232 Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine Volume 80 April 1987

Thomas Michael Nowell and his 'matiere de Boulogne': a neglected figure in the history of smallpox vaccination

Elinor Meynell MD DipBact Boulogne-sur-mer, France

Keywords: smallpox vaccination, history ofmedicine, Nowell TM

The vaccinations undertaken by Nowell in 1800 took approached at the end of February 1800, and several place in Boulogne-sur-mer and not in England, which months' argument procured the Comite suitable may explain why he is briefly mentioned by de Beer', premises15. Repeated assurances finally overcame where his name first came to my attention, but not the objections of the Ministre to the procuring of in any standard history of smallpox vaccination children from the Paris hospices as experimental such as Crookshank2 or the Reports of the Royal subjects'6, but when the Comite obtained a supply Commission3. Yet contemporary accounts4'5 reflect- of vaccine from Dr George Pearson in London, on ing the enthusiasm of the French for the idea of 27 May 1800'4'l, conveyed through diplomatic vaccination - so much in tune with the mood of self channels'8, and tested it on 2 June4, the occasional assurance accompanying the new government of lesions it produced were not characteristic of Napoleon - and the disappointment of the Paris vaccination'4. Whether its inactivity was due solely physicians at their repeated failure to obtain a to delay on the journey - viewed as a possibility on supply ofactive vaccine, point to Dr Thomas Michael account of the Channel crossing'9 - associated Nowell as the single person most responsible for the with the excessively hot weather in Paris that successful introduction of vaccination in France. I summer 420, or was contributed to by the steam have therefore pieced together from contemporary, treatment recommended by Pearson for reconstitut- and chiefly manuscript, sources a history of Dr ing the dried exudate' 7, is a matter for speculation. In Nowell and of the vicissitudes and course of events the event, Aubert's failures at the Salpetriere had surrounding his success, and accompanied it with determined him to learn the techniques of vaccin- records of two of his French patients which have ation directly from Woodville at the Smallpox and recently come to light. Inoculation Hospital, where he was most warmly received, and from whence he and Woodville after- The Paris Commissioners and Comite Central de wards returned to France with yet another supply of Vaccine 1799-1800 vaccine21. It is at this point that Dr Thomas Michael England and France had been at war since February Nowell makes his appearance as one of the 10 other 1793, but Jenner's Inquiry6, unobtainable in the passengers on the ship that conveyed them from original, became known in France through trans- Altona to Boulogne. lations published in Geneva7 and in Lyon8. The Institut Nationale and the Ecole de Medecine Boulogne-sur-mer, summer 1800 nominated Commissioners to initiate vaccination in In 1800, because of the war, it was not possible to Paris. Unable to find any cases of cowpox in France travel directly from England to France, and journeys (naturally occurring bovine cowpox is relatively were generally made through the, then Danish, rare9), Dr Antoine Aubert obtained a sample of linen neutral port of Altona. An order of the Directoire impregnated with pus from one of the cases inocu- executif of 23 November 1796 had established com- lated by Dr William Woodville at the Smallpox and missioners and interpreters in French ports to super- Inoculation Hospital in London'0, conveyed through vise the entry and exit of neutral ships, with full the intermediary of Dr J-P Colladon of Geneva" powers to examine the ships' papers22; in addition, together with a copy of Woodeville's book'2, which only the ports of Calais or Dieppe were permitted for Aubert translated into French and published with a embarkation or disembarkation of passengers from historical preface'0. The vaccine failed to take in the England, exceptions to be made solely in cases ofbad children in whom he tested it at the Hospice de weather23. Woodville, Aubert and Nowell, with his la Salpetriere in collaboration with Dr Philippe wife Anne and their young son Alexander, arrived at Pinel'3"4 Boulogne at about eight o'clock on the evening of 18 Parallel efforts on a more imposing scale were July 180024 on a Danish ship, Borsumborg, which had begun in ventose an 814 (February-March 1800) with set out from Altona seven days before. Her unexpec- the establishment ofthe Comite Central de Vaccine by ted arrival, one of only five ships to enter the port of the philanthropist, Larochefoucauld-Liancourt, to Boulogne during the whole of that year22, was com- administer funds raised by public subscription to municated with some excitement to the Minitre de la examine Jenner's discovery. The experiments were to Police Gnefrale by the Sous-Prefet de l'Arrondisse- 0141-0768/87/ de 040232-07/$02.00/0 be supervised by a smaller Comite Medical of 12 ment de Boulogne-sur-mer25 and the Commissaire i) 1987 eminent physicians, headed by Thouret, Directeur Police a Boulogne-sur-mer24, who had met her inde- The Royal de l'Ecole de Medecine, and including such widely pendently, suspicion being immediately attached to Society of known names as Guillotin and Cabannez. The the discrepancy between the sailors' statements that Medicine Ministre de l'Interieur, Lucien Bonaparte, was the ship had been prevented from going to Calais by Journal ofthe Royal Society ofMedicine Volume 80 April 1987 233

contrary winds24 and the official entry in the ship's Smallpox and Inoculation Hospital21. The surviving papers which gave her projected destination as records ofthe hospital40 do not, unfortunately, cover Boulogne26. The Ministre was further disturbed by this period of its history. Neither Lloyd's Lists nor the presence on board of Dr Nowell, who had lived relevant shipping documents in the Staatsarchiv and practised medicine in Boulogne some years Senat der Freien und Hansestadt Hamburg (kindly previously: examined by the Archivist, Herr Kolss) contain records of the ship Borsumborg, or any which might '... quant au M. Nowell, se disant ... in&decin anglais domicilie a Boulogne ... vous deviez le retenir en etat de identify the ship, or ships, which brought the three detention. ..'23 doctors from England to Altona. If, on the contrary, Nowell had simply met That evening the passengers were placed in a hotel Woodville and Aubert casually on the journey, and under the guard of two retired policemen24. After then seen possibilities for himself as a vaccinator to their official interrogation27 which took place the secure his position as a doctor in Boulogne, could next day (19 July),. Aubert, having a valid passport, it have been he who was responsible for directing was released at once. Woodville, who had expected to Borsumborg to Boulogne instead of to Calais - not find a passport waiting for him at Calais28 and thus only legally dictated but also where Woodville found himself without papers, was certified to have expected to find his passport - by persuading come at the invitation of the Comite Central de Woodville that he could procure subjects in Vaccine d Paris by the Sous-Prefet, who also pointed Boulogne, where he had past medical connections? to the reassuring fact ofhis being a Quaker: Again, in Thouret's14 view: .l..[le] motifqui amene Dr. Woodville en Franceparait tout- 'le cit. Nowellprofitoitpour ... repandre[la vaccine]du credit ti-fait philanthropique et dissint6ress8 ... Les citoyens qu'il avoit obtenu plus facilement dans cette ville habitde par Thouret et Liancourt vous offriront leur garantie personelle des families angloises' ... en faveur de cet gtranger, sa profession de foi politique, bien philosophique et fortement antiministerielle, vous en According to a French passport issued on 10 offrirait une autre'29 September 1800k', Thomas Michael Nowell, whose place of origin was London, was then 40 years old, 1.6 He was allowed to leave Boulogne accompanied by a metres tall, with auburn hair and eyebrows, grey gendarme on or about 21 July with his vaccine from eyes, and a high complexion. The information he gave England30 and arrived in Paris on 26 or 27 July 1'14, at his interrogation27 on 19 July was essentially all by which time (perhaps attributable once again to the he ever told the French authorities about himself: hot weather'4) the vaccine produced no effect'4 and was declared inactive31. '... etant venu s'etablir en France a Boulogne-sur-mer en Nevertheless, this was not simply to prove another l'annee 1785, oft il a exerce la profesion de medecin jusqu'en failure, for on the day after Borsumborg arrived, 1795 ... [quandl il a quitte cette ville avec un passeport pour Hambourg, ... s'est rendu en Angleterre, pour y regler les maybe Nowell32'33, maybe Woodville'4'21, but prob- affaires de la succession de sa me're et au moment deson depart ably both in collaboration34 (especially if Boilly's ... avoitpaye d'avance trois annees de loyerde sa maison qu 'il painting entitled 'La Vaccine', which shows not one occupa en cette ville, son intention e'tant d'y conserver son but two doctors35, was painted from life), had success- domicile et d'y retourner aussit6t qu'il auroit termine son fully inoculated three little girls who afterwards affaire'. in Nowell's care. Two ofthese children may remained in that 1785 and be identified36 as Marie Spitalier, born 12 December Sources Boulogne tell us between 1799, daughter ofa lawyer, and Sophie Hedouin, born 1793 he lived in the small town of Marquise before moving to Boulogne42 and went several times back 19 February 1796, daughter ofa Controleurde Postes; he married Anne West the third, whose surname was Beugny, lived in the and forward to England; that of London, born in 1754 41'3, according to the rite of rue des Pipots where Nowell himself had previously came to in a source offresh the Anglican church43; and that they live lived37. These vaccinations provided in in a virus which Nowell passed on to Paris, where it was the parish of St Joseph in Boulogne 178943, received with gratitude and relief by the Comit6 newly built house at the lower end of the rue St M&dical and given the title of 'Matiere de Martin'; that their son, Jean Alexandre, was born on 3 June 1789 and baptised on 22 July 178943; and Boulogne'38. that by 1793 Nowell had become extremely unpopu- lar with the local French doctors, ten of whom sub- mitted a vigorous denunciation42 of his work to the Dr Nowell: earlier years Municipality: One is curious to know the origin of Dr Nowell's 'Nous vous denoncons un anglois nomme' Nowell, qui sans interest in vaccination. Retrospective statements by aucun caractere exerce ici les professions de medecin, Dr Thouret: chirurgien, accoucheur, appotiquaire.... il loge ... rue des 'Dr Nowell me'decin distingue' de [Boulogne] qui s'etant pipots, ouc son nom, et sa qualite sont inscrits dessus sa porte, Londres avoit le Dr Woodville dans son ... 'Ce soi-disant docteur parvenu, comme tous les gens de trouve di accompagne ou voyage ....'14 son espece, a seduire quelques personnes foibles, malades, se fait annonces partout comme un grand mntdecin et un and by the Comite: chirurgian habile.... II a coupe' dernierement la jambe a un nomme Antoine Fournis matelot quoique les gens de l'art '[Nowell] ... s'etait instruit a' Londres de la m4thode de ayent juges cette operation impratiquable, et mortelle..... le l'inoculation de la vaccine'39 citoyen Fourni est mort victime de l'ignorance, de l'Anglois Nowell, quant a' son offre de traiter les pauvres, c'est un lieu if accurate, support the view that Nowell had made commun & use de tout les charlatans, qui nepeut e^tre d'aucun Woodville's acquaintance and perhaps worked with poids, dans une ville, ouc vous scavez que les malheureux n'ont him in London, but are not confirmed by any mention jamais re'clame's en vain les secours et les soins des gens de of him in Aubert's account of his own visit to the l'art. 234 Journal of the Royal Society ofMedicine Volume 80 April 1987

... les m4decins chirurgiens, et apotiquaires de Boulogne esperent qu'ils voudront bien mander, le dit Nowell, lui faire exhiber les titres a l'exercice des fonctions medicales, s'il en a, et dans le cas contraire, luifaire expresse defense deprendre le titre de docteur ... de l'expulser de la ville, comme un imposteur, quiprend un titre, qu'il n'a pas pour abuser de la credulite des foibles . . .' We can only confirm with certainty that Nowell lived in London during the summer and autumn of 1783, when he was admitted a Freeman ofthe Society ofApothecaries4" and when correspondence with his brother shows him to have been staying at the home of a cousin, Robert Sherson46, in New Bridge Street, Blackfriars. In refusing to disclose his medical cre- dentials to the French42', perhaps he feared that this qualification - essentially the only one in practical medicine available in England at the time47 - might not be accepted on the Continent as a valid alterna- tive to a University degree. One repeatedly quoted39'48 statement originating with Nowell him- self49, that he was 'issu d'une famille franr,aise' and 'ne en Angleterre deparents franc!ois, rentrepar choix dans lapatrie de sesperes, et devenu citoyen franfois', is quite untrue. Figure 1. Portrait of Dr Nowell probably painted about Thomas Michael Nowell (Figure 1) was a cousin of 1 78546 the main branch of the Lancashire family of Nowell of Read50. He was born on Michaelmas 29 Day, both "looked unutterable things". The consequence of this September 1760 at Gawthorpe Hall, near Burnley, interview was, that we commenced an intimacy with the Lancashire, which his father had rented from the wrong gentleman, Mr Nowell ... The conclusion of my Shuttleworth family46, and christened on 4 aunt's tour, was, the acquirement of a ... husband ... She November 1760 in the church ofSt Peters, Burnley 1. returned with me to London; but, was speedily followed by He served the period of apprenticeship required by Mr Nowell, and in a few months afterwards, they were the Society of Apothecaries47 with John Wainman, married.' Apothecary and Surgeon of 'Skipton in Co. York'52, near Coverhead where his father was living at the The passage continues with the surprising disclosure time50, and was admitted a Freeman ofthe Society by that 'Mr Nowell . . . had been for some time medical Redemption on 19 June 178345. In 1785 he moved from advisor to the deputy governor of the Bastille'. England to France for reasons it has been impossible Nowell, who invariably spoke of his first arrival in to discover; from the date on which the death of his France in 1785 as being in Boulogne27'39"8 55, may father (murdered by highwaymen'6) occurred, 30 have considered it preferable not to mention his pre- May 1780, this can hardly have been related either to vious association with the ancien regime. The deputy his move or to his decision to take up the profession of governor, whom Frederick Reynolds and his aunt medicine in the first place. The main branch of the found to be 'a most polite, obliging, and apparently a Nowell family was much in debt after 177253, and most humane man', when Dr Nowell took them to the branch to which Thomas Michael belonged was visit the Bastille, was presumably Monsieur Riviere evidently in straightened circumstances, at least in du Puget, listed as Lieutenant du Roi56; however, 1783, when an affectionate exchange of letters among the surviving papers in the Archives of the between himself and his brother shows them to be Bastille57 neither those for M du Puget nor for making efforts to help one another financially46. related members of the staff contain any mention of His meeting in 1787 with his future wife, Anne Dr Nowell, which might explain how he came to hold West, daughter of a well-to-do London merchant and such an unlikely position for an English doctor. connected with political and literary society of the Nowell's denunciation by the Boulogne doctors time, is described with animation by her nephew, the had no immediate sequel, and a year later (perhaps playwright, Frederick Reynolds54: two: the Republican Calendar caused some con- fusion between the different statements27'29'58'59), 'My aunt, who had long been most anxious to visit the Nowell, his wife and son were granted passports for Continent, and "see its sights", requested that she might be Hambourg, to return to England to attend to the permitted to accompany me [to Paris, in search of a certain estate ofhis mother. His arrival on Borsumborg on 18 Mr Newell in the hope ofrecovering a debt] ... She was then July 1800 seems to have been his next appearance in about thirty years ofage, ofa gay, cheerful disposition, and France. though, not decidedly beautiful, was a most interesting brunette. She dressed well, talked well, and ... always [took] the bright side ... The door opened and [the expected Mr Newell] appeared. He was not a particularly handsome man, thoughyouthful, and ofa most prepossessing appearance. . . Boulogne: 1800-1801 bowing politely to my lively relative, with an expression of After Woodville's departure for Paris at the end of sudden interest ... my fair companion quickly discovered July 1800, Nowell remained under surveillance in the impression she had made ... "Sir, ... my name is not Boulogne, where he continued to practise vaccin- Newell, but Nowell ... I am a member of the medical pro- ation with spectacular energy60 despite continual fession. ... As he took leave of my fellow traveller, they harassment from the Commissaire de Police who, as it Journal ofthe Royal Society ofMedicine Volume 80 April 1987 235 turns out, was motivated by personal as well as by official reasons. In holy orders during the earlier and later parts of his life, when he was known as 'Abbe Lambert', a member of the Constitutional Clergy6l during the existence of this body in the early AQe91. /,X. 9det&&x years of the Revolution, and a fanatically patriotic Republican, the Commissioner was born in the Pas- de-Calais and doubly allied to the medical profession of Boulogne. Not only was his doctor brother a pupil I--e 98eieI )0-< of Daunou, one of the signatories of the Denonci- 4% ation'2 (Figure 2), but he personally was under an obligation to Dr Daunou, through whose influence - .7.,4~~ he had been appointed Commissaire de Police in da1?iA. Boulogne in the face ofthe opinion expressed both by the Ministre de la Police Ge'nerale, the politically Figure 2. The end ofthe Denonciation42 important Fouche, duc d'Otrante, and by the Prefet du De'partement du Pas-de-Calais, that he was inferior in the qualities required for the post62. Nowell: later years Aware that he was the object of Fouche's contempt, Finally, on 13 September, throughthe combined inter- Lambert was furthermore anxious to impress him vention ofthe Commissaire du Gouvernement d Calais with his control of affairs and supplied him almost and the Maire de Calais76, and despite allegations by daily with reports on Nowell59'63. Lambert that the signatures to the petitions had been On 24 August, he proposed that Nowell should be collected from persons with anti-Republican sym- deported and to this end removed to Calais, which had pathies76, Nowell was allowed to return from Calais daily sailings to Altona, to await the arrival of the to Boulogne77, and by January 1801 had received first neutral boat64. Nowell, for his part, petitioned official recognition, as shown by a passport in which the Ministre to be allowed to remain in Boulogne58, he is described as 'officier de santepublique inscrit sur and eventually printed a 3-page pamphlet49 entitled le registre'41. T. M. Nowell, medecin, 2 ses concitoyens (Figure 3) But his difficulties were far from being at an end, which he distributed on 10 September, as Lambert for, by May, he had become seriously ill: 'menace' informs the Ministre, together with his comments65: d'une dissolution prochaine', in the opinion of the Sous-Prefet, who, recalling the obstacles that ... S'il est anglois et il l'est rellement, on ne peut le tolerer Lambert, Commissaire de Police, had put in his way, dans un port de mer ... quant a son doctorat en medecine, je believed that his eagerness to carry out his vaccin- lui defie d'en exhiber le moindre titre. II a toujours e't regarde ations 'quand il e'tait d peine convalescent d'une ici par les personnes sensees comme un empirique, II tient exactement le meme langage que les marchands d'orvietan des dangereuse attaque de pneumonie, lui ont occasiones une s'est une bien quais de Paris ... son expulsion devient... n6cessaire.' rechute qui termine par pulmonie caracte'rise'e et qui parait sans reme"de'60. A passport Lambert called at Nowell's house to serve the deportation order on him personally66, and Nowell and his family were obliged to leave for Calais on 11 September65 despite objections on grounds of T. M. N OVW E L L, MiDYCIN, common humanity from the officials of the town hall66 (whose relations with Lambert were already strained over the question oftheir respective respon- sibilities for allowing the Borsumborg passengers to A SES CONCITOYENS. land at Boulogne, as well as the decision to allow Woodville to proceed to Paris67'68) - and the view expressed by the Sous-Prefet that the influence of local doctors, jealous of their own interests, was I avec ls pene mon rur behind such a shameful expression of brutality on C EST plus grnd qu'k Lambert's part: Ca cc pays, pai trourd la pei'itc wilc.nrqanc LSo ravages parms rous. asi ressenra vivemeno los maux que 'Nowell ... aurait e'te bien recu de tout le monde, si

malheureusement il n'avait rapporte' ... la reputation d'un vous 6prouvez, &. Xc mac suis seni animr du ddsir 1e bon medecin et surtout celle d'un inoculateur habile et quipis plus vif do venir k vocts secours. Mon ccre de Cizoyea est, d'un inoculateur de vaccine ... les trois offliciers de Sante qui se trouve en possession exclusive depeupler nos cimetieres rn.ais Raaileurs comme am acces wcycus, n'ont pas vu arriver de bon oeil un ancien concurrent, prob- le cdevaIcde servi ma Paeric; & je no cc s ps pouvor ablement moins homicide ... Ils ont en consequence remue ciel et terre et jusqu'd l'enfer des bureaux ministgriels, pour Jo Esire d'nne manire plus utile si plus efficace, qu'ca obtenir... 1'expulsion du DrNowell.. .'48 vdus offrsacms fdoss& ucicdeson Anpoor For all this, Nowell, through his energy as a vaccin- rincltisz dedo J cuic uidrale., bapr&s ls msdhodo ator, was already in regular correspondence with the Comite Central de Vaccine in Paris69, enlisting u*uvcllwa adopto, ia Swae usacde nsincesu co popular support in the Pas-de-Calais, and enjoying an Angecerre, & connue sos Ia Dom do Cow- Pox. ever-increasing number of petitions on his behalf to (Vaccine). II scroic superblu de fiire ici Pdloge de the Ministre de la Police Gene'ral55' 70- 74 and even one co addressed to Napoleon, Citoyen Consul, himself". Figure 3. Dr Nowell'sprintedpamphlet49 236 Journal ofthe Royal Society ofMedicine Volume 80 April 1987

was prepared to allow him to return to England to die lui permirent de rentrer a Boulogne dont ilfut bient6t encore among his family78. But he did not die, and did not contraint de sortir ... Aujourdhui il ne reVoitplus rien de ses go to England. The Rapport du Comite Central de fermiers anglais; il demande d'aller d Berlin etprie la Societe Vaccine' 1 mentions his reports entered in the Proces- de s'intgresser a lui avoir unpassport.' Verbaux of its meetings between 1801 and 1803; vir- tually all these Proce's Verbaux have, unfortunately, In his anxiety for a passport, Nowell also requested disappeared79, although occasional items survive in the Ministre de l'Int#'rieur85 to apply for him to the manuscript notes made by Dr Thouret69. He was Ministre de la Guerre86. On 11 June 1804 the passport vaccinating in Boulogne on 30 April 1803, as shown was granted, and in Nowell's letter of thanks to by a letter to M Husson, medecin se'cretaire du Comite Thouret he told him that he was planning to leave for Central de Vaccine80. On 5 July 1803, he writes, still England on 14 June87, where his future address from Boulogne, to his niece46: would be 100 Great St Martins Lane, Charing Cross, London, a house occupied at the time by a William 'How happy should I be could I enjoy your society ... I Atkinson88, Nowell's brother-in-law50. Once there, meant, had not this unfortunate war taken place to have Nowell would be '. . . trop heureux d'avoir l'honneur brought over some curious pigeons with me but which must de vos commissions et de recevoir vos amis'87 and on now be deferr'd as well as the journey.' 27 June 1804, which must have been soon after his Boulogne-sur-mer increased in national import- arrival in England, Dr Husson, Secretary of the ance while Napoleon came to consider it as a mili- Comite, sent him a copy ofa letter, also sent to Jenner tary base for his proposed invasion of England, and and to Woodville, asking for his opinion ofthe extra- by 13 July 1803 Nowell was in Calais, destined as an ordinary assertions contained in a brochure entitled Englishman to be deported away from the coast to Cases of Smallpox subsequent to Vaccination by Valenciennes. The distressing development ofhis ill- William Goldsen89. ness is vividly reported by the Ofliciers de Sante de la Thomas Michael Nowell died on 8 August 1807 at Commune de Calais81: 'The Retreat', near Danbury, Essex. An obituary was published in the Gentleman's Magazine90, but in no .... apres l'examen le plus rigoreux, nous avons appercu une medical journal that I can find. Anne West, his wife, ulc&refistuleuse entre la quatrieme et la cinqueme c6te du cote had inherited the house, now known as Retreat Farm, droit, ulcere qui donne une quantite prodigieuse de pus de near the village of Woodham Walter, from her mauvaise nature, et d'unefrtidite extraordinaire, cepus vient mother46. He faced his horrifying illness with the du poumon droit car dans tous les mouvements d'inspiration et d'expiration, il coule dans une abondance telle que dix same self possession as the earlier uncertainties of serviettes suffisent d peine pour l'e'tancher; cette cruele his career, writing to his sister on the previous 29 maladie est la suite d'unepleripneumonie sanguine qu 'il a eu June46: ily a deux ans, la crise de cette maladies 'est determineepar un absces au poumon dont le volume a ete' assez considerable 'I have a great desire [not] to die and that is a very great pour saillir en dehors, et d6jecter les deux c6tes dont il est obstacle to death & I am determined because I think it is my question, cette supuration continuelle a carig les duex c6tes, duty to preserve my life as long as I and my friends know any aupoint qu'elles sont d decouvert.' means of doing it ... I have had a little go-cart made and have brought on after not being able to walk at all farther This was in support of a plea from the Commissaire than the yard.' Gene'ral dans les ports de la Manche et du Pas-dd- Calais to the Ministre de la Justice that 'Le docteur His grave has not been found. He died intestate. anglais Nowell apres avoir ete traite a Boulogne, d'une Administration was granted to his wife in August maniere que le consul n'approuvera certainement pas' 18149', a month before their only child, Lieutenant should not be forced to suffer further 'des effets que le Alexander John Nowell of the 10th Regiment of mouvement du la voiture occasionait sur sa plaie' in Foot92, was killed in a duel with a fellow officer in continuing his journey82. Nowell also pleaded for Sicily46. himself34: 'J'ai lepremier emporte en France la Vaccine, avec le Docteur Case notes Woodville: debarque d Boulogne le 29 messidor, an 8 avec In the course ofunravelling these details, I visited the le premier virus-vaccin nous avons fait le lendemain les premieres experiments qui aient etes tentees en France.' Archives du Ministere des Relations Exterieures in Paris, where I chanced to fall into conversation with By 24 September 1803 he and his family were to be another visitor. This was Madame Broussaud of Lus- allowed once again to return to Boulogne: 'C'est un sac-les-Chateaux, who immediately told me that homme dont la sante est dans l'etat leplus deplorable. among her family papers was a diary written by the II n'y a aucun inconvenient a lui laisser fixer son mother of two children who had been inoculated by domicile ou il voudra'83. Nowell in 1800. These were Zenobie and Zenaide van One ofthe last records from France is a letter from Ecckhoute, who lived in St Omer. The diary, in fact, Nowell's son, Jean-Alexandre, to his young cousin, takes the form of a case history for each child separ- written from Paris in the early spring of 1804: 'My ately, from which it is clear that they were inoculated Papa is much the same but my Mamma and myselfare at 9 o'clock in the morning of 17 September 1800 by very well ... My poor dog Roger died at Calais .. .'46 Nowell when Zenobie was aged 34 months and And on 27 April 1804, the Comite Central de Vaccine Zenaide (who had pemphigus) * months. Her entry discussed a request for a passport84: for Zenaide runs: 'C" Nowell oblige comme tous les Anglais de quitter 'Lundi 179bre 1800 Boulogne, obtint d'abord qu'ily resterait, mais d l'arrive'e du J'ai fait inoculer la Vaccine a Zenaide le 17 9bre 1800 a 9 1Cf Consul ilfut force' de quitter; ayant une vomique consider- heures du matin, par Mr. Noel medecin anglois demeurant a able par la poitrine, bient6t apres de nouvelles reclamations Boulogne, elle etoit agee de 4mois et demi, et avoit eu des soies Joumal ofthe Royal Society ofMedicine Volume 80 April 1987 237 considerablement entre 3 et 4 mois, a cette e'poque je pris la References parti de la purger lentement et fit de meme a l'egard de mon lait en prenant des bouillons raffraichissant et du fumeterre Abbreviations: ACB=Archives Communales de Boulogne- en guise de the, ce qui ope'ra si efficacement, qu'au bout de sur-mer, place Godefroy de Bouillon, 62200 Boulogne-sur- quinze jours l'humeur e'toit pre'sque dissipe, la veilk de son mer; AD = Archives Diplomatiques, Ministere des Relations inoculation il lui en restoit tres peu et deux jours apres Exterieures, 37 quai d'Orsay, 75007 Paris; AN=Archives l'humeur e'toit totalement s'che. Nationales de France, 60 rue des Francs Bourgeois, 75003 Le lundi soir l'enfant fut trWs difficile et la nuit de meme, ce Paris; AV =Archive de la Vaccine, Acad6mie Nationale de qui me donna de l'inquie'tude,jecraignois l'avoirfait inoculer Medecine, 16 rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris; PRO = Public malapropos a cause de ses soies. Le mardi matin ses soies Record Office, London. etoient seches, elle etoit comme d'ordinaire etj'attribuais son insomnie a des maux de ventre. 1 de Beer G. The sciences were never at war. London: Le mercredi 2eme jour ses soies couloient a l'ordinaire, le Nelson, 1960 midecin avait donne une petite poudre blanche; pour en 2 Crookshank E. The history and pathology of vaccin- donner une demi dose le deuxieme jour, et l'autre moitie le ation. London: HK Lewis, 1889 surlendemain, cette premiere dose lui a procure' une selk 3 First and Final Reports of the Royal Commission abondante. appointed to inquire into the Subject of Vaccination, Le jeudi 3eme jour a l'ordinaire, ses soies couloient et une London, 1889,1896-7 forte sellepurgative. 4 Colon F. Histoire de l'introduction et des progres de la Le vendredi 4eme jour a l'ordinaire ses soies couloient, vaccine en France. Paris, An IX-1801 encore une selle purgative, et un peu de rougeur autour des 5 Lettsom JC. Hints designed to promote beneficence, piqures, le soir elleprit la seconde moitie de sa dose. temperance and medical science. Vol 3, London, 1801 Le samedi, 5emejour, a l'ordinaire, sa dose de la veille n'a 6 Jenner E. An inquiry into the causes and effects of the fait aucun effet, ses soies etoient seches. variolae vaccinae. London, 1798 Dimanche 6emejour, la poudre de l'avant veille a fait effet 7 Odier L. Recherches sur l'origine & les effets d'une cette nuit, par ses selles. Ses boutons e'toient entierement maladie ... par Edouard Jenner ... Bibliotheque formes ses soies e'toient seches, quant a sa sante elkl etoit aussi Brittanique, Science et Arts 1798;9:258-84, 367-99 bien que de coutume. 8 L****** MLC. [Monsieur le Chevalier de La Roque] Lundi 7emejour a l'ordinaire, unpeu plus de rougeur aux Recherches sur les causes et les effets de la variolae boutons, ses soies seches. vaccinae ... par Edward Jenner... Lyon, 1800 Mardi 8eme jour d l'ordinaire, ses boutons du bras droit 9 Baxby D. Jenner's smallpox vaccine. The riddle of paroissent seches. vaccinia virus and its origin. London: Heinemann, 1981 Mercredi 9*me jour, a l'ordinaire, ses boutons avoient 10 Aubert A. Rapport sur le Cowpox ou la Petite Verole des beaucoup d'inflammation. L'enfant neparoissaitpas souffrir, Vaches ... par W. Woodwille ... augment,' d'un Precis ses soies coulaient. et de Notes historiques. Paris, An VIII [23 September Jeudi 1Oemejour, a l'ordinaire, metme inflammation que la 1799-22 September 1800] veille, ses soies seches. 11 Rapport du Comite Central de Vaccine, gtabli a Paris Vendredi llme jour a l'ordinaire, l'inflammation e'toit par la Societe des Souscripteurs pour l'examen de cette presque dissipe'. Les boutons setchent peu-a-peu, ses soies decouverte. Paris, 1803 seches. 12 Woodville W. Reports of a series of inoculations for the Samedi 12eme jour, ses boutons du bras droit paroissent variolae vaccinae, or cow-pox, with remarks on this creuser au milieu ceux du bras gauche sechent, ses soies de disease as a substitute for smallpox. London, 1799 mame. 13 Moreau JJ. Traite historique et pratique de la vaccine. Dimanche 13eme jour, son bouton du bras droit supurant, Paris, an IX, 1801 ceux du bras gauche se'chent. 14 Thouret. Ouvrage sur la vaccine. MSS. AV. V.2, d.1, no.1 Lundi 146me jour la suppuration augmente au bras droit, 15 Correspondence and Memoirs ofthe Ministrede l'Inter- l'autre continue de secher. ieur, Comite M6dical de Vaccine, and Administrateurs Mardi 15eme jour, encore augmentation de suppuration, des Hospices Civiles. AN. F8 97/3,4,7,10,11,13,14,16,17 j'ai craint que cela fasse trop de progres, j'ai suivi le conseil 16 ditto. AN. F8 97/5,6,8,9 qu'on m'avait donne6 d'envelopper le bras dans un linge asi, 17 Pearson G. An examination of the Report of the Com- afin d'empecher que sa manche de chemise attache au bras. mittee ofthe House ofCommons on the claims ofremuner- Mercredi 16emejour, le linge asi a fait secher en partie les ation for the vaccine pock inoculation: containing a boutons,j'en ai remis un nouveau. Ses soies seches. statement oftheprincipal historical facts ofthe vaccinia. Jeudi 17&mejour, le bras est totalenwnt schM,j'ai regrette London, 1802 d'avoir mis le linge asi, et n'aiplus continue. Sea soies seches 18 M. Otto, Commissaire de la Republique Frangaise en en partie.' Angleterre au Ministre des Relations Exterieures, 16 germinal an 8 [6 April 1800]. AD Vol. 593, fol.371 19 ditto, 5 floreal an 8 [25 April 1800]. AD. Vol.593, fol.381 20 Ranque H. Theorie et Pratique de l'Inoculation de la Today, Boulogne has a statue which commemor- vaccine... Paris, An IX, 1801 ates Woodville93 but not Nowell. The rue des Pipots, 21 Aubert A. Rapport sur la Vaccine, ou reponses aux where Nowell carried on his practice, still exists but questions redige'es par les Commissaires de l'Ecole de the facade of his house, on the site of the present Medecine de Paris sur lapratique et les resultats de cette number 70, was demolished when the road was nouvelle inoculation en Angkterre ... Paris, 1801 straightened in 184094. 22 Lefebvre A. AperCu historique et statistique sur les mouvements du Port de Boulognependant la Rdvolution et le ler Empire. (An V-1814). Boulogne, 1909 23 Ministre de la Police Generale au Commissaire de la Acknowkedgmrents:Iwouldliketoacknowledgewithparticu- Police a Boulogne-sur-mer [draft: date illegible]. AN. F7 lar gratitude the help received from Monsieur Wimet, Presi- 7756 d.28/4 dent de la Commission Departementale des Monuments 24 30 messidor an 8. AN. F' 7756 d.28/3 Historiques du Pas-de-Calais; Madame Broussaud; Mrs 25 29 messidor an 8. AN. F7 7756 d.28/7 Elizabeth Douglas, great-great-great-grand neice of Dr 26 Role d'equipage. AN. F' 7756 d.28/1 Thomas Michael Nowell; Mademoiselle Fleury, Archiviste 27 Proces verbal. AN. F7 7756 d.28/5 de l'Academie de Medecine; and Madame Antoine, Conser- 28 Guillotin, m6decin, au Ministre de la Police [G4n4raleJ, vateur aux Archives Nationales. 23 messidor an 8. AN. F7 7753 d.47/1 238 Journal ofthe Royal Society of Medicine Volume 80 April 1987

29 Au Ministre de la Police Generale, 2 thermidor an 8. 61 Lamartine AML. Histoire des Girondins Book 46. Paris, AN. F7 7756 d.28/11 1847: 209-211 30 Commissaire de Police a Boulogne-sur-mer au Ministre 62 Wimet PA. L'Abbe Amable Lambert. Dernier ami et de la Police Gen6rale, 2 thermidor an 8. AN. F7 7756 confident des Girondins (1762-1847). Bulletin trimes- d.28/10 triel de la Societe des Antiquaires de Picardie. Amiens; 31 Anonymous (Editorial). Medical & Physical Journal 1941:20-59 1800;4:470 63 16 thermidor an 8 [3 August 1800]. AN. F7 7756 d.28/23 32 Henry JF. Essai historique, topographique et statistique 64 AN. F7 7756 d.28/35 sur l'Arondissement communal de Boulogne-sur-mer. 65 AN. F7 7756 d.28/38 Boulogne, 1810 66 Commissaire de Police de Boulogne-sur-mer au 33 Bertrand. Precis de l'histoirephysique, civile etpolitique Ministre de la Police Generale, 22 fructidor an 8 [9 de la Ville de Boulogne-sur-mer... Boulogne, 1828 September 1800]. AN. F' 7756 d.28/37 34 Noel, Docteur M6decin, Correspondant du Comite de 67 Premier Adjoint du Maire de Boulogne-sur-mer au Vaccine a Paris a son Excellence le Grand Juge Ministre de la Police Generale, 29 thermidor an 8 [17 Ministre de la Justice, undated. AN. F7 6339 d.7157 August 1800]. AN. F7 7756 d.28/29 35 Boilly LL. (1761-1845) La Vaccine (Private Collection). 68 Le Sous-Pr6fet de l'Arrondissement de Boulogne-sur- Reproduced in: Soubiran A. Ce Bon Dr Guillotin. Paris: mer au Ministre de la Police Generale, 16 thermidor an Perrin, 1962 (information provided by Photographe 8 [4 August 1800] AN. F7 7753 d.47/5 Bulloz, 21 rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris) 69 Thouret Notes et Minutes. MSS. AV. V.2, d.1, no. 5 36 ACB. Actes de Naissances 70 Pr6fetdu D6partementdu Pas-de-Calais, 30 fructidor an 37 R6sidents, rue des Pipots, 1 ventose an 2. Section de la 8(17 September 1800]. AN. F7 7756 d.28/57 Maison Commune. Liste des Etrangers. ACB. F. Statis- 71 Citoyens de Boulogne-sur-mer 26 fructidor an 8 [13 tique. no.79 September 1800]. AN. F7 7756 d.28/45 38 Moniteur 2 brumaire An IX (24 October 1800) 72 Petition signed by numerous individuals sent through 39 M6moire, undated, accompanying 75. AN. F7 7756 the Commissaire du Gouvernement a Calais [undated]. d.28/47 AN. F7 7756 d.28/50 40 GreaterLondon CouncilRecord Office, 40 Northampton 73 Comite etabli pour l'inoculation de la Vaccine, 30 Road, London, EC1 fructidor an 8 [17 September 1800]. AN. F7 7756 d.28/52 41 Passeports. ACB Section Police: Lettre I 74 Larochefoucauld-Liancourt, 28 fructidor an 8 [15 42 Denonciation, 17 mai 1793. ACB. Boite 3. Piece 29 September 1800]. AN. F7 7756 d.28/51 43 Registre de la Paroisse de St Joseph 1789, p 40, ACB 75 Comite etabli pour l'inoculation de la Vaccine au 44 Registres des Vingtiemes. ACB Citoyen Consul, 29 fructidor an 8 [16 September 1800]. 45 Society ofApothecariesofLondonRough Court Minute AN. F7 7756 d.28/48 Book. Guildhall Library of the City of London, MS 76 Commissaire de Police de Boulogne-sur-mer au 8201/13 Ministere de la Police Generale 26 fructidor an 8 [13 46 Nowell family papers and letters in the possession of September 1800]. AN. F7 7756 d.28/54 Mrs E Douglas 77 Deuxieme Adjoint du Maire de Boulogne-sur-mer au 47 Wall C, Cameron C, Underwood EA. A history of the Ministre de la Police Generale, 26 fructidor an 8 [13 Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London. Vol I. September 1800]. AN. F7 7756 d.28/53 Oxford University Press, 1963; chap 6 78 Extrait des Registres aux Arretes du Prefet du Departe- 48 23 fructidor an 8 [10 September 18001. AN. F7 7756 ment du Pas-de-Calais: au Ministre de la Police Gener- d.28/39 ale, 18 flor6al an 9 [8 May 1801]. AN. F7 7756 d.28/60 49 Imprime, TM Nowell. AN. F7 7756 d.28/40 79 Personal Communication, Mademoiselle Fleury 50 FosterJ. Pedigrees ofthe County Families ofLancashire. 80 10 floreal an 11 [30 April 1803]. AV. V.11 London, 1873 81 26 messidor an 11 [15 July 1803]. AN. F7 6339 d.7157 51 Parish Register. Lancashire Public Record Office, 82 24 messidor an 11 [13 July 1803]. AN. F7 6339 d.7157 Preston 83 ACB. Registre du correspondence du Maire. 52 Apprenticeship Book. page 197, 19 January 1775. PRO. 84 Comite du 7 flor6al an 12 [27 April 1804]. AV. V.12 I.R. 1/28 85 9 floreal an 12 [29 April 1804]. AN. F8 161 d. M-N 53 The Victoria History of the Counties of England. 86 26 floreal an 12 [16 May 1804]. AN. F8 161 d. M-N Lancaster. London: Constable, 1906 87 23 prairial an 12 [12 June 1804]. AV. V.2, d.1, no. 6 54 Reynolds F. The life and times of Frederick Reynolds 88 City of Westminister Poor Rate Books for 1804. written by himself. 2nded. London: Henry Colburn, 1827 Westminister Public Library 55 Commissaire du Gouvernement a Calais, 25 fructidor 89 Copy of letter sent to Jenner, Woodville and Nowell. an 8 [12 September 1800]. AN. F7 7756 d.28/46 AV. V.3, d.2 56 Almanach Royal. Paris, 1787 90 Obituary. Gentleman's Magazine 1807;77:ii:889-90 57 Archivesde la Bastille. Bibliothbquedel'Arsenal, Paris 91 Administrations. Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 58 Reclamation du Dr Nowell et de sa famille pour etre PRO autorise a continuer son domicile a Boulogne-sur-mer, 92 List ofall the Officers ofthe Army andRoyal Marines on 3 thermidor an 8 [22 July 1800]. AN. F7 7756 d.28/21 Full and HalfPay [1810]-1814 59 Commissaire de Police a Boulogne-sur-mer au Ministre 93 Illustrated London News, 30 September 1865;47:301, de la Police Gen6rale,18 thermidor an 8 [5 August 1800]. 304-5 AN. F7 7756 d.28/27 94 Personnal communication, Monsieur Wimet 60 Extrait des Registres aux Arret6s du Prefet du Departe- ment du Pas-de-Calais, 18 flor6al an 9. AN. F7 7756 (Correspondence to Haven House, Granville Road, St d.28/59 Margaret's Bay, Dover, Kent, CT15 6DR.)