An Inquiry into the Causes and Effects of the Variolae Vaccinae: A Disease Discovered in Some of the Western Counties of England, Particularly Gloucestershire, and Known by the Name of the Cow PoxJenner, Edward
Science
An Inquiry into the Causes and Effects of the Variolae Vaccinae: A Disease Discovered in Some of the Western Counties of England, Particularly Gloucestershire, and Known by the Name of the Cow Pox
Jenner, Edward
Smallpox -- Vaccination -- Early works to 1800; Vaccination -- Early works to 1800; Vaccinia -- Early works to 1800
Although the Cow Pox shields the constitution from the Small Pox, and
the Small Pox proves a protection against its own future poison, yet
it appears that the human body is again and again susceptible of the
infectious matter of the Cow Pox, as the following history will
demonstrate:
William Smith, of Pyrton in this parish, contracted this disease when
he lived with a neighbouring Farmer in the year 1780. One of the
horses belonging to the farm had sore heels, and it fell to his lot
to attend him. By these means the infection was carried to the cows,
and from the cows it was communicated to Smith. On one of his hands
were several ulcerated sores, and he was affected with such symptoms
as have been before described.
In the year 1791 the Cow Pox broke out at another farm where he then
lived as a servant, and he became affected with it a second time; and
in the year 1794 he was so unfortunate as to catch it again. The
disease was equally as severe the second and third time as it was on
the first[1].
In the spring of the year 1795 he was twice inoculated, but no
affection of the system could be produced from the variolous matter;
and he has since associated with those who had the Small Pox in its
most contagious state without feeling any effect from it.
[Footnote 1: This is not the case in general--a second attack is
commonly very slight, and so, I am informed, it is among the cows.]
_CASE X._
SIMON NICHOLS lived as a servant with Mr. Bromedge, a gentleman who
resides on his own farm in this parish, in the year 1782. He was
employed in applying dressings to the sore heels of one of his
master's horses, and at the same time assisted in milking the cows.
The cows became affected in consequence, but the disease did not shew
itself on their nipples till several weeks after he had begun to
dress the horse. He quitted Mr. Bromedge's service, and went to
another farm without any sores upon him; but here his hands soon
began to be affected in the common way, and he was much indisposed
with the usual symptoms. Concealing the nature of the malady from Mr.
Cole, his new master, and being there also employed in milking, the
Cow Pox was communicated to the cows.
Some years afterwards Nichols was employed in a farm where the Small
Pox broke out, when I inoculated him with several other patients,
with whom he continued during the whole time of their confinement.
His arm inflamed, but neither the inflammation nor his associating
with the inoculated family produced the least effect upon his
constitution.
_CASE XI._
WILLIAM STINCHCOMB was a fellow servant with Nichols at Mr.
Bromedge's Farm at the time the cattle had the Cow Pox, and he was
unfortunately infected by them. His left hand was very severely
affected with several corroding ulcers, and a tumour of considerable
size appeared in the axilla of that side. His right hand had only one
small sore upon it, and no tumour discovered itself in the
corresponding axilla.
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