Education, Medical -- Massachusetts -- 19th century; Homeopathy; Libraries, Medical -- Massachusetts -- 19th century; Medicine
There were many circumstances connected with the discovery of Dr. Jenner
which were of a nature to excite repugnance and opposition. The practice
of inoculation for the small-pox had already disarmed that disease of
many of its terrors. The introduction of a contagious disease from a
brute creature into the human system naturally struck the public mind
with a sensation of disgust and apprehension, and a part of the medical
public may have shared these feelings. I find that Jenner's discovery of
vaccination was made public in June, 1798. In July of the same year the
celebrated surgeon, Mr. Cline, vaccinated a child with virus received
from Dr. Jenner, and in communicating the success of this experiment,
he mentions that Dr. Lister, formerly of the Small-Pox Hospital, and
himself, are convinced of the efficacy of the cow-pox. In November
of the same year, Dr. Pearson published his “Inquiry,” containing the
testimony of numerous practitioners in different parts of the kingdom,
to the efficacy of the practice. Dr. HAYGARTH, who was so conspicuous
in exposing the follies of Perkinism, was among the very earliest
to express his opinion in favor of vaccination. In 1801, Dr. Lettsom
mentions the circumstance “as being to the honor of the medical
professors, that they have very generally encouraged this salutary
practice, although it is certainly calculated to lessen their pecuniary
advantages by its tendency to extirpate a fertile source of professional
practice.”
In the same year the Medical Committee of Paris spoke of vaccination in
a public letter, as “the most brilliant and most important discovery
of the eighteenth century.” The Directors of a Society for the
Extermination of the Small-Pox, in a Report dated October 1st, 1807,
“congratulate the public on the very favorable opinion which the Royal
College of Physicians of London, after a most minute and laborious
investigation made by the command of his Majesty, have a second time
expressed on the subject of vaccination, in their Report laid before the
House of Commons, in the last session of Parliament; in consequence of
which the sum of twenty thousand pounds was voted to Dr. Jenner, as
a remuneration for his discovery, in addition to ten thousand pounds
before granted.” (In June, 1802.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account