Report from the Select Committee on the Vaccine Board : with the minutes of evidence and an appendix. / Ordered, by the House of Commons, to be printed, 28 August 1833.

  • Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on the Vaccine Board.
Date:
1833
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report from the Select Committee on the Vaccine Board : with the minutes of evidence and an appendix. / Ordered, by the House of Commons, to be printed, 28 August 1833. 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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    incision was made when vaccinated, that the said tumour is the true vaccine tumour, Dr. JohnEpps. when sometimes it is not. 1442. Are you a doctor of medicine?—I am. ^7 March 1833. 1443. Where did you obtain your diploma?—At Edinburgh. 1444. Are you a licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians?—No, I am not. 1445. The London Vaccine Institution is called the Royal Jennerian Society ? —They were two separate societies, but they were united in the year 1813. 1446. It has assumed that title ?—Yes. 1447. Do you know that the original Royal Jennerian Society was dissolved ?— I believe it was dissolved in 1806, but I am not certain. 1448. Do you know on what account it was dissolved ?—I do not; there were a great many disputes I heard, as a matter of history, but I was not at all con- nected with it then. 1449. Do you know upon what authority this institution is called the RoyalJen- nerian Society?—It was resuscitated, if I may so say, by the life governors of the original society, called together on the 17th July 1813, by public advertisement, also on the 27th of July of the same year. The meeting, on the latter occasion, was held at the City of London Tavern, Dr. Bradley in the chair. 1450. Do you know whether any application was made to Dr. Jenner to sanction it?—Dr. Jenner was elected president of this resuscitated society j he was written to by Dr. Bradley, who took a very great interest in it, begging him to take the head, and he declined. His answer is, Although it must be evident that every institution, which has for its object the extension of vaccine inoculation, must have my best wishes for its success, yet, for reasons which, on reflection, must be obvious, you must see the impossibility of my accepting the proffered appointment. 1451. He positively declined to become president ?—Yes. 1452. And still the title of the Royal Jennerian Society was assumed ?—Yes. 1453. Was not Dr. John Walker one of the promoters of this institution?—He was a principal promoter of this institution at its Jirst establishment, and one of the greatest blessings to this institution and to the world. 1454. Was it not in consequence of deviations from the Jennerian system that it was dissolved?—I do not know regarding this sufficiently, but whatever was Dr. Walker's system, it was productive of the greatest public benefit, and was attended with the greatest possible success. 1455. Did Dr. Jenner object to it?—I do not know that he did as an individual. The difference between Drs. Jenner and Walker is thus stated in the archives of the College of Physicians, London : Two different modes have been adopted in taking the matter of inoculation from the vaccinated subject; one, by making punctures round the outer part of the pock; the otiier, by removing the crust or scab from the centre of the pock, wiping out the fluid beneath it, and then taking the matter indiscriminately from any part of the whole substance of the pock. These two different modes are used by men eminent in vaccination: the former by Dr. Jenner, the latter by Dr. Walker. 1456. In what manner has your institution been supported?—By voluntary subscriptions entirely. 1457. Was it never the practice to send round the reports of the institution to various individuals, offering them a diploma and the vice-presidency if they sub- scribed?—I am sure I do not know. 1458. l^othing of that sort has taken place since you have been connected with the institution^—Not to my knowledge; I do not have anything to do with the management of the institution, except with the medical department. 1459. Do you think that there is any discredit in doing so, as the objects of the institution are charitable?—It is not perhaps professional, but there is nothing discreditable. 1460. Is it not by sending round persons to collect, that very many charitable institutions are supported ?—No doubt of it. 1461. You say that many persons prefer to apply to you instead of applying to the National Vaccine Establishment?—I should infer so. 1462. Have you ever heard the efficacy of the lymph of the National Vaccine Establishment questioned at all?—No, I never heard much about it. 1463. You said that persons applied to you because they could not procure matter from the National Vaccine Board ?—Yes, and many have been up to the west end and could not find the place where this matter was obtained; in fact, M 4 I have