Ii6 On Vaccination. [Fml 



of vaccination observed in every part of France, forms a very 

 complete collection indeed of facts relating to every part of the 

 subject.* The facts collected in the valuable work, entitled 

 Blbliotheqiie Britannique, v/hich/rorn the year 1798 to the pre- 

 sent time has presented to philosophers^ the principal observations 

 made on this subject in every part of Europe, and in all other ci- 

 vilized countries. We have likewise had at our disposal a work 

 published by Dr. Sacco, entitled, Trattato della Vaccination 

 Milano, 1809, in which there is the history of the labours of that 

 estimable physician, to spread the practice of vaccination over 

 Italy. To our own observations we shall give no farther im- 

 portance than that united to the facts contained in these differ- 

 ent collections, they served to confirm, in our eyes, consequences 

 already established by other observers. For it is not from the 

 facts observed by one man, however well informed, that complete 

 evidence in such a case can result ; but from an agreement in the 

 observations of well informed men made at different times, in 

 different countries, and in different circumstances, 



SECOND QUESTION. 



Do the fads oherved demonstrate that the cow-pox introduced 

 into the system, is of such a nature as to produce eruptions, 

 or accidents which ought to he ascribed to the difficulty ^ the 

 imperfection, or the want of eruptions. 



It has been thought that the eruptions which sometimes follow 

 vaccination demonstrate the truth of this opinion. To the want 

 of sufficient energy to produce such eruptions, have been ascribed 

 the dreadful diseases w^hich have been observed to follow vacci- 

 nation. 



We find observations of this sort in the work of Dr. Wood- 

 ville, published in London, in May 1799, giving an account of 

 the cases of vaccination performed by him in 1798, just after 

 the discovery of Dr. Jenner. In his obser\'ations we observe 

 eruptions preceded or accompanied by fever, anxiety, pain of the 

 bowels, vomiting, diarrhea, fainting, pain and redness of the 

 eyes, cough and convulsions. The same symptoms were ob- 

 served by him v/ithout eruptions, and in such cases they were 

 ascribed to the want of power in the system, to produce the ne- 

 cessary eruption. He describes likewise, an eruption accompa- 

 nied by spasm, and followed by the death of the patient, an in-^ 

 fant at the breast. 



^ The results of this correspondence are to be found in a report of th« 

 central committee, published in 1803 ; in two reports made at a general meet- 

 ing of the society in 1804 and 1806; in two others, one for 1807 and 1808, the 

 other for 1808 and 1809; in notes communicated from the report for 1810, at 

 present printing; and in bulietisis of conespondeiice, published hitherto^ 

 airtoiintinig' to 20, 



