filled blisters. It could kill sufferers, and survivors could be left with permanent scars. Preventing it was therefore an important medical goal in eighteenth-century Britain.
A contagious infectious disease that can cause fever, a severe skin rash and death. Its introduction had devastating effects on Indigenous American populations.
Paper 3
A contagious disease that caused painful sores and could be fatal. Its epidemic weakened Tenochtitlan before the Spanish siege.
Revise: Siege of TenochtitlanMeanwhile, smallpox devastated Tenochtitlan. It killed the ruler Cuitlahuac, who was succeeded by Cuauhtémoc, and left many inhabitants unable to move or care for others. Some died of hunger because they could neither obtain food nor receive help from sick relatives.
Distinguish the materials used: inoculation used smallpox material; Jenner’s vaccination used cowpox material.
Evaluate Jenner’s contribution through his testing and publication, not just the observation that cowpox protected against smallpox. Balance his achievement against earlier knowledge, opposition and his inability to explain why vaccination worked.
Keep inoculation and Jenner’s vaccination distinct: inoculation used smallpox material; Jenner’s vaccination used cowpox material to protect against smallpox.
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