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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    Mr. spreading of the small-pox in the same family?—Yes, I have been called in to Richard Robertson several families to do so. 1728. Are the cases frequent where children are brought to you from poor ^3 P 1 33' patients of parents having taken alarm at the breaking out of the small-pox in one of the family ?—I have had many cases of that kind. 1729. Do not you think it is important that the vaccinator should have a prac- tical and intimate knowledge of the small-pox ? — I do. 1730. Is it not essential that he should be able to distinguish it, in order that he may not peradventure arm the point with small-pox instead of the vaccine matter.^ —Certainly. 1731. Are there not many cases in which the two pustules appear upon the saaie arm together?—I have not seen such cases. 1732. Do you know that such cases have been described by those persons who have written upon the disorder of the two having occurred upon the same arm ?—• No; I have known cases in which the small-pox has taken precedence of the vac- cination, and has stopped it altogether. 1733. Are you not aware that in Dr. Willan's book cases are stated of the two pustules appearing upon the same arm almost contiguous to one another ? —No. 1734. But you are of opinion that it is essential that a vaccinator, in order to avoid mistakes of the kind referred to, should have a practical acquaintance with small-pox ?—Certainly. 1735. When you lost the independent supply of lymph at your own station, did you make any representation to the Board, or to the inspector, Mr. Simpson, in consequence?—I once or twice applied there for matter in consequence, and told him I had failed in a supply. 1736. When the case occurred of your having the child from the Small-pox Hospital, did you make any representation to the Board, or to Mr. Simpson, upon the subject?—No. 1737. When you got that pair of glasses from the Small-pox Hospital, was it because you were unable to procure it from the institution?—No; I was sending that way, and desired my apprentice to get it; I had not applied to the institution at that time. 1738. Have you ever refused giving a supply to chemists without referring them to the Board ?—No, I cannot say that I have ; if they come to me during the time of vaccination, I give it to everybody who comes for it; but upon other days in the week, not vaccinating days, I have generally refused them, and have sent them to the Board ; I always send everybody to the Board if I have no points to spare. 1739. What is your mode of vaccination ?—By making small punctures. 1740. Is it the mode generally practised by the vaccinators of the National establishment ?—I believe so. 1741. Is the mode practised by the vaccinators of the National establishment uniform, or do they each follow the course which they have practically found the most efficacious?—I do not know that there is any special practice. 1742. Are they directed to make a superficial puncture, or to make it deep ?— Superficial, 1743- You say that you record extraordinary cases in a book; is that book shown to the Board ?—The inspector, Mr. Simpson, comes and looks at the book occa- sionally. 1744. Can you produce the book to the Committee?—Yes. 1745. When you have been in attendance upon a patient for the small-pox, should you think it necessary to take any precautions before you proceeded to vaccination ? —I should wash my hands, and perhaps change my coat. 1746. You would have a scruple in going immediately without some precau- tion ?—Yes, I should. 1747. What is the extent of the precaution you take after going into a family in which there is a small-pox patient before proceeding to vaccination ?—If I was called upon to vaccinate immediately after visiting a small-pox patient, I should wash my hands and change my coat. 1748. Suppose several hours elapsed ?—I should take the same precautions. 1749. Do you mean that you invariably in such a case change your coat ?—I have never been called upon to vaccinate a patient iminediately after. 1750. Suppose it is in the course of the same day ?—I should of course wash my hands, but not take any other precautions. 1751. You