A monster being fed baskets of infants and excreting them with horns; symbolising vaccination and its effects. Etching by C. Williams, 1802(?).

Benjamin Moseley. Stipple engraving by Marie-Anne Bourlier after R.M. Paye.

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<p>Background right, Vesuvius and the bay of Naples. Background left, a volume of the works of Hippocrates and Galen in Greek. On the table, a volume of the works of Celsus in Latin</p>

<p>A print published as propaganda against the introduction of vaccination as a preventitive measure against smallpox. Smallpox was once a common epidemic disease that killed, blinded or disfigured its victims. In the 18th century its impact was reduced in Europe by a Chinese practice called variolation, the injection of smallpox fluid from an infected human being into a healthy human. Variolation became a popular practice in Great Britain. In 1798 Edward Jenner (1749-1823) proposed a modification of variolation called vaccination, which involved the injection of fluid from an infected cow into human beings. The introduction of the cow into human medicine seemed irrational and surprising, and was one of the points made against vaccination by its opponents. Some of the opponents of vaccination are named on the obelisk shown on the right of the print: the topmost name is that of Dr Benjamin Moseley, physician to the Royal Hospital at Chelsea. On the left the vaccinators, sporting bull's horns, feed babies to the Vaccination monster, which has the forefeet of a lion and the hindfeet of a cow</p>

1 print : etching ; platemark 19.4 x 24 cm

An answer to Dr. Moseley, containing a defence of vaccination / By John Ring.

A review of the Report of the Royal College of Physicians of London, on vaccination / [Benjamin Moseley].

1 unnumbered leaf, iv, 3-276 pages ; (8vo)

A treatise on sugar. With miscellaneous medical observations / By Benjamin Moseley.

Medical Heritage Library

1 unnumbered blank leaf, 2 unnumbered leaves, xix, 544 pages, 1 unnumbered blank leaf ; 22 cm

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Moseley, Benjamin, 1742-1819

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Catalogue

Benjamin Moseley. Stipple engraving by Marie-Anne Bourlier after R.M. Paye.

A monster being fed baskets of infants and excreting them with horns; symbolising vaccination and its effects. Etching by C. Williams, 1802(?).

An answer to Dr. Moseley, containing a defence of vaccination / By John Ring.

Today’s opening times

Wellcome uses cookies.

Moseley, Benjamin, 1742-1819

Images

Catalogue

Benjamin Moseley. Stipple engraving by Marie-Anne Bourlier after R.M. Paye.

A monster being fed baskets of infants and excreting them with horns; symbolising vaccination and its effects. Etching by C. Williams, 1802(?).

An answer to Dr. Moseley, containing a defence of vaccination / By John Ring.

Wellcome Collection

Today’s opening times