Did Early Immunization Help America Win Independence From Great Britain?

In the midst of the American Revolutionary War, scores of soldiers in Gen. George Washington’s Continental Army were falling victim to smallpox, killing them before they had a chance to fight for our independence, reports Frontline and Public Radio International’s The World.

In the video below, The World’s Christopher Woolf tells the story of how Washington’s decision to inoculate his troops helped stop the spread of smallpox in the camps, saving soldiers’ lives and ultimately contributing to a U.S. victory.

“We all know that George Washington is America’s founding father,” says Woolf. “But did you know he’s also the founding father of mass immunization in America?”