A review of the Report of the Royal College of Physicians of London, on vaccination / [Benjamin Moseley].

  • Moseley, Benjamin, 1742-1819
Date:
1808
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A review of the Report of the Royal College of Physicians of London, on vaccination / [Benjamin Moseley]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    as will be seen, in no common style of judication, —considering the peculiarity of their situation. The Requisition of Government to the Col¬ lege, originated from a motion, made by Lord Henry Petty in the House of Commons, on the 2d of July, 1806; while he was Chancellor of the Exchequer. The College were thereby ordered “ to report their observations and opinion upon that practice (Vaccination) upon the evidence adduced in its support.” The words of the Order are remarkable. But a parental mandate to Spartan youths was never more faithfully obeyed.—The COMMITTEE kept their martialled eyes stedfastly fixed on, what they were told, was Vaccina’s support; and never looked awry, lest they should discover her scabs, her sores, her filth, and her deformity. Ignorance of the Small Pox, and of the proper method of Inoculation, has made that disease terrible; and this ignorance, and this terror, have been the true support of Vaccination. Before I enter into an analysis of the Report, further preparation is necessary for the reader. He must be apprised that a multitude of medical men made up their minds on Vaccination, not only before they gave their testimony in the House of Commons on Dr. Jenner’s Petition, but before any thing of the practice could possibly be b 2 known.