The Contagion of Liberty

In The Contagion of Liberty, Andrew M. Wehrman explores the intersection of the Revolutionary War and a smallpox epidemic, highlighting General George Washington's decision to inoculate the Continental Army. This groundbreaking medical procedure, introduced by an enslaved African, sparked a fierce demand for equal access to healthcare among colonists. As the narrative unfolds, Wehrman examines how the arrival of vaccination in the early 1800s complicated the fight for disease eradication and reveals the historical roots of America's rejection of universal health care systems, relevant to contemporary discussions around vaccination and government action during pandemics.