Minister to Their Instruction: RevisitingJoshua T.B. Williams, MD,a,​ b​ Abraham the M. Nussbaum, Minister- MD, MTSc,​d Vaccinator Rowland Hill

Science and religion have Historya prominent of the scientist Conflict Betweenand son of intersected throughout history, Religiona Wesleyan and clergyman, Science wrote a occasionally at the tip of a “ lancet. Major religions espouse in 1874, which principles and revere sacred he concluded was a narrative texts whose themes support of the conflict of two contending vaccination, but religious vaccine powers, the expansive force of exemptions are widely available the human intellect on one side, and vaccine-preventable diseases and the compression arising from ” infect religious communities at traditionary faith and human 1,2​ ’ 9 regular intervals. ‍ Particularly interests on the other. ‍9 Conflict– contestableBad intersectionsFaith Child Fatalities have narratives like Draper s spread6,10​ so12 been memorialized in accounts widely in the following century ‍ ‍ Departments of aPediatrics and cBehavioral Health, Denver Health From Religion-motivated Medical 10 Medical Center, Denver, Colorado; and Departments of bPediatrics and Neglectsuch as The Children, that Numbers concluded this dPsychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, narrative has now settled into Colorado We Abandon – “knows , and a received wisdom in which 3 5 Dr Williams conceptualized and drafted this essay; . ‍ Agreeable the secular public that ” Dr Nussbaum provided critical feedback and revisions; intersections are infrequently organized religion has always – “ knows and both authors approve the final manuscript as submitted remembered, so we reintroduce opposed scientific progress and and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work. Rowland Hill, MA (1744 1833), a the religious public that ” DOI: https://​doi.​org/​10.​1542/​peds.​2018-​1021 minister-vaccinator whose legacy science has taken the leading role Accepted for publication May 30, 2018 is a concord between science and in corroding faith. Address correspondence to Joshua T.B. Williams, MD, religion, reminding contemporary Department of Pediatrics, Denver Health Medical Center, Webb pediatricians that religious allies The history of religion and Pediatric Clinic, 301 W. 6th Ave, MC #1911, Denver, CO 80204. exist even in vaccine-contentious vaccination can similarly be E-mail: [email protected] societies. narrated as a conflict. Reverend PEDIATRICS (ISSN Numbers: Print, 0031-4005; Online, 1098- “ 13 Edmond Massey vigorously 4275). No generalization has proved opposed inoculation in 18th Copyright 2018 by the American Academy of Pediatrics ‘ ’ ” © more seductive and tenacious than century England, and a 1905 FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: The authors have indicated they that of conflict ,​ write6 historians compulsory vaccination lawsuit have no financial relationships relevant to this article to disclose. Lindberg and Numbers of the that reached the US Supreme Court14 relationship between science and involved a minister defendant. FUNDING: No external funding. religion. 7The writings of Richard Yet, the pro-inoculation preaching POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The authors have Dawkins are a contemporary of Boston6,15​ clergyman Cotton indicated they have no potential conflicts of interest to manifestation of this tenacious Matther ‍ and the vaccination disclose. generalization, but the notion work of early 19th century16 of a historical conflict between French Catholic priests demand To cite: Williams J.T.B., and Nussbaum AM. Minister to Their science and religion began over accounts of science and religion Instruction: Revisiting the Minister-Vaccinator Rowland Hill. Pediatrics. 2018;142(6):e20181021 150 years ago in similar texts8 fighting together against disease. by Andrew Dickson Whit9 e and9 Emblematic of these instances is John William Draper. Draper,​ the legacy of Rowland Hill (Fig 1), Downloaded from www.aappublications.org/news by guest on October 1, 2021 PEDIATRICS Volume 142, number 6, December 2018:e20181021 MONTHLY FEATURE ” whose work in a vaccine-contentious remove prejudices. He refuted “ “ 19th century England led his peers antivaccination claims, bristling at … ” to suggest he was, perhaps, next to their hypocritical reverence for ” Jenner, [ ] the means of saving 17more deity,​ and provided vaccination19 lives than any other individual. ‍ technique in the Jennerian style. Two centuries later, as fears about Born on August 23, 1744, in vaccines remain, contemporary pediatricians who encounter Shropshire, England, Hill earned ’ antivaccination campaigns may a Master of Arts from Cambridge “ 19 sympathize with Hill s frustration: University and seemed destined … ” for academia. Yet, after hearing Was ever such mere rhapsody and the itinerant Methodist preacher nonsense [ ] produced before!!! George Whitefield, Hill abandoned FIGURE 1 ’ “ Before dying at 88, Hill became the university for the mission fields. Rowland Hill with a book in one hand and spectacles in the other. a director of the Royal Jennerian Hill s biographer wrote, If the ’ Society and witnessed the decline merit of originality be justly due of smallpox in England. Hill s work to Mr Whitefield, as the chiefest “ ” was crucial to its decline and key apostle of Methodism, Mr Hill ” ’ “ 17 time, he brought a lancet. Where to the provision of vaccines to the was not a whit behind him. ‍ Hill “ ” he went to preach,​ wrote Jenner s poor. Posterity has interest in the avoided the Deist and Antinomian ‘ “ biographer, he announced after his character of such a man,​ wrote tendencies of his time and focused 17 sermon, I am ready to vaccinate William Jones in 1834, and such his theology on personal piety, ” to-morrow morning as many children parts of his history as may minister alleviation of suffering, and care for ’ as you choose; and if you wish them to their instruction. Ultimately, the poor. For years, Hill preached ’” to escape that horrid disease the Hill s legacy challenges the conflict throughout the English countryside. 18 small-pox, you will bring them. ‍ narrative that can blind vaccination In 1783, he settled in London, built To multiply his efforts, Hill instructed advocates to the possibility of the nondenominational Surrey 17 fellow ministers on the use of a lancet religious allies. Such alliances can Chapel and spent the next 50 years ’ ’ ’ and established a vaccination board increase vaccine uptake in local ministering to his congregation. at Surrey Chapel, which Jenner s settings, as among New York s Kiryas During London s noxious summers, biographer hailed as one of the most Joel Jewish Orthodox communities Hill traveled to Wotton-Underedge, 18 “ ’ effective in London. Taking stock who partnered with health officials a small town 10 km from Berkeley, Tzim of his work in 1806, he reported ten to create and disseminate an Edward Jenner s residence. Gezint thousand cases, near five thousand of educational pamphlet entitled Through unclear circumstances, ” “ whom were inoculated with my own (A. Werzberger, MD, personal Hill and Jenner developed an 19 ’ 18 hand. ‍ Many more were indirectly communication, 2017). Alliances can intimate friendship,​ and a inoculated through Hill s efforts. also succeed on larger scales. Dale strong prepossession in favour of ’ ” and Betty Bumpers employed faith- [vaccination], naturally took place Along with his lancet, Hill wielded 19 based organizations in Arkansas upon [Hill s] mind. ‍ As a Christian, a pen to combat antivaccine 19 20 mass vaccination campaigns in the Hill viewed vaccination as a sentiments. Among others, Moseley “ 1970s, and the evangelical Jimmy discovery that alleviated suffering cited concerns about introducing “ Carter quadrupled immunization and well deserves the patronage of bovine substances into the human ” spending and expanded school all those who wish to exemplify the body: Can any person say what may ’ 15,21​ Lues Bovilla bestial – immunization laws. ‍ One hears truly Christian mind. Importantly, be the consequences of introducing “ echoes of Hill s exhortation to make Hill believed this discovery was for the , a humour ” ” vaccination the general blessing rich and for poor, unlike inoculation, into the human frame, after a long of the land in these grand gestures which had been restricted to the lapse of years? Exasperated by Cow-Pock Inoculation: Vindicated of social justice, which endure wealthy and distrusted by the repeated attacks, Hill responded in “ 15 and Recommended From Matters today in programs like Vaccines for poor in 18th century England. 22 19 of Fact ’ “Children. Hill knew vaccination will never ” 19 ” become the general blessing of the . Hill s target audience Let our exertions be universal, “ “ 19 land if controlled by fee-based was broad, but he wrote especially immediate, and zealous,​ Hill ” “ practitioners, finding it necessary to clergy hoping that ministers, wrote, and I am very sure a death to turn practitioner and resume having an influence over their by the small-pox will be brought itinerant preaching in 1804. This congregations, might more easily forward as a very rare instance Downloaded from www.aappublications.org/news by guest on October 1, 2021 2 WILLIAMS and NUSSBAUM 5. Dwyer JG. The children we abandon: in Boston and the vaccination religious exemptions to child welfare controversy, 1901-1903. N Engl J Med. indeed; in short, I believe that no and education law as denials of equal 2001;344(5):375–379 one disease will be less fatal than protection to children of religious 15. Allen A. Vaccine: The Controversial objectors. North Carol Law Rev. that which is now so much the Story of Medicine’s Greatest Lifesaver. ” 1996;74(5):1321 1478 dreaded scourge of the human – New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company; race. Hill helped end a dreaded 6. Lindber g D, Numbers R, eds. When 2007 scourge, and his legacy ministers Science and Christianity Meet. ’ 16. Phillips SP. Pox and the Pulpit: Cambridge, London: University of to our instruction. How could we The Catholic Church and the face one of today s scourges, the Chicago Press; 2003 “ Propagation of Smallpox Vaccination antivaccination movement, in the ” “ 7. Dawkins R. The God Delusion. Boston, in Early Nineteenth-Century France spirit of Rowland Hill? As10 a first MA: Houghton Mifflin Co; 2006 [dissertation]. Notre Dame, IN: step,​ suggests Numbers,​ we 8. White AD. A History of the Warfare of University of Notre Dame; 2016 must dispel the hoary myths [about ” Science With Theology in Christendom. 17. Jones W. Memoirs of the Life, Ministry, religion and science] that continue New York, NY: D. Appleton & Company; and Writings of the Rev. Rowland Hill, to pass as historical truths. We offer 1896 M.A. 1st ed. London, UK: John Bennett; this reintroduction of Hill to counter 9. Draper JW. History of the Conflict 1834 myths, encourage pediatricians to Between Religion and Science. New 18. Baron J. The Life of Edward Jenner, find religious allies, and take up York, NY: D. Appleton & Company; 1874 M.D. 1st ed. London, UK: Henry Colburn; lancets and pens anew in pursuit of 10. Numbers RL. Galileo Goes to Jail 1838 universal vaccination. and Other Myths About Science and 19. Hill R. Cow-Pock Inoculation: Vindicated REFERENCES Religion. Cambridge, MA: Harvard and Recommended From Matters of University Press; 2009 Fact. 1st ed. London, UK: Darton and 1. McClure CC, Cataldi JR, O Leary ST. ’ 11. Harrison P. The Territories of Science Harvey; 1806 Vaccine hesitancy: where we are and Religion. Chicago, IL: The University and where we are going. Clin Ther. 20. Moseley B. A Treatise on Sugar With of Chicago Press; 2015 2017;39(8):1550–1562 Miscellaneous Medical Observations. 12. Knight D. Voyaging in Strange Seas: 2nd ed. London, UK: John Nichols; 1800 2. Grabenstein JD. What the world’s The Great Revolution in Science. New 21. Colgrove J. State of Immunity: The religions teach, applied to vaccines Haven, CT: Yale University Press; 2014 and immune globulins. Vaccine. Politics of Vaccination in Twentieth- 13. Massey E. A sermon against the Century America. Berkeley, CA: 2013;31(16):2011–2023 dangerous and sinful practice of University of California Press; 2006 3. Offit PA. Bad Faith: When Religious inoculation. Preach'd at St. Andrew's 22. Centers for Disease Control and Belief Undermines Modern Medicine. Holborn, on Sunday, July the 8th, 1722. Prevention. Vaccines for children New York, NY: Basic Books; 2015 London, England: William Meadows; program (VFC). 2016. Available at: 4. Asser SM, Swan R. Child fatalities from 1722 https://​www.​cdc.​gov/​vaccines/​ religion-motivated medical neglect. 14. Alber t MR, Ostheimer KG, Breman programs/​vfc/​about/​index.​html. Pediatrics. 1998;101(4, pt 1):625–629 JG. The last smallpox epidemic Accessed April 20, 2018

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Downloaded from www.aappublications.org/news by guest on October 1, 2021 Minister to Their Instruction: Revisiting the Minister-Vaccinator Rowland Hill Joshua T.B. Williams and Abraham M. Nussbaum Pediatrics 2018;142; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2018-1021 originally published online November 20, 2018;

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