# She gave her son smallpox. Her bet paid off.

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/no-one-saw-it-coming-7272304/she-gave-her-son-smallpox-her-bet-paid-off
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/no-one-saw-it-coming-7272304/she-gave-her-son-smallpox-her-bet-paid-off.md
Podcast: [No One Saw It Coming](https://stenobird.com/podcast/no-one-saw-it-coming-7272304)
Published: 2026-04-05T20:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/no-one-saw-it-coming/smallpox-vaccine/106463630
Audio file: https://mediacore-live-production.akamaized.net/audio/02/j4/Z/pi.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/no-one-saw-it-coming-7272304/episodes/she-gave-her-son-smallpox-her-bet-paid-off
Duration seconds: 1546

## Resource

It was one of the deadliest diseases known to humankind. And just 50 years ago it was officially eradicated. But there’s someone missing from the story of smallpox. A woman whose work was mocked. Who was branded a bad mother. And who helped bring inoculation to the West. Author Jo Willett tells Marc Fennell (Stuff The British Stole) about how an 18th-century noblewoman ignited a moral panic, split the scientific establishment and helped spark a medical revolution. Binge all the episodes of No One Saw It Coming now on ABC listen (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. Get in touch: Got a story for us? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at noonesawitcoming@abc.net.au

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## Transcript

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