April 16th, 1816, aged 79 years.
He was born at Yetminster, in this County, and was an upright honest man, particularly noted for having been the first person known that introduced
THE COWPOX BY INOCULATION,
and who, from his great strength of mind, made the experiment from the Cow on his Wife and two Sons in the year 1774.
Jesty is frequently played off against Jenner, as having anticipated him, but under a misapprehension. Jesty inoculated with Cowpox, sharing the dairymaids’ faith that it prevented Smallpox. Jenner knew that the dairymaids were wrong, and that Cowpox did not avert Smallpox. What he recommended was Cowpox produced by Horsegrease. Pearson and Woodville disregarded Jenner’s recommendation and made use of Cowpox like Jesty, which substitution Jenner did not resist; and not only did not resist, but claimed as the fulfilment of his programme! Jenner should never be suffered to get mixed up with Jesty, and the course of his procedure be thereby obscured.
I am explicit to iteration because the truth is not recognised and may be accounted incredible. In another way the facts may be thrown into relief if we inquire, How would Jenner have fared had he applied for a patent? Suppose his several publications were submitted to a patent-agent, In what manner could a tenable specification be evolved from these materials?
| 1798.—The Inquiry. | { | Prescribes Horsegrease |
| { | Cowpox. | |
| { | Slackens off from Horsegrease | |
| 1799.—Further Observations. | { | Cowpox; ascribes its |
| 1800.—Continuation of Observations. | { | efficacy to common repute; |
| { | and recommends escharotics | |
| { | to arrest its virulence. | |
| { | Claim of discovery and | |
| 1801.—Origin of Vaccine Inoculation. | { | use of Cowpox, previously |
| 1802.—Petition to Parliament. | { | condemned as spurious, |
| { | and Horsegrease Cowpox | |
| { | dropped. |
By no ingenuity could a valid patent be got out of these documents. If Horsegrease Cowpox were selected as the basis of claim, what of the repudiation of Cowpox? and if Cowpox, what of Horsegrease Cowpox? And if Horsegrease Cowpox, what of the ascription of its virtue to common repute? And if Cowpox, was not the committee of the House of Commons in 1802 compelled to disallow Jenner’s claim to the discovery, and to define and limit his merit to the propagation of its virus from arm to arm? It was, however, Pearson and Woodville who first propagated Cowpox from arm to arm: Jenner’s start being made with Horsegrease Cowpox. But allowing him so much credit, it is nevertheless to be remembered that it was at that time a frequent practice to inoculate with Smallpox from arm to arm; and the substitution of Cowpox for Smallpox was a trifle for which to pay £10,000 and dissolve in ecstasies of admiration.