Jenner’s drift in the foregoing propositions was obviously to lighten his responsibility for the advocacy of Horsegrease as the origin of Cowpox; but in doing so he deprived himself of any vestige of claim as a discoverer. Cowpox and Horsegrease as preventives of Smallpox were in common repute; but their combination as Horsegrease Cowpox was supposed by some to be Jenner’s peculiar specific. “Not so,” he said. “It is the popular opinion throughout the country that Cowpox is begotten of Horsegrease;” and proceeded to justify his prescription by the popular authority. He produced a letter from Parson Moore of Chalford Hill to prove how in November, 1797, his Horse had the Grease, with which his boy-servant infected the Cow, which in turn infected the lad with Cowpox, although eighteen months before he had been inoculated, and severely too, with Smallpox; the parson adding-- I am firmly of opinion that the disease in the heels of the Horse, which was a virulent Grease, was the origin of the Servant’s and the Cow’s malady. (P. 94.) To the objection that attempts to raise Cowpox from Horsegrease had, so far, proved failures, Jenner replied-- The experiments published by Mr. Simmons of Manchester and others on the subject, with the view of refuting the origin of Cowpox in Horsegrease, appear to have but little weight, as even the Cowpock Virus itself, when repeatedly introduced into the sound nipples of Cows by means of a lancet, was found to produce no effect. (P. 93.) Having reached this point, I would beg the reader to pause and ask, What was Jenner’s discovery? It was not Cowpox; it was not Horsegrease; it was not Horsegrease Cowpox; all of which by his own admission were recognised by those familiar with them as preventives of Smallpox. What was it then? Nothing is more conspicuous in the _Further Observations_ than the condition of ignorance and imbecility they reveal. As we have seen, critics of the order of Mr. John Simon represent Jenner’s _Inquiry_ as a Masterpiece of Medical Induction, the fruit of thirty years of incessant thought, observation and experiment; whilst the patience, the caution, and the modesty of the author are commended for imitation. Those who have been subjected to Mr. Simon’s homily cannot but suffer disenchantment when they come face to face with the facts. Not after his thirty years of asserted research could Jenner answer the simple question, What is Cowpox? Incredible as it may appear, the following was his deliverance in presence of the doubts excited by the discussion of his original communication--