Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1851-10-30

JEsNER, the great dlscovcrer OF vaccina-
ton. In the latter part OF the last cen
tury il was found that forty thousand
persons died annually of the smallpox,
in Great Britain and Ireland. This was
true at the time when smallpox inocu.
laiion was very generally practised,
and when the treatment of those under
u had been carried to the greatest de-
gree Of perfection. OF those who had
the smallpox is the natural way, one
in six died, under the best care; OF those
who were inoculated, one in two hun
drcd. incubation was a great blessing
to those who were the subjects of il, but
not 10 the whole community. While
no thoughtful and prudent enjoyed the
benefit Of this practice, they spread the
disease through the land lor many OF
those who were not protected, were in
fected by those under incubation I; SO
that. on the whole, il was found that the
deaths from smallpox were actually i'll
creased by the practice oil inoc cula'ion.
How hopeless seemed the case. The
smallpox seemed 10 be an evil, which,
in those latter days, men were born to
encounter, aIA which must be submitted
TO. And how hideous, how horrid was
the disease Among us its sutferings
are unknown, and when described they
seem 10 many to be almost fabulous
The sufrrings were not limited to the
proper disease. Under the name OF Sc
Quele,-oi the consequences Of small
Ox,--they were renewed and prolong-
ed in various shapes. and in many in
stances they marrcd the comfort Of all
the residue Of life.
1t was at the period above mentioned,
just at the close OF the last century, that
DR.. Jenner proposed remedy for these
great evils. He made public that the
redce of the small pox and that this
disease might be produced artificially.--
by inoculaton-withe entire safety. Ii
was soon known throughout the civiliz-
ell world that this vaccine disease could
lie propagated with great ease that it
wns 50 mild rs not TO interfere with the
occupations Of life that il might be
communicated with safety TO newborn
\ infants, and to persons in the most deli
cate health, and that life was not endan
gered by it. II became obvious that,
II il vaccination could be made universal,
the smallpox might, in time. die out for
want Of subjects. IL was not found, in
deed. that the security from smallpox
after vaccination was perfect But this
~as not serious objection, for the same
WITS true in respect TO those, who had
undergone the smallpox itself, either
by inoculation, or in the natural way.
DR.. Jenncr then, put it in the power
OF the English people TO save the hives
Of forty thousand persons in year a
number to be Increased annually by the
increase OF the population. Can it be a
II question whether such benciac or
should be remuneratcd and honored in
the most ample manner
II Such are the views to be taken Of the
case az regards Engiishmen. But is j,
from them alone that gratitude is due to
tho memory Of JisNER? Were the
benefits OF his labors and ol his discOv-
cry limited to them 7 Far from it,
II They were ior all nations and for all
II times. And they were dcs oncd 10 be
30. Such discovery cou.d not have
been kept seer, t. Far from wishing To
keep Il secret for moment, Jenncr
and his countrymen hastened to extend
The advantages OF it TO us, and to the
whole world. These advantages have
II been enloycJ by us Tor half a century .
and the great mass of the people of this
country are, at this day, and all might
be, secured by vaccination from the
loathsomc smallpox: II there be any
who cannot think oithc splendor of the
sun without remembering that this
bright luuinary has dark spots on its
/ surface, these may object that the Sc
II curity from vaccination is not perfect
| Lot 1t be, they say, that formerly one
II million Oi persons, in Great Britain and
II lrelsnd, underwent the smallpox annu-
Il ally there are now one hundred thous-
1 and who suffer that disease every year.
| md of these, perhaps five thousand have
been previously vaccinatcd. And, Il ain,
there are still noticed, in those islands,
| four or five thousand deaths from this
disease, some Of which, possibly some
\ huRdreds. are among those who have
undergone vaccination.
/ five were engaged in nm inquiry for
scientific purposes, we would ascertain
4 what numbers can be adduced on the
unfavoroble side OF the account. As il
is we have put into the mouth Of the
opponent estimates only designing to
take numbers sufficiently large. In re-
| ply TO the objections above stated, we
ask,---Would il be well for an English
nan TO say that DR.. Jcnner did not sue
ceed IN his attempt to be useful that
while he tried to save the lives Of forty
/ thousand Of his countrymen every year,
in all coming time, he had not as yet
succeeded in saving more than thirty
five thousand Especially should all
of ne scout such an objection, when the
failure complained OF nigh, be almost
entirely prevented, perhaps quite, il we,
Of this generation, would duly avail our
selves OF the Instructions which Jenner
| gave us.
II Let us then unite, rs one man, 10 show
| our gratitude to Jcnner, the instrument
| of blessed Providence, for the great
benefits we have derived from his wise
and philanthropic labors. Let all, whose
pocuniary circumstances are easy, unite
/ in the small contributions, which, in the
\ aggregate. sh II furnish some exhibition
of a nations gratitude.
/ II will occur To every one that while
| the whole world have been benefited
by vaccination, the advantages must he
more fully realized and appreciated by
medical men than by Others. On this
account the following excellent Report
is annexed, rs a most important part Of
this article.
RspoRr MADE TO THE SUFFOLK DIsTRicT