The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-02
TIE PRACTICE OF VACCINATION.
The Difficulties Under Which It's DiscOverer
LabOred-IIOw 1t Was Discovered

How old is this disagreeable practice of vac
cination~ was the question asked yesterday
afternoon in the Office of well-known physician
by a lady, while rolling up the sleeve of a little
daughter whom she had brought to the doctor to
be vaceinated-
1T is less than century old" replied the
doctor 'The first treatise on vaccination was
published in 1913, by DR.. Jenner, to whom be
longs the credit of the discovery. He encountered
great difficulties in establishing the discovery as
a preventive of smallpox. He had ideas upon
the matter and labored with them for twenty
three years before the publication of his treatise
He was youth. pursuing his studies at Sod
bury, when his attention arrested by the
casual observation made by country girl who
came to his preceptor's Office for advice. The
smallpox was mentioned, when the girl said,
Il can't take that disease for | have
had cow-pox." The observation Immediately
invited Jenner's attention. and he forthwith set
about mquiring and making observations on the
subject His professional friends, to whom he
mentioned his views as to the prophylactic fea-
lures of cow-poX laughed at him, and even
threatened to expel him from their society if he
persisted in harrassing them with the subject
His faith in his discovery was so implicit
that he vaccinated his own son on
three separate occasions. At length he
published his views in Quarto of about seventy
pages in which he gave the details of twenty
three cases of successful vaccination Of individ-
uals, and to whom it was found afterward imposs-
BILE to communicate the smallpox either by con-
tagion or incubation
How was the discovery receivedF
First with Indifference then with active hos
tility. Jenner proceeded from his country home
to Londo1 to exhibit to the profession
the process of vaccination and its results,
but not a single medical man could be induced
to make a trial of it, and, after further waiting
for nearly three months, he returned to his nd
tive village He was caricatured and abused for
his attempt to ''bestalize his species by the in
PRODUCTION into their systems of diseased matter
from a cows udder Vaccination was denounced
from the pulpit as diabolical. 1t was avered that
vaccinated children became ''oXfaced," that alb
scesses broke out to indicate sprouting horns
and that the countenance was gradually trans
muted into the visage of a cow the voice into
the believing of bulls. Vaccination a
truth however, and the belief in it spread
slowly. In one village, where gentleman tried
to introduce the practice, the first persons who
permitted themselves to be vaccinated were alb
solutely pelted, and driven into their houses if
they appeared out of doors. Two ladies
of title, Lady Ducie and the Countess of
Berkeley had the courage to vaccinate their
children, and the prejudices against the practice
were at once broken. The medical profession
gradually came around, and there were several
who even sought to rob DR.. Jenner of the merit
of the discovery when its Importance came to be
recognized. Jenner was at last publicly hon
Ored and rewarded, and during his lifetime the
practice of vaccination became adopted all over
the civilized world He was invited to settle in
London and told that he might command a prac-
tice of $50, 900 year, but declined it."