Kamloops History: The smallpox epidemic of 1862
An epidemic swept the coast in 1782, recounted by navigator George Vancouver. Smallpox scars on individuals had been observed by Simon Fraser on his exploration down the river in 1808 which may be linked to that earlier epidemic. In 1781 another epidemic crossed the Great Plains, and again in 1837, travelling up the Missouri River and northward beyond Fort Edmonton. That epidemic prompted the Hudson’s Bay Company to disseminate vaccines to its fur trade posts and ensure its personnel were trained to use the vaccine, most commonly in scab form. The HBC vaccination efforts were focused on...
Source: kamloopsthisweek.com