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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 40

Dr. Wyld's Third Speech

Dr. Wyld's Third Speech.

Dr. Wyld—Dr. Seaton's report was issued in 1869, and nearly all that was said in that report was true then (12th Report of the Medical Officer of the Privy Council). The explanation is perfectly simple. In 1869 the calf lymph used on the Continent was used in a liquid form. It was found afterwards that, keeping it liquid in tubes, the solid particles descended and fastened themselves to the glass, and you only got the serum. Hence the vaccinations were inefficient. But since that time we have discovered that it is much better to use solid lymph; and now the vaccination from calf lymph is almost entirely from the solid lymph; and instead of being a partial failure, as indicated by Dr. Seaton, it is an absolute success. In the days when liquid lymph was used, the failures were 30 per cent., but now the failures do not exceed two per cent. I will now undertake to vaccinate 150 children in succession without one failure. The original source of my calf lymph was Beaugency, in France.

Mr. Wheeler—They were Beaugency and Saint Mandé mixed in 1866.

Dr. Wyld—I find that the anti-vaccinators are extremely angry with me for introducing calf lymph as a substitute for the human lymph, because they know that the use of this lymph is a summary answer to their syphilitic argument. A medical man of great repute in London, a friend of the anti-vaccinators, has written almost a whole tract against Dr. Wyld's calf lymph. This gentleman writes with great respect for myself, but I am sorry to say he treats my calf with no respect whatever. But, sir, this calf lymph is destined sooner or later entirely to put an end to the anti-vaccination movement. People who were formerly anti-vaccinators continually come to my study and say, "Dr. Wyld, we have always had a great dread of being vaccinated; but we have no fear of being vaccinated from the calf, because we know that it cannot possibly convey syphilis." A gentleman connected with one of the leading morning journals in London called upon me a page 28 week ago with his four children, aged from two to seven. They had never been vaccinated. He said he had a dread of vaccination and contamination from syphilis, and that he had declined to have his children vaccinated, though he felt uncomfortable in disobeying the law; but he said he had no objection to have them vaccinated from the calf. I vaccinated those four little children, and the week following they came to show what we doctors call their beautiful arms. Their mamma and papa are now extremely well pleased, and feel much happier and safer than they have been for a long time. Mr. Wheeler quoted Jenner as admitting that inoculation was possible after vaccination, and so, indeed, it is, after a certain time, the practice of re-vaccination being a universal admission of the fact. Dr. Wyld ridiculed the assertion of an anti-vaccinator that Jenner was an "obscure country apothecary." On the contrary, he was known to have been honoured by every crowned head then in Europe, and to have had honours and distinctions crowded upon him. He was a simple, good, kind-hearted man, and when Napoleon unwarrantably seized certain travellers passing through France, and refused to liberate them, even on the application of the British Government, Jenner wrote a simple letter to Napoleon, craving the release of two of his friends as a return for the boon of vaccination he had conferred on France. The conqueror of Europe replied—" Jenner is a good and a great man; I can deny him nothing. Let the prisoners be liberated!"