Vaccine Revolt

Vaccine Revolt

The Vaccine Revolt or the Vaccine Revolt of 1904 was a period of civil unrest that occurred in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in November 1904. The revolt was triggered by a compulsory smallpox vaccination campaign initiated by the Brazilian federal government.

Background[edit | edit source]

In the early 20th century, Rio de Janeiro was suffering from a series of public health crises. Diseases such as yellow fever, smallpox, and bubonic plague were rampant. In an effort to combat these diseases, the Brazilian government initiated a series of public health reforms under the leadership of public health official Oswaldo Cruz. One of these reforms was a compulsory vaccination campaign against smallpox.

The Revolt[edit | edit source]

The compulsory vaccination campaign was met with widespread resistance from the public. Many people were suspicious of the vaccine, and there were rumors that the vaccine was actually a means of sterilizing the population. The resistance eventually escalated into a full-blown revolt, with violent clashes between the public and the police. The revolt lasted for about a week, and resulted in the temporary suspension of the vaccination campaign.

Aftermath[edit | edit source]

Despite the initial resistance, the vaccination campaign was eventually successful in eradicating smallpox from Rio de Janeiro. The Vaccine Revolt is considered a significant event in the history of public health in Brazil, and has been the subject of numerous studies and historical analyses.