Edward Jenner, the discoverer of vaccination / [C.J.S. Thompson].

  • Charles Thompson
Date:
1921
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Edward Jenner, the discoverer of vaccination / [C.J.S. Thompson]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    and was delighted to see that no smallpox followed. This culmi¬ nating point in Jenner’s researches was the result of more than thirty years reflection and study. The historic result which he communicated to his friend Gardner, may be told in his own words: — “As I promised” he writes, “to let you know how I proceded in my inquiry into the nature of that singular disease the cowpox, and, being fully satisfied how much you feel interested in its success, you will be gratified in hearing that I have at length accomplished what I have been so long waiting for, the passing of the Vaccine Virus from one human being to another by the ordinary mode of inoculation. A boy by the name of Phipps was inoculated in the arm from a pustule on the hand of a young woman who was infected by her master’s cows. Having never seen the disease but in its casual way before, that is, when communicated from the cow to the hand of the milker, I was astonished at the close resem¬ blance of the pustules. But now listen to the most delightful part of my story. The boy has since been inoculated for the smallpox, which, as I ventured to predict, produced no effect. I shall now pursue my experiments with redoubled ardour. Believe me. Yours very sincerely, Edward Jenner, Berkeley, July /796 19th, With characteristic caution and accuracy, Jenner decided to confirm his experiments and make his discovery certain before putting the facts to the world, so he resolved to repeat it, but unfortunately the disappearance of cowpox in the dairies again caused a delay. In the meanwhile, he resolved to prepare a paper on the subject to send to the Royal Society of London. Early in the year 1797, owing to another outbreak of cowpox in the district, Jenner’s opportunity again occurred. He confirmed his previous experiments and inoculated three other persons with success. He then completed his paper and revised it for publication, sending the manuscript to the Royal Society. It was submitted to the Council, which on consideration, after some time, returned it to him as they thought the evidence was not strong enough to warrant publication in their “Transactions”. Jenner with unshaken faith and in the firm conviction that his