noun
- a mild viral disease of cattle that can be transmitted to humans, historically used in smallpox vaccination
Usage: medical
Examples
- Edward Jenner discovered that cowpox could protect against smallpox.
- The milkmaid had contracted cowpox from the infected cattle.
- Cowpox vaccination was the first successful immunization method.
- The cowpox virus is closely related to the smallpox virus.
- Farmers who worked with cattle often developed immunity to smallpox through cowpox exposure.
- The discovery of cowpox led to the development of modern vaccines.