Q&A About Smallpox, Inoculation, and the American Revolution

Author Andrew Wehrman answers questions related to his talk about how inoculation became a sought-after medical procedure in the 18th century and helped American colonists achieve independence from Great Britain. He discusses smallpox's use as a bioweapon, the lack of inoculation for the enslaved and Native Americans, the cost of inoculation and the details of the procedure itself, religious arguments for and against the procedure, and its importance to the Continental Army. The American Revolution Institute in Washington, D.C, hosted this event. close