variolization
/ˌvɛriəlaɪˈzeɪʃən/
noun
- The historical practice of deliberately infecting a person with a mild form of smallpox to produce immunity against the more severe disease.
- Before vaccination was developed, variolization was a risky but sometimes effective way to prevent smallpox.
- Historians note that variolization was practiced in parts of Asia and Africa long before it reached Europe.
- The doctor explained that variolization involved transferring material from a smallpox pustule to a healthy person.
Synonyms