A detail of experiments confirming the power of cow pox to protect the constitution from a subsequent attack of small pox, by proving the identity of the two diseases / by John Badcock.

  • Badcock, John, active 1816-1830.
Date:
1845
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A detail of experiments confirming the power of cow pox to protect the constitution from a subsequent attack of small pox, by proving the identity of the two diseases / by John Badcock. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

    27/102 (page 17)
    In a work published by Mr. Pruen in 1807, entitled A Comparative Sketch of the effects of the Variolus and Vaccine Inoculation, the opinion of a Mr. Birch is quoted that cow pox was nothing but small pox transmitted through the cow. All these authorities, therefore, favour my view of the question, and tend a priori to shew that the lymph obtained from vesicles produced on the cow by inocula- tion with small pox matter, would cause on the human subject the usual effects of a perfect vaccination. This fact, as I have before stated, I have repeatedly demonstrated by direct experiment. I have already remarked that my own little boy was the first human being whom I vacci- nated with the lymph which I obtained from the cow. The operation was perfectly suc- cessful, and one of the medical gentlemen who had witnessed the development of the vesicle upon the cow, became desirous to vaccinate his child from mine. Although I had the greatest confidence in the lymph thus produced, and infinitely pre- ferred it to the old stock of doubtful origin, which appeared to be worn out; yet, as it was the first experiment of the kind I had ever