An Essay Towards An Investigation Of The Method Of Inoculation

Vol. 2 contains reproductions of original title pages of ten of the essays. Bibliographical footnotes.

Stanley Williamson’s meticulously researched history of the British government’s smallpox vaccination program begins with Edward Jenner’s development of the vaccine at the end of the eighteenth century, charts the astonishing speed at which it became compulsory for children, and documents the decades of resistance that resulted in its repeal in 1946. Along the way Williamson examines the social, political, and ethical motivations of both factions. The power to make medical choices, including those regarding vaccination, remains a hotly contested issue today, making The Vaccination Controversy a timely contribution to our knowledge of medical history.

Moore follows the history of the disease from its first recorded appearance in Asia and Africa to Arabia and finally to Europe and America. he then provides a history of treatment, including three chapters on the discovery and reception of inoculation. Moore was an early advocate of vaccination, and this book is dedicated to Edward Jenner. In 1810 Moore was appointed director of the National Vaccine Establishment.