variolation
/ˌvɛriəˈleɪʃən/
noun
- The historical practice of deliberately infecting a person with a mild form of smallpox to protect them from a more severe case.
- The practice of variolation involved introducing material from a smallpox sore into a healthy person.
- Many people survived smallpox because of variolation, even though the method was not always safe.
- Variolation was used in Asia and Africa long before it became common in Europe.
Synonyms