Smallpox in the Punjab: The Role of Indigenous Vaccinators, 1900-1928

Variola virus causes smallpox, characterized by debilitating scarring, pustules, and deathswith a mortality rate of 30%. It has shaped the trajectory of kingdoms, cultures, andeconomies. It has ravaged mankind for 3000 years and was responsible for over 300milliondeaths globally in the 20th century. In 1980, smallpox became the only human diseaseeradicated through widespread vaccination. It is an innovative adaptation of the epicdiscovery of Dr. Edward Jenner’s cowpox vaccine in 1798. In most colonies, smallpoxcampaigns were marked by local resistance, negotiation before final acceptance. Thus, thishistorical research highlights the role of Indigenous vaccinators during smallpoxcampaigns and their engagement with local populations in early 20th-century Punjab. Bydeploying archival sources from Punjab Archives and Punjab Central Library, this piecediscovered that some Indigenous vaccinators exhibited unprofessional conduct, whichcontributed to local resistance to vaccinations and shaped outcomes of smallpoxvaccinations in early twentieth-century Punjab. This study highlights the intersectionbetween vaccination procedures and vaccinators in the context of endemic and epidemicmanagement. This research could help to assess and critique the contemporary vaccinationprocedures and processes to enhance efficient and effective disease management andprevention.