o Parliament. A petition to Parliament was presented on
March 17, 1802, and Mr. Addington--later, Lord Sidmouth--informed the
House that he had taken the King's pleasure on the contents of the
petition and that His Majesty recommended it strongly to the
consideration of Parliament. A committee was appointed, of which Admiral
Berkeley was the chairman. A great mass of evidence was brought forward,
and many professional and other persons examined. The Duke of Clarence
gave his testimony, and manifested strongly his conviction of the
prophylactic powers of the vaccine disease. Much opposition was offered
to the claims of Jenner. He felt this deeply, and in a letter to his
friend Mr. Hicks, dated April 28, 1802, he writes: "I sometimes wish
this business had never been brought forward. It makes me feel indignant
to reflect that one who has, through a most painful and laborious
investigation, brought to light a subject that will add to the happiness
of every human being in the world, should appear among his countrymen as
a supplicant for the means of obtaining a few comforts for himself and
family."

The committee reported, and the House voted ten thousand pounds to
Doctor Jenner. An amendment, proposing twenty thousand pounds, was lost
by a majority of three! Sir Gilbert Blane, Doctor Lettsom, and others,
feeling the utter inadequacy of this reward to the merits of the case,
proposed to raise a fund by public subscription; but it was not carried
into effect.

The Royal Jennerian Society was established in 1803, and had the King
for the patron, the Queen for the patroness, and various members of the
royal family and nobility for its supporters. The design of the
institution was to vaccinate the poor gratuitously, and supply virus to
all parts of the world. It effected great good, and reduced the number
of deaths by smallpox in a very remarkable degree. But dissensions
sprang up, chiefly through the conduct of the resident inoculator
recommending practices contrary to the printed regulations of the
society, and it was virtually dissolved in 1806.

Lord Henry Petty--later, Marquis of Lansdowne--was the chancellor of the
exchequer in 1806, and on July 2d brought the subject of vaccination
again before the House of Parliament. Upon this, the College of
Physicians was directed to make inquiry into its state and condition,
and a report was made on April 19, 1807. The report was highly
satisfactory as to the advantages of the pr