By: Kristy von Moos
Ingenium - Canada's Museums of Science and Innovation
The History of Vaccines – Smallpox to COVID-19
Smallpox vaccine was delivered by scratching the skin and rubbing the vaccine into the scratch. These “points” would be dipped into the vaccine and used to inoculate patients.
In the 1800s, major breakthroughs in medical technology and the understanding of disease led to the development of vaccines for some of humanity’s most deadly illnesses: smallpox, rabies, diphtheria, and tetanus. In China and many African countries, the traditional practice of smallpox inoculation informed the work of Edward Jenner, Louis Pasteur and others, as they experimented with weakened and less deadly viruses to trick the body into producing immunity. You may have heard of Jenner and Pasteur– giants in the discovery and production of vaccines, but the story does not end with them.
Photo Credit
Excerpt, Catalogue of surgical instruments and appliances, ward requisites, aseptic hospital furniture, etc., etc., / manufactured and sold by Allen & Hanburys Ltd.
Diphtheria antitoxin was injected using antitoxin syringes (crop), 1908
Ingenium, as part of Google Arts and Culture’s A Brief History of Vaccination initiative, has launched two virtual exhibitions on the history of vaccine development and production in Canada, focusing on the contributions of Connaught Medical Research Laboratories in Toronto. Our collection contains dozens of artifacts from Connaught labs, which specialized in public health and preventive medicines such as antitoxins, vaccines, and insulin.
Vial of Connaught Medical Research Laboratories’ combined DPT-polio vaccine, 1970
Photo Credit
Ann Fernandes
The vial of the Pfizer-BioTNTech COVID-19 vaccine recently acquired for Ingenium’s collection (Artifact # 2021.0003).
As a companion to the historical exhibits, Ingenium is also proud to showcase our latest acquisition – the empty vial from the first COVID 19 vaccine given to a Canadian healthcare worker.
This virtual exhibition follows the vaccine from production to packaging, distribution, and finally, administration.
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Kristy von Moos
Kristy von Moos is the Digital Content Officer at Ingenium. Kristy has a BA in History and Philosophy from St. Thomas University, and an MA in Public History from Carleton University. She has worked with cultural media, research, and virtual exhibit companies, and enjoys bringing history, education, and technology together.
