Surgery scandal Life and love of other Dr Jenner

Edward Jenner, pioneer of vaccination, is well-known. Less celebrated is his nephew Henry, who did much to promote his uncle's breakthrough, but whose scandalous private life is now laid bare in a new booklet

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Peter Cullimore

EDWARD Jenner (1749-1823) went off to London for medical training, returned to his native Gloucestershire and from the 1790s he pioneered vaccination to protect people from smallpox, one of the greatest scourges of the age. He's a famous and celebrated historical figure.

Less well-known is his nephew Henry Jenner (1767-1851), who at 16 became his uncle’s apprentice and would go on to become his right hand for the best part of 30 years.

While vaccination was taken up with enthusiasm across Europe, many in Britain were sceptical. The very idea of introducing cowpox matter into human bodies struck many as absurd. Others considered it sacrilegious, an outrage against the natural order of things as ordained by Almighty God.

Having made his amazing breakthrough that would go on to spare millions from a horrible disease which, if it didn’t kill you might leave you permanently disfigured, Jenner found himself having to defend vaccination, and this is where Henry played an important role.