Note 22 — Chapter XXVII
Reading edition
Medical readers will be amused with the following letter, written by Dr. Jenner, showing as it does the excess of caution with which he prepared his patients for the trifling operation of vaccination.
"Sir,
"I was absent from home when your obliging letter of the 24th November arrived; but I do not think this is likely to occur again for some time, and I shall therefore be very happy to take your little family under my care at the time you mention—the latter end of January. Our arrangements must be carefully made, as the children must be met here by proper subjects for transferring the Vaccine Lymph; for on the accuracy of this part of the process much depends. It may be necessary to observe also, that among the greatest impediments to vaccination (indeed the greatest) is an eruptive state of the skin on the child intended to receive the infection. On this subject I wrote a paper so long ago as the year 1804, and took much pains to circulate it; but I am sorry to say the attention that has been paid to it by the Faculty in general has been by no means equal to its importance. This is a rock on which vaccination has been often wreck'd; but there is no excuse, as it was so clearly laid down in the chart.
"I am, Sir, your obedient "and very humble servant, "Edward Jenner."