Last Smallpox Death Recorded

Date: September 11, 1978 • Location: London, United Kingdom

British medical photographer Janet Parker became the last recorded person to die from smallpox, leading to a debate on whether the virus should be preserved.

In 1978, a smallpox outbreak in the United Kingdom led to the death of Janet Parker, a British medical photographer. She was the last person recorded to have died from this disease. Parker's illness and death were linked to two additional fatalities, prompting the government to establish the Shooter Inquiry. This official investigation, conducted by a panel of experts headed by microbiologist R.A. Shooter, led to significant reforms in the study of dangerous pathogens in the UK.