THE STORY OE VACCINATION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 19 June 1931, Page 8

THE STORY OE VACCINATION

Edward Jointer, tho son of a poor country clergyman, was horn in Gloucestershire in 1749. lie was apprenticed to surgeon at Soillmry. One day a, woman came."into his surgery for medical aflenlion. Smallpox was mentioned, and the woman remarked: “I cannot lake that disease because I’ve had eowpox. Young .Tenner remembered this, ami there is no doubt that if started him on (he road to fume. He went to London, where he became a pupil of the famous doctor, John Tinnier. Jonnor pursued his investigations and advanced his knowledge. But it was not until 26 years after his arrival in London I hat he made his first experiment in actual vaccination. Tu 1796 lie vaccinated a. hoy of eight with lymph taken from the hand of ii woman suffering from eowpox. Tho boy contracted the disease. A few months later lie vaccinated the same boy from a ,smallpox patient. Tho hoy did not develop the disease, and .Tenner had scored his first success. ITo had a stern .fight, however. Doctors and the general public opposed' his ideas: In 1799 vaccination was fairly common, but its adoption wns very slow. George HI permitted him lo dedicate his hook on vaccination to him. Napoleon admired Jonnor so much that ho released a number of English prisoners at tho doctor’s request. Finally. .Tenner received a handsome grant from Parliament, and in .1853 vaccination became compulsory.