African slaves introduced variolation into America. In Massachusetts, Cotton Mather learned about the practice from his slave, Onesimus. Mather publicized the technique and the procedure was first tried during a
Who developed variolation?
John Williamson, more commonly known by the nickname Johnnie Notions, was a self-taught physician from Shetland, Scotland, who independently developed and successfully administered a variolation for smallpox to thousands of patients in Shetland during the late 18th century.
What is variolation process?
variolation, obsolete method of immunizing patients against smallpox by infecting them with substance from the pustules of patients with a mild form of the disease (variola minor). The disease then usually occurs in a less-dangerous form than when contracted naturally.
