Durbach N. "They might as well brand us: Working class resistance to compulsory vaccination in Victorian England." The Society for the Social History of Medicine. 2000; 13:45-62.
Now I'm in the final throes of my PhD and so don't have the time to follow-up on this reference. If anyone else does, I'd be fascinated to hear the evidence that Durbach offers. I should point out that I'm not particularly skeptical that this happened, since one can find "local clergy" who advocate just about any position. It seems odd, however, since 1) the New Testament specifically states that no animal is "unclean"; and 2) the smallpox vaccine came from cowpox, which in turn came from ... wait for it ... cows. Cows are considered "clean" animals in the Old Testament. So it's difficult to see how the smallpox vaccine could be considered "unchristian" or even "unjewish".
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Hello from The History of Vaccines. Regarding your question, I'll quote Durbach: "Cow-pox, they maintained, could contaminate their children with animal diseases, disrupting both their physical and spiritual health. Indeed many of its opponents denounced vaccination as unChristian, proclaiming it 'the mark of the beast.' Her source is W. Halket, Compulsory Vaccination!! (no date) Not surprisingly, this rhetoric continues today in some circles, with people on online discussion forums connecting smallpox vaccination (and nH1N1 flu vaccination) to end-of-times signs.
Thanks for the comment, you have a good looking site over there. Now, of course, I want to see what Halket's evidence for this is, although, again, I'm not really too skeptical about it since you can always find someone, even an authority, making an absurd statement.
Indeed many of its opponents denounced vaccination as unChristian, proclaiming it 'the mark of the beast.'
I'm not really too skeptical about it since you can always find someone, even an authority, making an absurd statement.
Better than that Jim, you can always find someone claiming anything new as the 'mark of the beast'. I dare say you could do your own history of "marks of the beast" were you so inclined. ;)
(and agreed, that site is very good looking)
Finally anti-Catholic myths begin to unravel. Of course it is wrong to say that Pope Leo XII condemned the vaccine. But the reality is more fascinating. Both the Catholic clergy as many monarchs as "Carlos IV of Spain" actively promoted the vaccination (and before the cinchona bark for malaria), while Cromwell was left to die by not testing the bark Jesuit ...
In response to a Large Outbreak of smallpox in the Spanish colonies, King Charles IV Francisco Xavier de Balmis Appointed to lead an expedition That Would Jenner's vaccine to introduce These colonies. In 1798, King Charles IV STATEMENTS The Civilian Population That Should Be vaccined. A Year Later, a copy of Edward Jenner's book WAS Sent to King Charles IV by an Italian physician, weitere historical Attracting Attention to the prevention of smallpox. All These events culminate in the Issuance of a royal edict Announcing the Widespread Availability of the smallpox vaccine in Spain in 1800. THIS Vaccination Campaigns Be Supervised by the Catholic Clergy and immunization registries That Be Kept by Priests. I advise you to read this wonderful article:
The Spanish Royal Philanthropic Expedition to Bring Smallpox Vaccination to the New World and Asia in the 19th Century
http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/41/9/1285.full
http://www.catholicsocialscientists.org/CSSR/Archival/2005/Tarrago_181-196.pdf
According to Rafael E. Tarragó "The Catholic Clergy Gave Their support to the Vaccination
campaign. In New Spain the expedition and feted in WAS WELCOMED
cities like Guadalajara and Oaxaca by Their bishops. The bishop of
Oaxaca Encouraged the Clergy to support the Vaccination Campaign
Preaching That Should none of Them feel no obligation to do so, thinking
I Had the care of souls and Not That of teddies; Such a view Would show
His ignorance, A Lack of charity, and a failure to Understand That He Who
Is Able to save a fellow human being and do not does so commits a
crime.The bishop of Puebla wrote a pastoral letter encouraging historical
flock to get Vaccinate, Himself and I assisted in the formation of a
Vaccination board. ...
Humphrey probably remember that I mentioned the French historian studies on lion Bercé xii, apparently already in a paper of 1983 mentioned the French clergy as a great booster of the vaccine in nineteenth-century France.
Finally anti-Catholic myths begin to unravel. Of course it is wrong to say that Pope Leo XII condemned the vaccine. But the reality is more fascinating. Both the Catholic clergy as many monarchs as "Carlos IV of Spain" actively promoted the vaccination (and before the cinchona bark for malaria), while Cromwell was left to die by not testing the bark Jesuit ...
In response to a Large Outbreak of smallpox in the Spanish colonies, King Charles IV Francisco Xavier de Balmis Appointed to lead an expedition That Would Jenner's vaccine to introduce These colonies. In 1798, King Charles IV STATEMENTS The Civilian Population That Should Be vaccined. A Year Later, a copy of Edward Jenner's book WAS Sent to King Charles IV by an Italian physician, weitere historical Attracting Attention to the prevention of smallpox. All These events culminate in the Issuance of a royal edict Announcing the Widespread Availability of the smallpox vaccine in Spain in 1800. THIS Vaccination Campaigns Be Supervised by the Catholic Clergy and immunization registries That Be Kept by Priests. I advise you to read this wonderful article:
The Spanish Royal Philanthropic Expedition to Bring Smallpox Vaccination to the New World and Asia in the 19th Century
http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/41/9/1285.full
http://www.catholicsocialscientists.org/CSSR/Archival/2005/Tarrago_181-196.pdf
According to Rafael E. Tarragó "The Catholic Clergy Gave Their support to the Vaccination
campaign. In New Spain the expedition and feted in WAS WELCOMED
cities like Guadalajara and Oaxaca by Their bishops. The bishop of
Oaxaca Encouraged the Clergy to support the Vaccination Campaign
Preaching That Should none of Them feel no obligation to do so, thinking
I Had the care of souls and Not That of teddies; Such a view Would show
His ignorance, A Lack of charity, and a failure to Understand That He Who
Is Able to save a fellow human being and do not does so commits a
crime.The bishop of Puebla wrote a pastoral letter encouraging historical
flock to get Vaccinate, Himself and I assisted in the formation of a
Vaccination board. ...
Humphrey probably remember that I mentioned the French historian studies of Bercé about pope Leo XII, apparently already in a paper of 1983 mentioned the French clergy as a great booster of the vaccine in nineteenth-century France.
I am an English teacher and a writer trying to pinpoint the exact date in the mid-1800s when Queen Victoria was the first English queen (or first of any queens) to be immunized. I read of this in two biographies (library copies). She was the longest reigning monarch in England, passing away at the turn of the Century in 1901. I thought you'd find this interesting if you weren't yet aware. I'm hoping to weave this detail this in my historical fiction-fantasy book.
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