More than 200 years ago, when smallpox killed about 30 percent of its victims and left most others scarred for life, Dr. Edward Jenner's pioneering use of less virulent cowpox as a vaccine excited scientists and politicians.
The public, however, was less enthused, says Dr. Ross Kauffman, assistant professor of public health at Bluffton University. "You shouldn't be forcing us to do this," a fearful populace argued, according to Kauffman. "Don't tell us what to do."