Date of Award
12-22-2023
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
History
First Advisor
Linda Van Ingen
Committee Members
Carol Lilly; David Vail; William Stoutamire
Keywords
18th Century;Family Health Care;Inoculation;Mothers;Smallpox;Social History
Abstract
In 1721 the practice of inoculation was put on trial in the American colonies. This incredible medical advancement, practiced for centuries in different parts of the world, had an irregular but unforgettable impact on the eastern seaboard of the North American continent. Inoculation provided individuals and families with an opportunity to control this terrible scourge, however, few were keen to initially take on the risk. The history of inoculation throughout the world and especially in Europe has been well studied. Even as the debate raged, physicians wrote their own histories on the subject. Less studied is the impact that women’s social relationships had on their decisions regarding inoculation. Interest in women’s history and specifically women’s social history is a fairly new topic with Laurel Ulrich taking the lead regarding America’s colonial period. Much of the focus on women’s social and medical history revolves around childbirth and midwifery. However, much can be gained by homing in on the desperate and dangerous decisions that mothers made surrounding inoculation on behalf of their children. The language used by mothers in journals and letters to others discussing smallpox inoculation can help historians understand what eighteenth century women used to justify inoculating - or not inoculating - their children. By exploring how these mothers coped with this perceptually dangerous health decision, we can better grasp the ways women rely on social relationships when making critical choices on behalf of their families. Acknowledging that these relationships, perhaps at times more than a dependence on the advice of physicians, continue to play a large role in the health decisions of women is a powerful step forward in understanding current issues regarding mothers and modern vaccines.
Recommended Citation
MacKay, Jennalyn Welsh, "The “Mother's Heart”: Social Networks and Smallpox Inoculation in the 18th Century" (2023). History Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity. 39.
https://openspaces.unk.edu/hist-etd/39