268 BRITISH PHYSICIANS. to successful projectors, and we are scarcely sur- prised to find that one active promoter of the discovery is only so far penetrated with Jenner's merit, as to offer him the situation of extra-corre- sponding physician to a vaccine institution, with the privilege of recommending patients by proxy, on the payment of an annual guinea. But an honour- able tribute was paid to him so early as the summer of 1799, when thirty -three of the leading physi- cians, and forty eminent surgeons of London, signed an earnest expression of their confidence in the efficacy of the cow-pox. Persons of ele- vated rank deserve the highest commendation when they afford support to objects which do not easily become familiar to them ; the Royal Family of England exerted themselves to encourage Jen- ner ; the Duke of Clarence was very active in the cause in the early part of 1800, and in the March of the same year Jenner was introduced successively to the Duke of York, the King, the Prince of Wales, and the Queen ; all of whom did themselves honour by the attention v/hich they bestowed upon him. Jenner next directed his benevolent exertions t-o diffuse the blessing among other countries. In order to estimate properly the fuits of his exertions, let us consider the evil which he combated, and which he finally deprived of its principal strength. From an examination of the London bills of mor- tality during forty-two years. Dr. Jurin ascertained that, even after inoculation had been introduced, one in fourteen of all that were born perished by the small-pox. Of persons of every age taken ill in the natural way, one in five or six died ; while
