Edward Jenner was born on May 17, 1749, in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, England.¹⁾

He started his medical training at the age of 14 as an apprentice to a surgeon.²⁾

Jenner studied at St George's Hospital in London under the renowned surgeon John Hunter.³⁾

Apart from being a physician, Jenner was also a keen naturalist.⁴⁾

He spent most of his career as a country doctor in his hometown of Berkeley.⁵⁾

Jenner noticed that milkmaids who contracted cowpox did not catch smallpox.⁶⁾

In 1796, Jenner performed his famous experiment by inoculating James Phipps, an 8-year-old boy, with cowpox.⁷⁾

Phipps did not develop smallpox, proving Jenner's hypothesis that cowpox conferred immunity to smallpox.⁸⁾

The term “vaccine” is derived from “Variolae vaccinae” (smallpox of the cow), reflecting Jenner's work with cowpox.⁹⁾

Jenner published his findings in 1798 in a work titled “An Inquiry into the Causes and Effects of the Variolae Vaccinae”.¹⁰⁾

Jenner faced significant skepticism and opposition from the medical community initially.¹¹⁾

His work was initially rejected by the Royal Society, the leading scientific institution at the time.¹²⁾

Despite early opposition, Jenner’s vaccine gradually gained acceptance and acclaim.¹³⁾

Jenner did not patent his discovery; he wanted it to be freely available to all.¹⁴⁾

The British royal family supported Jenner’s vaccination efforts, helping to popularize it.¹⁵⁾