Explore the history and impact of smallpox in this 47-minute lecture from Yale University's "Epidemics in Western Society Since 1600" course. Delve into the rise of smallpox as the most feared disease in the 18th century, surpassing plague. Learn about its viral nature, transmission methods, and ability to exist as both endemic and epidemic. Discover the dread associated with its agonizing symptoms and potential for permanent disfigurement. Examine ineffective historical treatments like bleeding and purging, employed before the advent of inoculation and vaccination. The lecture covers smallpox's etiology, transmission, epidemiology, symptomatology, and attempted remedies, providing a comprehensive overview of this significant disease in Western history.