Smallpox and Vaccination.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 23 July 1913, Page 2

Smallpox and Vaccination.

It i« difficult for u.s to realise what (lie ravages of smallpox wci'i! some centuries ago, and how much dreaded was this disease. So virulent was its poison that a victim attacked one day would be dead with a few hours. Since vaccination has been introduced to the world, the awful results of the disease, and the disease itself, have been minimised to such an extent that much of the old horror has boon forgot ton. Jt is interesting, to rend the origin of vaccination. As long ago as the seventeenth century it was popularly believed among farmer folk that cow-pox protected them against smallpox. It is said that the notorious Duchess of Cleveland, when replying to some joker who suggested that, she would lose her beauty, if she had smallpox, said she was not. afraid of the disease, as she had cow-pox. It is really recognised that Dr. .Tenner is the man who established the fact, as far back as 17<S(). For some years lie had noticed that the dairymaids, inoculated with cow-pox, wore apparently immune from the worse disease. Tenner was ;il this time a comparatively obscure physician, living in a little place called Sodbnry, in Gloucester. He mentioned his belief to John Hunter, at that time one of the, most eminent London surgeons. This (-level , man answered : "Do not think but try, be patient, be accurate." Acting on this advice, -Tenner watched ami waited, and in 1780 he was able to proclaim to the world without doubt the protective power of vaccination. From this time, the precaution of vaccination spread rapidly throughout the world. In ' 1800 it was first introduced, into America, when Benjamin Wnterhouse, physician of Harvard, vaccinated ail his children. Thenis in Gloucester Cathedral ;v statue of -Tenner, whose discovery has been one of the greatest blessings of the world. -

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