Today we all know that vaccines help to prevent many diseases. Or in some cases, help us to recover from exposure to certain diseases. Vaccines work by introducing weak or dead disease causing micro-organisms. The immune system builds antibodies to ward off the invading microbes and is ready to go into mass production of these antibodies should the person be exposed to the actual live microbes at a later date.
The first vaccine was invented when it was observed that milkmaids seemed to be able to resist small pox after exposure to the much weaker disease of cowpox. In an experiment, a young boy was intentionally infected with cowpox. After allowing sufficient time for his body to produce the antibodies, he was infected with smallpox which the boy did not get.
Vacca is the Latin for cow and the root for vaccine.
And here's a bonus Did you know...
Vaca is the Spanish word for cow and vaquero is the Spanish word for cowboy. Our English word buckaroo, is a mispronunciation (or misunderstanding) of the Spanish word vaquero.
John
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