The Anatomy of Pandemic. Intellectual Struggle of the Enlightened against the Smallpox Pandemic in Europe in the 18th Century

Abstract

The subject of the article is the attempt to spread vaccinations against smallpox undertaken by the circle of intellectuals gathered around king Stanislav August Poniatowski. There are two aspects described in the article. Educating the society by publishing effects of work conducted by doctors in Western Europe based on observations of medicine in the Far and Middle East. The second aspect is popularizing healthy behaviours amongst the readers of magazines and newspapers in the Stanislaw August Poniatowaski Era namely encouragement to vaccinate. The article is concentrated on the analysis of writings by Grzegorz Piramowicz published in Zabawy Przyjemne i Pożyteczne”  (Pleasant and Useful Games) inspired by the Voltaire’s letter On smallpox vaccinating.