When did Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart contract smallpox?
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart contracted smallpox in Vienna during the autumn of 1767. The first symptoms appeared on the 26th of October 1767 while the family was staying in Brno.
Questions about Mozart and smallpox
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What were the physical effects of smallpox on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart?
Smallpox left conspicuous pitting on the skin of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart where the pustules had formed. He also suffered temporary blindness for nine days and required several weeks to spare his eyes after recovery.
Why did Leopold Mozart refuse inoculation for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1764?
Leopold Mozart refused inoculation because the procedure carried a definite risk that the child could die from smallpox as a result. He expressed an aversion to this impertinence and preferred to leave the matter to the grace of God rather than risk immediate death.
How many children died from smallpox in the Mozart family according to the script text?
The script text states that three of Empress Maria Theresa's children died from smallpox, but it does not record any deaths within the Mozart family itself. Nannerl's eldest son Leopold and two stepchildren caught the disease during an outbreak in Salzburg in 1787, yet all three survived.
When was smallpox officially confirmed as eradicated by the World Health Organization?
Smallpox was eventually confirmed as eradicated in 1979 by the World Health Organization following widespread vaccination campaigns. Edward Jenner discovered the use of cowpox virus to immunize against smallpox in 1796 which revolutionized medicine.