Vaccinæ vindicia; or, defence of vaccination : containing a refutation of the cases, and reasonings on the same, in Dr. Rowley's and Dr. Moseley's late extraordinary pamphlets against vaccination. In two letters to Dr. Moseley. With the Report of the Medical Council of the Royal Jennerian Society. And the debate in the House of Commons (July 2, 1806) on a motion by Lord Henry Petty, for enlightening the people of England on the subject of vaccination, [&c] / By Robert John Thornton.

Robert John Thornton

Date:: 1806

Credit: Vaccinæ vindicia; or, defence of vaccination : containing a refutation of the cases, and reasonings on the same, in Dr. Rowley's and Dr. Moseley's late extraordinary pamphlets against vaccination. In two letters to Dr. Moseley. With the Report of the Medical Council of the Royal Jennerian Society. And the debate in the House of Commons (July 2, 1806) on a motion by Lord Henry Petty, for enlightening the people of England on the subject of vaccination, [&c] / By Robert John Thornton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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$to be enforced, and have been found to be at- tended with infinite advantage. These may be deemed a constraint upon the public, but hav- ing proved so beneficial, why not impose the samecontroul over mankind in other cases^\i^x^ communications with the diseased may be at- tended with dangerous consequences ? ^ Now we know, Sir, that the Small Pox has been found by long and fatal experience, to be nearly a kind of plague^ y so that great advantage Fortunately for mankind, the infection of plague spreads to a very small distance through the air, without some contact or adhesion to infected goods and porous materials, or by personal communication of the sound inhabitants with the diseased : a neighbour shutting himself up at a few yards distance from an infected house, as in Small-pox, will always escape unhurt. If the contagion of these plagues could be so suddenly and widely scat- tered over a kingdom, as epidemical cartarrh or influenza, the earth m a few months would be converted into an enormous church- yard, every where filled-with dead bodies. Here they resemble each other. * Huxham, Sydenham, &c. have each considered this disease as a real plague. The regulations (says the illustrious Hay- garth) to prevent the casual Small-Pox at Chester, were so successful, even at the commencement of the society, established here for that purpose, as very early to suggest the idea of exter- minating that distemper from. Great Britain, ]n the year 1778, I proposed ttie outline of such a plaa to the late Dr. John Fo- ^hergill, and had the satisfaction of enjoying several personal conferences with him upon the subject. His character, as a physician, and philosopher of the most comprehensive know- kdge, of the clearest and soundest understanding, is universally known. The goodness of his heart distinguished him no less$

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