Which innovative practice did Edward Jenner contribute to the field of medicine?

Edward Jenner is best known for his pioneering work in the development of vaccination, which significantly changed the way infectious diseases were managed. In 1796, Jenner conducted experiments that demonstrated that inoculating a person with material taken from cowpox lesions could confer immunity to smallpox, a deadly disease at the time. This breakthrough laid the foundation for the practice of vaccination, leading to the eventual eradication of smallpox and providing a model for the development of vaccines for other diseases. Jenner's work established the concept of using a less virulent form of a virus to build immunity, revolutionizing preventive medicine. This innovation marked a critical turning point in public health, emphasizing the importance of vaccination in controlling and preventing epidemics.