Johnnie Notions | |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | IPA: [ˌdʒoni ˈnoʃəns], JOH-nee-NOH-shəns |
| Born | John Williamson c. 1730 |
| Died | c. 1803 (aged 72–73) Northmavine |
| Burial place | Cross Kirk Cemetery, Esha Ness, Shetland 60°29′06″N 1°36′54″W / 60.485°N 1.615°W |
| Monuments | Johnnie Notions' Böd |
| Occupations |
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| Era | Age of Enlightenment |
| Spouse | Christian Nicolson |
| Children | 6[1] |
| Known for | Developing and administering an inoculation for smallpox |
| Medical career | |
| Field | Physician |
| Sub-specialties | Smallpox inoculation |
John Williamson (c. 1730 – c. 1803), more commonly known by the nickname Johnnie Notions[i] (pronounced [ˌdʒoni ˈnoʃəns], JOH-nee-NOH-shəns[5]) was a self-taught physician from Shetland, Scotland, who independently developed and administered an inoculation for smallpox to thousands of patients in Shetland during the late 18th century. Despite having only an elementary education and no formal medical background, the treatment he devised had an extremely high success rate, resulting in the immunisation of approximately 3,000 people and the saving of many lives, which had a significant effect on the demographics of the Shetland population at the time. He is reputed not to have lost a single patient.
While Notions administered his inoculation by at least the late 1780s to early 1790s (and likely much earlier), his method was largely overshadowed by the work of Edward Jenner, who pioneered the cowpox-based smallpox vaccine in 1796. Despite this, Notions and his inoculation were held with high regard with Shetlanders at the time, while the same could not be said for the cowpox-based vaccination introduced to Shetland in subsequent years.[6]
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