The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-12-19

fects of ccinntion--Recognixed at last
aud 'Honored by an Epitaph of Praise.
Vaccination, as performed at the
present day, is an operation Of compar-
atively recent origins Preventive in
ocnlating with smallpox virus, how
ever. was known for many years pre-
vious TO the discovery Of vaccination.
For several centuries smallpox was con-
sidered more than any other pestilence
the foe of mankind, statistics showing
that about one-sixth of those attacked
alied, and that many survivors were left
blind, deaf and disigured.
When Edward Montagu was appoint
ed English ambassador to Turkey, in
l1716, his wife, Lady Mary, called at
tention, in one of her letters, written in
1717, TO the custom of "ingrafting"
smallpox. Upon her return to Eng
land she at once undertook the intro
duction of the art into that country,
showing her absolute faith in the oper-
alton by having her young daughter in
oculated.E. In 1871, scientists having
questioned the expediency Of the oper-
alton, the government extended remis-
sion to several prisoners under SEN
tence of death on the condition that
they would submit to incubation. The
experiment proved successful, and tho
prisoners were released. Upon the
strength of this experiment the opera
tion was received with royal favor, tho
Princess Of Wales having two of her
daughters infected" after the Turk
ish method."
The efficiency Of the operation in init
igating tho severity of smallpox was
great, tho mortality averaging but three
in 1000. But there was one drawback
which was considered fatal. However
light the ingrafted disease might be, it
was still smallpox, and the more it was
conveyed in this way the more were CEN
tiers of infection multiplied from which
those not protected were liable to con-
tract the disease in its most virulent
form,
DR.. Edward Jenner was tho son of
an English clergyman, born in May,
1749, at Berkeley, village in Glouces-
ter. The confident assertion of young
country woman that having had cow
pox'' she was proof against smallpox,
made lasting impression on his mind.
In his twenty-iirst year he went to
London to finish his medical education
under DR.. John Hunter. Returning aft
er two years, he began practice i'll his
native village of Berkeley. On renew-.
ing his acquaintance with the dairy
people of the district, the belief OF an
existing antagonism between cowpox
and smallpox was again brought to his
attention. BY degrees he accumulated
sufficient evidence 10 convince him that
there was something in it. On May IA,
1896, Jenner made his first vaccination
IN boy of 8 years, named James
Phipps. Several weeks afterward the
boy was inoculated with smallpox mat
ter, and, as Jenner had predicted, no
result followed. Within one year from
the first announcement of the discovery
20 of the leading physicians of London
signed declaration of their absolute
confidence in it.
In spite of this tho discovery was not
generally accepted without much oppo-
eition. Jenner, his system and all who
adopted it were made the butts Of at
tacks hardly equaled in extravaganza
by any in the history OF medicine.
When he persisted in pressing the con-
eideration of vaccination on medical
society of which he was member, he
was threatened with expulsion. Jenner
and his followers were denounced as
quacks. The so called school of ortho-
doxy consisted Of those practitioners
who still adheredto inoculation.
A mother complained that since her
daughter had been vaccinated she
coughed like COW and that hair had
grown all over her body. 1t is also
said that vaccination had been discon-
tinued in one country district, because
those who had been ineculated with
vaccine virus beloved like bulls"
In 1900 the practice was introduced
into this country, and six years after it
was first made public the knowledge
and practice of this operation had
spread over the entire world. In Russia
the empress gave the name of "Vacci-
noH, - TO the first child vaccinated and
made its education public charge.
Many honors were conferred on Jenner
by foreign courts. The anniversary
of his-birth and that of his first vacci-
nation were for many years celebrated
in Germany as feast days. In 1902 par
Lament voted him $50, 900, and five
years later 500, GOO more. He died Of
apoplexy in 1928, and his remains were
laid in the parish church of Berkeley.
The following epitaph is inscribed on
his tomb:
Within this tomb hath found resting place,
The great physician Of the human race
Immortal Jennor. whosb gigantic mind
Brought life and health TO more than half
mankind.
Jet rescued infancy his worth proclaim
And lisp out blessings on his honored name,
And radiant beauty drop one grateful tear,
For beauty's truest friend lies bruied here.
Nowadays the old fashioned method
of arm to arm vaccination is no longer
practiced, as there is always more or
less danger of Transmitting disease
from one 10 another The virus, as