60 Proceedings of the Newport Natural History Society. 
In the following year, 1788, Jenner was elected a Fellow 
of the Royal Society. Possibly it was passing this ordeal 
that gave him courage, somewhat late in life, at thirty-nine, 
to marry during this same year Miss Catharine Kingscote. 
a refined and gracious lady, who was long an invalid, and 
died before him. In his early life he had had a severe dis¬ 
appointment, which it took him long to recover from. In¬ 
deed it was only through Hunter’s putting him at the ex¬ 
acting study of the habits of the hedge-hog that his peace 
of mind was re-established. The marriage proved a most 
happy one. He was a devoted husband, extending his care 
even to the long-continued personal preparation of his wife’s 
food, when the progress of her disease had rendered it diffi¬ 
cult to swallow, and in return, we are told, “when vexed 
and harassed, he knew where to seek refuge; he knew where 
dwelt love and truth; he knew where to flee from unjust 
judgments, and to make his appeal where it was never made 
in vain.” He used to observe, when speaking of the trou¬ 
bles, trials and sorrows of life, “Mrs. Jenner can explain 
all these things; they cause no difficulties to her.” 
His eldest son was born in 1789, and John Hunter was 
his god-father. 
Even during these interesting experiences, with honors 
coming to him as a naturalist, and his attention no doubt 
greatly engrossed by his bride, his mind was still constantly 
adverting to the “ Sacred Cow,” as the Hindoos had long be¬ 
fore called her, and her connection with small-pox. Dur¬ 
ing that very year, which had otherwise been so eventful 
to him, he showed a drawing of the disease accidently com¬ 
municated to the hands of milkers to Hunter, Sir Everard 
Home, Henry Cline and others, but found them still adverse 
or indifferent. Nevertheless, several of these gentlemen 
ventured to mention it in their lectures as a curious question, 
and Cline subsequently became one of his most enthusiastic 
advocates. 
His general practice had now become so large that he 
relinquished midwifery and surgery, and in 1792 obtained 
