The Smallpox Vaccine

THE modern anti-vaccine movement was born in 19th-century England.
But first the country doctor Edward Jenner, in 1796, came up with the idea of injecting microbes taken from cows infected with a disease similar to smallpox into humans. The idea was that small doses of the organisms would provide immunity. Thus the smallpox vaccine was invented. Jenner was a talented promoter and his project received major government funding.
At a time when many Britons were suffering from malnourishment and overcrowding in cities — both an inevitable consequence of the Protestant “Reformation,” which centralized wealth and caused a collapse of rural life — smallpox was one of many physical scourges that shortened the lifespan.
Interestingly, smallpox deaths were declining (see here) before the small pox vaccine was introduced.
In 1853, the Vaccination Act made vaccination compulsory in the first three months of a child’s life. In 1867, vaccinations were compulsory for all children below 14. Parents who refused were fined or even imprisoned.
Many parents were not happy about this and contended their children were being sickened. In fact, deaths from smallpox increased dramatically after vaccination was introduced. See relevant statistics and sources here.
In March 1884, resident George Bamford told magistrates his three eldest children had been vaccinated. Two had been confined to bed for days and a third had died.
For refusing to vaccinate his fourth child, he was ordered to pay 10 shillings – half the average weekly wage – or spend seven days in prison.
Fines were fiercely enforced. Police collecting a fine from one Arthur Ward threatened his pregnant wife with prison. The argument sent her into premature labour and the child was stillborn. (Source)
In 1869, the Leicester Anti-Vaccination League was founded and in 1885, a mass protest was held in Leicester. The notion that forced vaccination violated inalienable civil liberties was first voiced at that time.
Leicester implemented a system of sanitation and quarantine for smallpox victims and claimed superior results. In fact, the city had a much small rate of smallpox deaths that other municipalities.
