Gordon memorial lecture. Vaccines and vaccination--past, present and future.

1. Immunisation was first practised as early as the 10th century when small doses of smallpox material administered by unusual routes were used to immunise against smallpox. The procedure was introduced into England in the early part of the 18th century. 2. The next major development was the use by Jenner of cowpox to vaccinate against smallpox in the late 18th century. 3. Some eighty years later came the classic studies of Pasteur developing vaccines for fowl cholera, anthrax and rabies. 4. The studies of Jenner and Pasteur established the major principles of vaccination which are in use to this day. 5. The major viral diseases of the domestic fowl were recognised during the 1920s and 1930s and in most cases vaccines were developed within 5 years of the discovery of the viral nature of the cause of each disease. 6. The desirable properties of poultry vaccines required by the user and producer are not completely fulfilled by currently available vaccines. 7. There is a need to use the opportunities provided by modern biotechnology and immunology to search for and develop vaccines that better fulfil the desirable properties of poultry vaccines. 8. There are a number of strategies available for the development of novel vaccines, some of which are appropriate for the needs of poultry vaccines.