Compulsory vaccination briefly considered, in its scientific, religious, and political aspects : being a letter addressed to ... Sir B. Hall ... / by John Gibbs ... and returned to the House of Commons, on the motion of Mr. Brotherton.

  • Gibbs, John.
Date:
1856
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Compulsory vaccination briefly considered, in its scientific, religious, and political aspects : being a letter addressed to ... Sir B. Hall ... / by John Gibbs ... and returned to the House of Commons, on the motion of Mr. Brotherton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

    6/94 (page 6)
    nators themselves, is not an unfailing protection against small-pox. The experience of most persons will testify to the same effect; and ample corrobora- tive proof may be found in the Returns of the Regis- trar-General. I cannot allow myself to make use of any extracts from these important and able papers without at the same time respectfully and thankfully acknowledging my many obligations both to the Re- gistrar-General and to Mr. Thomas Mann, for the courtesy and kindness with which, on various occa- sions, they have complied with my requests. In No. 10, vol. xv., for the week ending March 11, 1854, we find, “ A grocer died in South Street, Chelsea, at the age of fifty years, ‘ of confluent small-pox (fourteen days).’ He had been vaccinated when one year old.” In No. 45, vol. xiii., we read:—“ In the sub-district of Haggerstone West, at 46, Essex Street, on 1st of November, the daughter of a bricklayer, aged five years, died of ‘ variola confluens (nine days), vaccinated with effect when six months old, marks ‘perfect..’ Mr. Bowring mentions that ‘ four out of a family of seven have been attacked, and the survivors are still suffer- ing under the disease. All mere vaccinated between the ages of four and six months; the cicatrices still perfect.’ He also records a death from small-pox without vaccination, and adds, ‘a prejudice against vaccination, of which this is another instance, is gain- ing ground in my district.’” It would appear that by a prejudice Mr. Bowring must mean an unfavourable opinion founded on experience. To proceed :—in No. 41, vol. xiii., we find:—“ At 82, Earl Street, Lisson Grove, the daughter of a bottle-merchant, aged one year, died from ‘ confluent small-pox (fourteen days), vaccinated seven days previously.’ The medical certifi- cate adds, £ vaccinated on the 23rd of September, in two points on each arm. Small-pox first showed on the skin on the 30th. Both diseases progressed in a modified form for five days, when the child fell into a typhoid state.’”* In this case, small-pox and cow-pox