The Story of a Great Delusion in a Series of Matter-of-Fact ChaptersWhite, William
History
The Story of a Great Delusion in a Series of Matter-of-Fact Chapters
White, William
Vaccination
It does not appear the genuine Vaccine Pock can be propagated
like the Smallpox by effluvia from persons labouring under it.
Hence if the Vaccine Inoculation should be universally instituted
in place of the Smallpox, it is reasonable to conclude, that this
most loathsome and fatal malady will be extinguished; and, like
the Sweating-Sickness, the Plague, certain forms of leprosy,
etc., be known in this country only by name.
It does not appear that the Vaccine Poison, like that of the
Smallpox, can be conveyed so as to produce the disease indirectly
from diseased persons, by adhering to clothes, furniture,
bedding, letters, etc. Hence no danger of its propagation in
these channels is to be apprehended from the universal practice
of the inoculation of the Cowpock.
It has been found that a person, whose constitution has
distinctly undergone the Vaccine Disease, is in future
insusceptible of the same disorder. [_Thus re-vaccination was
treated as impossible._]
Experience shows, that there is no reason to apprehend the
smallest chance of deformities of the skin from the Vaccine
Inoculation.
The extensive practice of the Vaccine Inoculation in the present
year, and the accounts of the disease in the casual way do not
show that any other disease will be excited subsequently.
A further considerable public benefit expected is, that a stock
of efficacious Vaccine Matter, _free from contamination by the
Smallpox_, will by this Institution be preserved for the use of
the public.
These statements are interesting as showing how early the
rollicking tunes were set to which at this day we are expected
to dance. The last paragraph is noteworthy as a confession
under Pearson’s hand that vaccine poison had got confused with
variolous, and that the mistake would henceforth be avoided.
Jenner maliciously and persistently used this mishap, for which
Woodville was responsible, to discredit Pearson and magnify his
own pretensions; but, as Pearson observed, neither Jenner nor any
one else knew that it was possible to have cowpox and smallpox
simultaneously. The mistake was made, however; and, as is the
function of mistakes, knowledge was enlarged. Pearson’s behaviour
in the matter was as creditable to him as Jenner’s was otherwise.
The Vaccine Pock Institution was organised with a staff of
physicians, surgeons, and apothecaries of the highest London
respectability; and as it was desired to have the benefit
of Jenner’s name (his active co-operation, as a resident in
Gloucestershire, being out of the question) Pearson wrote to him--
LONDON, _10th December, 1799_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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