Guest Post from the John Martin Rare Book Room
EDWARD JENNER (1749-1823). An inquiry into the causes and effects of the variolae vaccinae: a disease discovered in some of the western counties of England, particularly Gloucestershire, and known by the name of the cow pox. BOUND WITH: Further observations on the variolae vaccinae, or cow pox.
An inquiry into the causes and effects of the variolae vaccinae: a disease discovered in some of the western counties of England, particularly Gloucestershire, and known by the name of the cow pox. [Includes Further observations on the variolae vaccinae, or cow pox]. BOUND WITH: A continuation of facts and observations relative to the variolæ vaccinæ
August is National Immunization Awareness Month, so enjoy this selection of related works by Edward Jenner. Jenner was a country physician in England during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and he created the first vaccine for smallpox (as opposed to variolation, which introduced smallpox material – for example, fluids or scabs – into wounds on the uninfected). Based on an old country tradition that milkmaids who had contracted cowpox were not susceptible to smallpox, Jenner decided to experiment by injecting cowpox-infected lymph into a local boy. After vaccination, the boy was immune to smallpox and Jenner continued his experiments.
In 1798 he published An inquiry into the causes and effects of the variolae vaccinae: a disease discovered in some of the western counties of England, particularly Gloucestershire, and known by the name of the cow pox, the results of a long and successful series of case histories. By 1803 his work had been translated into numerous languages, and his method of immunization was taken up with amazing speed, becoming almost universally adopted. It is the foundation of all subsequent work in immunology and virology.
Jenner's early work met with strong opposition from among the medical profession. In 1800 he published the second edition, which contained two titles, Further observations on the variolae vaccinae... and A continuation of facts and observations relative to the variolæ vaccinæ, or cow pox, to strengthen his case.
The John Martin Rare Book Room is fortunate enough to have copies of his first and second editions, as well as two facsimile copies of the first edition. The first edition is bound in brown calfskin, with gold-stamped decoration on the front and back covers and for the spine titling. The endpapers consist of lovely pastel marbling with marginalia inside the front and back pages. The paper is in excellent condition, with minor foxing throughout. The second edition is bound in a half cover of red Morocco and marbled paper, with gold stamped spine titling. There is foxing throughout with marginalia on the inside front and back covers.
Excerpted from the Friends of the John Martin Rare Book Room newsletter.
Find out more by visiting their website: https://www.lib.uiowa.edu/hardin/rbr/