[Were the Turks in the 18th century variolated against smallpox? the analysis of a typical example of misconception in medical cross-cultural transmission]

Abstract

There has been a continuing misconception for almost three centuries since the transmission of variolation from Turkey (actually the Ottoman Empire) to England that this was a practice of the Turkish Muslims. There are many sources of cogent evidence that variolation in the 18th century in the Ottoman Empire was opposed by Muslims due to their religious beliefs. This article uses cultural anthropology in its analysis of the reasons for the misconception.