
The Washington Post: The Idea of Herd Immunity to Manage the Coronavirus Should Ring Alarm Bells
Institute fellow Rebecca Kaplan explains the concept’s origins in veterinary medicine.
“While herd immunity is the theory behind vaccine programs, the concept originated in veterinary medicine and livestock management in the late 19th and early 20th centuries,” says Rebecca Kaplan, a historian of medicine and public health who is the Institute’s current postdoctoral fellow in residence. “This matters because in this setting, economics rather than ethics served as a guiding force.”
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Science History Institute Featured in ‘The New York Times,’ ‘PhillyVoice’
Museum staff share their insights into our Lunchtime exhibition and a coconut from our collections used in early MRI imaging research.
Find Out ‘What’s for Lunch?’ at Institute’s 2025 Curious Histories Fest
Join us for a free, daylong celebration of the history of food science on Saturday, June 14, 11am–3pm.
Winners of 2025 Science History Institute Awards Announced
Othmer Gold Medal, Bolte Award, and AIC Gold Medal to be presented on May 7 in Philadelphia.