De Hoornse geneeskundige genootschappen en hun ijver ten aanzien van de vaccinatie in de 19de eeuw

Abstract

The medical societies al Hoorn and their zeal for vaccination in the 19th century The first announcements concerning smallpox-vaccination at Hoorn date back from 1801. After King Louis-Napoleon had made vaccination compulsory for children from the pauper-class (1808), the execution of the decree was strongly promoted by the Municipality in co-operation with the relieving-officers of the poor-fund. On part of the government one tried to promote vaccination by presenting gold medals to physicians who performed this practice free of charge. In several towns committees were founded, who dedicated themselves to the public acceptance and the promotion of smallpoxvaccination. At Hoorn however it was the scientific and medical society "Vis Unita Fortior" (VUF) that zealously advocated the practice. From the period that VUF kept registration of the number of vaccinations performed (1820-1910) it appears, that this number increased strongly, when smallpox had occurred in the preceding years. Government measurements against smallpox also had a positive impact on the number of vaccinations. On the other hand there was a decrease in vaccination during years in which some other children's disease was about.