An answer to Mr. Goldson; proving that vaccination is a permanent security against the small-pox / By John Ring.

  • John Ring
Date:
1804
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An answer to Mr. Goldson; proving that vaccination is a permanent security against the small-pox / By John Ring. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    1 pustules in the other child ; but none of them maturated. Constitutional symptoms also took place. There was pain in the head and back, attended with fever. Were every human being doomed to suffer such an affection as this once in his life, instead of the horrors of the small-pox, he would have no great reason to complain. But we have no proof that the child had been effectually vaccinated. It is not evident that her case was not one of those cases of imperfect vaccination, which the soil of Portsmouth seems to have produced in great abundance. ■■lllttlfn. .. The third case related by Mr. Goldson, is that of another child inoculated by him with supposed cow-pock matter, in Jan. 1801. In this case also, the pustule was perfectly satisfactory to himself\—His opinion of the security of this child was confirmed by the following occurrence. In April 1803, he inoculated another child in the same family with the small-pox. The two children were kept constantly to¬ gether ; and alternately slept in the same cradle; yet the child who was supposed to have undergone vaccination, escaped the small-pox. This was considered by Mr. Gold- son as a proof of security from future infection; as far as such security could be attained by vaccination. The child has since caught the small-pox in the natural way; but we have no proof that she ever had the cow- pock. It is true Mr. Goldson was satisfied with his own performance. But it will be difficult for him to render it satisfactory to others, till he brings evidence that his vac¬ cine patients are as secure from the small-pox, as those who are inoculated by other practitioners. It is too ridiculous to conclude, that, because a child did not catch the small-pox when she wore an infected night¬ cap, she could never catch it while she lived; and, unless gentlemen can bring better proofs than these of a temporary security arising from vaccination, they had better put on their own nightcaps, and go to bed. The truth is, that it is no uncommon circumstance, for a person to catch the small-pox who has resisted it before; and even resisted it for a long time, in every form, and every degree of exposure. Many a parent, after attending several children
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