SMALLPOX EPIDEMIC IN FARMINGTON

The Smallpox Epidemic in Farmington has helped improve the quality of life in the Farmington community. When smallpox first wiped out many areas of our nation, it caused total chaos in our community and people were confused about what it was and how to treat it. The significant changes in preventing smallpox outbreaks helped to improve the quality of life in our local community. After the Todd-Wadsworth hospital opened, it was the closest and most accessible hospital for smallpox variolations in the region. It mended the chaos that was formed when the epidemic first erupted. Many patients were admitted to the hospital, with many who were relatives of each other. Through the actions of Eli Todd and Theodore Wadsworth, many people were saved from the infection and the research they did helped to create a vaccine for smallpox. Without the smallpox variolations, many people would bleed internally until they die. Although the hospital is no longer in function, it has provided great amounts of information to lead to a vaccine that was later developed by Edward Jenner.