Benjamin Jesty

Benjamin Jesty. Oil painting by M.W. Sharp, 1805. Wellcome L0050588

Benjamin Jesty (c. 1736 – 16 April 1816) was an English farmer notable for his early experiment in vaccination against smallpox. He is often credited with being one of the first to intentionally use cowpox to protect against smallpox, predating Edward Jenner's more widely recognized work.

Early Life

Benjamin Jesty was born around 1736 in Yetminster, Dorset, England. He was a farmer by profession and lived in the rural community where smallpox was a common and deadly disease.

Vaccination Experiment

In 1774, during a smallpox outbreak, Jesty decided to inoculate his wife and two sons with material from cowpox lesions. He had observed that milkmaids who had contracted cowpox, a less severe disease, seemed to be immune to smallpox. Jesty used a darning needle to transfer material from the udder of an infected cow to scratches on the arms of his family members. This procedure was successful, and none of them contracted smallpox during subsequent outbreaks.

Recognition and Legacy

Although Jesty's work was not widely known at the time, it was later recognized as a significant precursor to the development of the smallpox vaccine. In 1805, Jesty was invited to London by the Original Vaccine Pock Institute where he was honored for his contributions to the field of vaccination. A marble tablet commemorating his work was placed in the church at Worth Matravers, where he was buried.

Comparison with Edward Jenner

While Edward Jenner is often credited with the development of the smallpox vaccine in 1796, Jesty's earlier work demonstrates that the concept of using cowpox to protect against smallpox was known and practiced before Jenner's experiments. Jenner's work, however, was more systematically documented and published, leading to wider acceptance and implementation of vaccination.

Death

Benjamin Jesty died on 16 April 1816 and was buried in the churchyard of St. Nicholas' Church, Worth Matravers, Dorset.

See Also

• Vaccination
• Smallpox
• Edward Jenner
• Cowpox
• History of smallpox