Anti-Vax. denying the scientific advance 229 years ago when Jenner conclusively proved smallpox could be held at bay with a simple inoculation. What insanity.
Before Jenner over 400,000 died each year in Europe alone from the “Small Pockse”. Since then, although not exterminated, its dreadful toll on the human body has been made a shadow it its past affects.
But even before that from the late 1600’s a technique known as variolation was found to help halt smallpox. A good read is here;
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1200696/
Science is now the new boogeyman. Trust not men of letters, have a quick sip of some nostrum from your new health guru. <sigh>