Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1894-01-03
AS TO VACCINATION.
EoME FACTS ABOUT ITS DISCOVERY
eY DIR. EDWARD JENNER.

fects of ccination-Recognized at Las
and Honored by an Epitaph of Praise.
Vaccination, as performed at the
present day, is an operation of compar.
atively recent origin. Preventive in.
oculating 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
died, and that many survivors were left
blind, deaf and disfigured.
When Edward Montagu was appoint
ed English ambassador to Turkey, in
1716, his wife. Lady Mary, called at
tention, in one of her letters, written in
1717, to the custom of migrating"
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. In 1921, 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 the
prisoners were released. Upon the
strength of this experiment the opera
ton was received with royal favor, the
Princess Of Wales having two of her
daughters infected" after the Turk
iSh method.
The efficiency of the operation in nit
igating the severity of smallpox was
great, the mortality averaging but three
in 1000. But there was one drawback
which was considered fatal. However
light the migrated 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.
DIR. Edward Jenner was the 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 first year he went to
London to finish his medical education
under DIR. John Hunter. Returning aft
er two years, he began practice in 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 to convince him that
there was something in it. On May IA,
1905, Jenner made his first vaccination
On boy of 8 years, named James
Phipps. Several weeks afterward the
boy was inoculaEed with smallpox mat
ter, and, as Jenner had predicted, no
result followed. Within one year from
the first announcement of the discovery
10 Of the leading physicians of London
signed declaration of their absolute
confidence in it.
In spite of this the discovery was not
generally accepted without much oppo-
,ition. Jenner, his system and all who
adopted it were made the butts of at
lacks hardly equaled in extravaganza
Dy any in the history of medicine.
When he persisted in pressing the con-
,ideration of vaccination on a medical
80 xr-I,i ob bo woo n nam 17o1. bo
was threatened with expulsion. Jenner
md his followers were denounced as
1uacks. The SO called school of ortho
loxy consisted of those practitioners
Who still adhered to incubation.
A mother complained that since her
laughter had been vaccinated she
,oughed like COW and that hair had
grown all over her body. 1t is also
aid that vaccination had been discon-
inued in one country district, because
hose who had been inoculated with
7accine virus beloved like bulls.
In 1900 the practice was introduced
nto this country, and six years after it
vas fret made public the knowledge
md practice of this operation had
spread over the entire world. In Russia
he empress gave the name of "Vacci-
loft, !" to the first child vaccinated and
made its education a public charge.
Many honors were conferred on Jenner
" foreign courts. The anniversary
If his birth and that of his first vacci-
lation were for many years celebrated
n Germany as feast days. In 1902 par
lament voted him $50, 900, and five
vears later 800, 900 more. He died of
lpoplexy in 1923, and his remains were
aid in the parish church of Berkeley.
The following epitaph is inscribed on
lis tomb:
Within this tomb hath found resting place,
The great physician of the human race
immortal Jenner, whose gigantic mind
Brought life and health to more than half
mankind.
let rescued infancy his worth proclaim
md lisp out blessings on his honored name,
And radiant beauty drop one grateful tear,
For beauty's truest friend lies buried here.
Nowadays the old fashioned method
If arm to arm vaccination is no longer
,racticed, as there is always more or
ess danger of transmitting disease
rom one to another. The virus, as
used now, is obtained from
,oung heifers. Quill slips are charged
With it, each slip receiving enough mat
er for one incubation. ':Points" of
worry are also used for holding the
yirus.
The lancet is still used where one
,accination is to be performed. When
large number of people are to be vac
mated new needles are always used,
fresh needle for each case, thus i'm
uring absolute safety to the person vac
mated. New York World.
A college student is reported as say
ng that on the whole he rather enjoys
lis studies. They furnish needed re-
axation from his athletic work.