concept

John Birch. Line engraving by C. Lewis after T. Phillips.

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

Medical Heritage Library

30 pages, [1] leaf, pages [31]-40 ; 21 cm

An examination of the part of the evidence relative to cow-pox : which was delivered to the Committee of the House of Commons, by two of the surgeons of St. Thomas's Hospital ; with some remarks on inoculated small-pox / by W. R. Rogers.

2 unnumbered leaves, 90 pages, 1 unnumbered leaf ; (8vo)

An answer to Mr. Birch, containing a defence of vaccination / [John Ring].

<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

Hints for the consideration of Parliament, in a letter to Dr. Jenner, on the supposed failures of vaccination at Ringwood : including a report of the Royal Jennerian Society on that subject, after a careful public investigation upon the spot; also containing remarks on the prevalent abuse of variolous inoculation, and on the dreadful exposure of out-patients attending at the Small-Pox Hospital / by William Blair.

An essay on electricity. Explaining the principles of that useful science : and describing the instruments, contrived either to illustrate the theory, or render the practice of entertaining / by George Adams.

xiv, 594 pages, volumes [i.e. vi] folded leaves of plates : illustrations ; 23 cm (8vo)

An essay on electricity : explaining the principles of that useful science, and describing the instruments, contrived either to illustrate the theory, or render the practice entertaining : illustrated with six plates. To which is added, a letter to the author, from Mr. John Birch, surgeon, on the subject of medical electricity / by the late George Adams.

An essay on the medical application of electricity.

2 unnumbered pages, xv, 1 unnumbered page, 60 pages, 2 unnumbered pages

Considerations on the efficacy of electricity, in removing female obstructions : to which is now added a description of the manner of applying it / by John Birch, surgeon.

Serious reasons for uniformly objecting to the practice of vaccination : in answere to the report of the Jennerian Society, etc.

xi, 588 pages, 6 unnumbered folded leaves of plates : frontispiece, illustrations ; (8vo)

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Birch, John, 1745?-1815

Images

Catalogue

An essay on the medical application of electricity.

Considerations on the efficacy of electricity, in removing female obstructions : to which is now added a description of the manner of applying it / by John Birch, surgeon.

Serious reasons for uniformly objecting to the practice of vaccination : in answere to the report of the Jennerian Society, etc.

An essay on electricity. Explaining the principles of that useful science : and describing the instruments, contrived either to illustrate the theory, or render the practice of entertaining / by George Adams.

Wellcome uses cookies.

Birch, John, 1745?-1815

Images

Catalogue

An essay on the medical application of electricity.

Considerations on the efficacy of electricity, in removing female obstructions : to which is now added a description of the manner of applying it / by John Birch, surgeon.

Serious reasons for uniformly objecting to the practice of vaccination : in answere to the report of the Jennerian Society, etc.

An essay on electricity. Explaining the principles of that useful science : and describing the instruments, contrived either to illustrate the theory, or render the practice of entertaining / by George Adams.

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