The Vaccination Controversy: The Rise, Reign and Fall of Compulsory Vaccination for Smallpox

Stanley Williamson’s meticulously researched history of the British government’s smallpox vaccination program begins with Edward Jenner’s development of the vaccine at the end of the eighteenth century, charts the astonishing speed at which it became compulsory for children, and documents the decades of resistance that resulted in its repeal in 1946. Along the way Williamson examines the social, political, and ethical motivations of both factions. The power to make medical choices, including those regarding vaccination, remains a hotly contested issue today, making The Vaccination Controversy a timely contribution to our knowledge of medical history.