Who among the following scientists introduced the concept of immunization to the medical world?

Edward Jenner is widely recognized as the scientist who introduced the concept of immunization to the medical world. In 1796, Jenner observed that milkmaids who contracted cowpox, a milder disease, were subsequently protected from the deadly smallpox virus [2]. To test this, he inoculated a young boy with material from a cowpox sore and later exposed him to smallpox, finding the boy was immune [4]. This pioneering work led to the invention of the first vaccine and established the foundation for modern immunology [1]. While other scientists mentioned made significant contributions—Robert Koch to the germ theory of disease, Robert Hooke to cell theory [1], and Carl Linnaeus to binomial nomenclature [1]—it was Jenner's innovative contribution that initiated the practice of vaccination and the ultimate eradication of smallpox.

Sources

1. [1] Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 3: Health: The Ultimate Treasure > Edward Jenner and the smallpox vaccine > p. 38
2. [2] https://www.cdc.gov/smallpox/about/history.html
3. [4] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1200696/