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
One of his inoculators is Mr. Campbell, who cures all sorts of
incurable diseases with _Elephants’ Milk_. He says he recently
sent 20,000 bottles to Russia at 11s. each. He also sells the
Milk in pills at 2s. 9d. a box. The poor have the Milk at
half-price; and strict secresy is preserved.
In Walker’s Plan for 1814, it appears that he grants his diplomas
to those who _are not_, as well as to those who _are_, of the
medical profession, and that Inoculators in the country are
requested and _authorised_ to put up a board with the following
inscription, PROTECTION FROM SMALLPOX UNDER THE SANCTION OF
THE LONDON VACCINE INSTITUTION. Then is to follow the name
of the farrier, cobbler, barber, barber-surgeon, apothecary,
man-midwife, tooth-drawer, druggist, chemist, oil-man,
cheesemonger, drysalter, or grocer, who dispenses the blessing of
Vaccination gratuitously.
The motley crew thus appointed are directed to make an Annual
Return of the numbers inoculated by them in order to swell Dr.
Walker’s list; and such inoculators are not in general very nice
in their calculations. Many of them will, in all probability,
like other quacks, pretend to a hundred times more than they
really perform.
Those who continued to believe that Vaccination was an easy and
harmless operation, could see nothing but good management in the
multiplication of Walker’s agencies, nor anything but meanness
in Ring’s sneers at tradesmen. His assertion that the use of
the title of the Royal Jennerian Society was fraudulent, had no
justification, yet it was his persistent reproach--
Honesty is the best policy. I therefore sincerely advise Dr.
Walker and his Board, to assume no more the title of the Royal
Jennerian Society, to which they must know they have not the
least claim, lest they should be brought before the Lord Mayor
as swindlers, and be prosecuted for obtaining money under false
pretences. I am informed that they have already been compelled
to refund a legacy of £100; and it is to be hoped they will be
compelled to refund the rest of their ill-gotten store.
Lastly, he appealed to the members of the Jennerian Society,
demanding--
How long will they suffer their names to be prostituted, and the
public to be deluded by a set of swindlers and imposters; by
men who are neither dignified by their rank, nor distinguished
by their talents; by a set of daring adventurers and despicable
upstarts! It is a gross insult and indignity, to which no man of
the least sense of honour, or of shame, would submit.
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