Inoculation - GCSE History Definition

Inoculation is a method used to protect people from getting certain diseases by deliberately exposing them to a small, safe amount of the disease. This method was used before modern vaccines existed. By introducing a tiny amount of disease into the body, inoculation helps the immune system learn how to fight it.

This technique became popular in the 18th century, especially as a way to prevent smallpox. Smallpox was a deadly disease at the time. It is an important topic in history because it was an early step towards the development of vaccines. Edward Jenner invented a vaccine for smallpox. Inoculators fought against the vaccine until the government made the smallpox vaccine compulsory.