EDITORIAL THE CENTENARY OF THE DEATH and devoted himself entirely to internal OF medicine. It was a common matter of observation Edward Jenner was born May 17, 1749 among the laity in Gloucestershire that Berkeley in Gloucestershire where his dairymaids who had suffered from father was vicar. From his early boyhood were immune from . Jenner knew he showed a great interest in the natural this and kept turning it over and over in sciences, gathering fossils and other speci­ his mind until, May 14, 1796, he vaccinated mens pertaining to biology. He soon began an eight year old boy, James Phipps, with to study medicine and became an appren­ lymph from cowpox vesicles taken from the tice to a surgeon named Ludlow at Sod- hand of a woman named Sarah Nelmes. bury. In 1770 he went to London where The boy shortly presented all the symptoms he was a house-pupil of John Hunter’s. of cowpox. On July 1, 1796, Jenner inocu­ In Hunter’s home he spent two happy years lated the boy with smallpox without com­ and the teacher and pupil became the municating the disease to him. Jenner wrote warmest of friends. Hunter served as god­ an account of his observations on this father to his son in 1789. Sir Joseph Banks patient, this manuscript is in the Royal engaged Jenner at Hunter’s suggestion to College of Surgeons. It was evidently in­ prepare a collection of specimens which tended to form a communication to the Captain Cook had brought home with him. Royal Society of which he had been elected There are many letters extant written to a fellow in 1788. It appears never to have Jenner by Hunter requesting his aid in been read or published. His first known zoological research work. publication on the subject was a treatise While in London Jenner worked at St. entitled, “An Inquiry into the Causes and George’s Hospital. In 1773 he began the Effects of the Variolae Vaccinae, a Disease practice of medicine at Berkeley. In his Discovered in Some of the Western Coun­ “Life of Jenner” Baron has described the tries of England, particularly Gloucester­ manner in which he used to ride about the shire, and Known by the Name of Cowpox,” town and countryside visiting his patients was printed June, 1798. This medical classic clad in a blue coat and top-boots, with contained complete proofs of the efficacy whip and silver spurs. He continued his of with cowpox virus against studies in natural history, indulged his smallpox. musical tastes on the violin and flute, and Jenner passed some months in London in wrote some not very wonderful poetry. order to demonstrate his discovery to the Jenner was active in his profession contribut­ medical world. He was greatly aided by ing papers to the local medical society. In Cline, the distinguished surgeon, but other­ 1792 Jenner received the degree of m.d. wise received but little encouragement. from the University of St. Andrews. He There was much opposition as was to be gave up practicing surgery and obstetrics, expected. However by 1800, within what seems in reality quite a short time, he had On January 26, 1823, he had another stroke won the support of public as well as profes­ which proved fatal. His remains were sional opinion. The chief officers of the Army interred in the parish church at Berkeley. and Navy were quick to recognize the Although efforts have been made to value of Jenner’s discovery and British belittle Jenner’s achievements and even to soldiers and sailors were among the earliest besmirch his character, they have met the to derive benefit from it. The practice failure they deserved. He himself admitted spread quickly to other countries, Russia that the immunity from smallpox which and France adopting it very early. To Dr. was conferred by cowpox was well-known Waterhouse of Boston, is generally ascribed throughout the dairy districts of Gloucester­ the credit for the introduction into America shire, but the fact remains that Jenner first of the general use of vaccination. In 1802 published this wonderful benefit to Parliament made Jenner a grant of ten humanity and he did that only after con­ thousand pounds in recognition of his ducting experiments to prove the truth benefaction to mankind, which was supple­ of this observation. Throughout his life mented in 1806 by another grant of twenty he certainly was held in the highest esteem thousand pounds. by those who best knew the facts. The warm In 1813 Oxford conferred the degree of friendship of men such as John Hunter and m.d. on Jenner and during the years subse­ Matthew Baillie speaks volumes for his quent to the announcement of his discovery scientific as well as his personal character. he was the recipient of many other honors. The most complete and authoritative In 1820 he suffered an apoplectic stroke “Life of Jenner” is that written by Baron but it seems to have left no ill effects. and published in 1838.