The practice of vaccination, which is the use of vaccines to protect against infectious diseases, has a long history dating back to ancient times. However, the English physician Edward Jenner is often considered the “father of vaccination” because of his pioneering work in the development of the sm allpox vaccine. In 1796, Jenner performed the first recorded vaccination using cowpox, a less severe disease that is similar to smallpox.

He observed that individuals who had been infected with cowpox were protected against smallpox, and he used this information to develop a vaccine against the disease. Jenner’s work laid the foundations for the modern practice of vaccination and has had a profound impact on public health efforts to control and eliminate infectious diseases.