Why were physicians against smallpox variolation in the Middle Ages? – Healthcare Economist
From the Conversation with Tyler podcast with Sheilagh Ogilvie:
[Ogilvie]: Historically, there was another reason, which was the medical guilds — the equivalent of the American Medical Association, only much, much worse, back in early modern Europe did not like the idea of this new thing, this new technology that they had not approved and that was also going to challenge their business model and take away their fees from treating smallpox patients. In France and in Spain, it was the medical guilds, together with the Catholic Church, that lobbied the state to make variolation illegal. It was this unholy alliance between the medical associations and religion.
You can listen to the full podcast on “Epidemics, Guilds, and the Persistence of Bad Institutions” here.
What is smallpox variolation? [from Perplexity]
Smallpox variolation was an early immunization technique that involved deliberately introducing material from smallpox pustules or scabs into healthy individuals through skin scratches or nasal insufflation, resulting in a milder form of the disease with a mortality rate of only 1-2% compared to 30% from natural infection13. This practice originated in China as early as the 16th century (with some sources suggesting earlier use), spread through Asia, Africa, and eventually to Europe and America in the 18th century, and served as a precursor to Edward Jenner’s safer smallpox vaccination method developed in 179614. Variolation was eventually banned and replaced by vaccination, which used cowpox rather than smallpox material, offering protection without the risks of transmitting the disease to others16.
