For centuries, the smallpox virus devastated the populations of the world. Early vaccinations where developed in India and China in the 10th century. These processes where called variolation, which was where they would take puss from and smallpox victim and infect others with it, which caused the death percentage to drop from 20%-30% to around .5-2% (Flight, Colette). Much later in 1721 A.D., Lady Mary Wortley Montagu was responsible for bringing modern vaccination to England (Flight, Colette). With rising popularity of vaccinations, the British Parliament decided to pass the United Kingdom Vaccination Act of 1853, which made vaccination of children mandatory (United Kingdom Vaccination Act of 1853). This greatly helped decrease the death rates of the smallpox virus and encouraged mandatory vaccinations around the globe.
In Bleak House, we can see the smallpox virus run rampant, it infects Esther, Jo, and many others. We can assume that since Esther and Jo contracted the virus that they did not receive the vaccination, which means that the events of Bleak House could have taken place before 1853 A.D. Or, my personal favorite theory, they were unregistered children whose parents broke the law by not registering their kids which caused them to not be vaccinated (England Epidemics and Major Causes of Death). This theory fits with what we know about Esther and Jo’s background, and many be the reason they contracted the virus.
“England Epidemics and Major Causes of Death S to W (National Institute).” FamilySearch Wiki, The National Institute for Genealogical Studies, 25 Dec. 2015, www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/England_Epidemics_and_Major_Causes_of_Deat….
Flight, Colette. “History - British History in Depth: Smallpox: Eradicating the Scourge.” BBC, BBC, 17 Feb. 2011, www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/empire_seapower/smallpox_01.shtml.
“United Kingdom Vaccination Act 1853.” Policy Navigator, navigator.health.org.uk/theme/united-kingdom-vaccination-act-1853.