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- Smallpox Through Time
- c.1045BC |Face of a Pharaoh
- c.1562 |Arsenic and Old Lace
- c.1617 |Smallpox in America
- c.1711 |Child Pox
- c.1721 |Experiment in Newgate
- c.1758 |The Speckled Monster
- c.1796 |Jenner's Breakthrough
- c.1800 |The Vaccine Triumphant
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- c.1853 |Public Health & Protest
- c.1896 |Epidemic on Camera
- c.1967 |Global Action
- c.2010 |Smallpox Today
- The American West
- Britain - Changing Lives
- This Module
- In 1721, six condemned felons in Newgate Prison were inoculated with live smallpox. It was the first controlled experiment in immunology in British history, carried out after the exotic traveller Lady Mary Wortley Montagu had witnessed similar inoculations in Turkey. From the depths of the Old Bailey, Andrew describes how the experiment proved a milestone, advancing our understanding of the treatment of disease.
- Credits
Smallpox Through Time
How did a gruesome experiment in Newgate Prison advance our understanding of immunology? (4.5 mins)
Secondary Resources
- 1. The Speckled Monster
By the 18th century, smallpox in Britain... Read more
- 2. Treating the Speckled Monster
By the early 18th Century, a range of treatments... Read more
- 3. Lady Mary Wortley Montagu
In 1716, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu travelled to... Read more
- 4. Inoculation in 18th C. Britain
The practice was slow to catch on because... Read more
- 5. Royal Victims
Smallpox was famously a disease of 'princes and paupers'... Read more
Picture Viewer
Location details
Newgate Prison stands on the site of the Old Bailey, London's central criminal court. The name 'old bailey' originates from the London's fortified wall - as in 'motte and bailey'. And the porter who took us round showed us not just 18th century brickwork but a section of original Roman stone.
The present building dates from 1907. The figure of justice on the roof, with scales in one hand and a sword in the other, is popularly imagined to be blindfolded - but she's not. Apparently, her 'maidenly form' is supposed to make her impartial without need of a blindfold...
Our Sponsor: The Wellcome Trust
The Wellcome Trust
The Wellcome Trust is a global charity dedicated to achieving improvements in human and animal health.
Timelines: "Smallpox through Time" was entirely funded with through a Wellcome Trust Public Engagement Award. We are very grateful for the Trust's support in the making of this resource.
