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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    Charles Murray, 4^^' Did j'ou not belong to the Royal Jennerian Institution?—Yes. Ksqj 419. What occasioned the dissolution of that society?—The dissolution of that • society was occasioned in consequence of some different treatment adopted by Dr. 18 March 1833. Walker, who had been elected medical inoculator, upon which a controversy took place, he defending his mode of vaccination, and Dr. Jenner, by whose influence he had been elected to that situation, totally disagreeing with his practice; and the consequence of this was, that remonstrances took place on the part of the Medical Council. There were two Boards ; I was secretary to what may be called the Civil Board, and he attended the Medical Council. Remonstrances were made as to some published avowals of Dr. Walker's of a different process of vaccinating the patients and treating the pustules, which Dr. Jenner considered as opening a door to great danger to the success of the practice; and the result of this was, that Dr. Walker persisting in his Opinions and practice, Dr. Jenner felt, and most of his friends at the Medical Board, wliich consisted of some of the first physicians and surgeons of the metropolis, considering that Dr. Jenner's mode was simple, that it was found perfectly correct, felt, that it ought not to be deviated from; but Dr. Walker still persisting in his own mode of inoculation, a variety of discussions took place, which led to something like partisans on the one side and the other, until at length it was found necessary to discharge Dr. Walker from his situation. The result was that several meetings took place, and one very large General Court of the society, in which it was determined to confirm the resolution expelling Dr. Walker. This was brought before the General Court, and the consequence was that Dr. Walker was threatened to be ex[)elled by a very large majority, in con- sequence of a number of noblemen and gentlemen feeling that Dr. Jenner ought to be supported ; but instead of coming to that vote, for whicli they were prepared. Dr. Walker was prevailed upon by some of his friends, and was perujitted to resign. This was considered tantamount to a dismissal, but he inmiediately, with some of his friends, among whom were some gentlemen in the city by whom he was patronized, set on foot an institution called the London Vaccine Institution. 420. That exists at the present time?—I believe it does. The circumstance cre- ated, undoubtedly, divisions in the society ; and in consequence of the large outfit of the institution, and the expenditure occasioned by a very expensive house, in which Dr. Walker resided, but with which I had nothing to do, and a great many other contingent expenses, a large portion of the capital fund had been exhausted, which, from the zeal that existed at the first formation of the society, amounted to a very considerable sum. In fact, the royal family, the principal nobility, and the lead- ing professional men, had come forward very liberally, the latter not only giving their time, but subscribing their 10 or 20 guineas. This fund, that had bid fair to place the institution on a permanent footing, failed considerably. The capital had consisted principally of what were called life subscriptions; the annual subscriptions were not adequate to keep up the expenses of such an establishment, and the result was an apprehension that the wliole thing would fall to the ground. Under those circumstances Dr. Jenner entered into some negotiation with the members of the Government to consider whether it would not be wise to form a National Board, that there might be no dispute about the practice, and no w ant of a constant supply of Jymph for the United Kingdom and other parts of the world, and that there might also be a reference, in case of necessity, to an authority which it was supposed would be beneficial. At that time I had the honour, in consequence of my having co-operated in the formation of this large society in 1803, of being, so far as related to the organization of the new Board, consulted by Dr. Jenner and the late Right Honourable George Rose, who took the matter up principally from his having been eye-witness to some difficulties that had occurred with regard to the Jennerian So- ciety, and being of opinion that a National Board was necessary to carry on the business of vaccination with full and beneficial effect. 421. Then the Jennerian Society, while it existed, was supported by very large funds?—\es, in the first instance. 422. And at that period, when those dissensions arose, the income was very con- siderable?—No, not very. 423. Wliat was it?—Greatly diminished below the first amount. 424. Was not one of the causes of dissension the very large income that Dr. Walker was receiving, namely 500 A a year?—-He did not receive nearly so much as that. 425. Please to state what was the income that Dr. Walker, the principal medical officer of the institution, was in the receipt of previous to these dissensions ?—I am not