Variolation (Noun)
Meaning
The obsolete process of inoculating a susceptible person with material taken from a vesicle of a person who has smallpox.
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Examples
- The practice of variolation was widely used in ancient China as a means of protecting against smallpox.
- Before the development of vaccination, variolation was the primary method of immunizing people against smallpox.
- Lady Mary Wortley Montagu introduced the concept of variolation to England in the early 18th century after witnessing its use in Turkey.
- The process of variolation involved exposing a person to a mild form of smallpox in the hopes of building immunity against the disease.
- Although variolation was effective in preventing smallpox, it carried a significant risk of complications and death.