Smallpox Inoculation News Today

When I looked at the archives, I found a history hidden in plain sight.

By 1721, the smallpox epidemic converged on the city of Boston. People were dying by the hundreds, but a slave named Onesimus changed everything.

By 1721, the smallpox epidemic converged on the city of Boston. People were dying by the hundreds, but a slave named Onesimus changed everything.

By 1721, the smallpox epidemic converged on the city of Boston. People were dying by the hundreds, but a slave named Onesimus changed everything.

By 1721, the smallpox epidemic converged on the city of Boston. People were dying by the hundreds, but a slave named Onesimus changed everything.

Going through journals and papers that really struck you? >> there are lots of them, of course. and as you say, the research is daunting. of course you basically reading other peoples mail and diaries, so its kind of snooping and fun. but i think one that people are surprised to learn is that, of course, in times before modern warfare, diseases killed many, many more soldiers than weapons did. and smallpox was the scourge of the time of the revolution. and martha washington, much to georges surp...

Revolution, women of the presidents? >> well, martha washington surprised me the most. i had a dowdy picture of her. she had a spartan. one colonel described her as spartan. she was tenacious. when george took up the command of the continental army, she realized he wasnt coming home soon. so she spent 50% of the time on the road and she did it knowing that the british were out to kidnap her and knowing that she would skip smallpox inoculation and she was afraid of that. she made a bold courageou...

Surprised me the most. i had a dowdy picture of her. she had a spartan. one colonel described her as spartan. she was tenacious. when george took up the command of the continental army, she realized he wasnt coming home soon. so she spent 50% of the time on the road and she did it knowing that the british were out to kidnap her and knowing that she would skip smallpox inoculation and she was afraid of that. she made a bold courageous decision the travel and join him year after year. >> glenn: wa...