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A Doctor and Anti Vaxxer combo

From my Facebook page, Ignominious Awards

With hundreds of millions of victims in history, Smallpox was a lethal disease but one anti-vaxxer underestimated that killer. Boston Doctor Immanuel Pfeiffer was a virulent anti-vaxxer who advocated fasting, he even urged the Legislative Committee to repeal the compulsory vaccination law. Immanuel would do anything to be proven right so he accepted the proposal by the Chairman of the Board of Health of Boston to go to the Smallpox patient ridden Gallopes Islands. Arriving on January 23rd, 1902, he wanted to show that smallpox wasn’t contagious, but lo and behold… Immanuel got smallpox! Barely surviving the disease, this helped fuel the vaccination movement. Immanuel had a Ph.D in stupidity.

https://www.nytimes.com/1902/02/09/archives/exposed-to-smallpox-boston-doctor-who-opposed-vaccination-now-has.html

https://bit.ly/2VN3ibU (British Medical Journal) https://bit.ly/2M4T3LT (Therapeutic Gazette) https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/72115392/

Submitted on 03/07/2019

Submitted by: John M. Wilsom
Reference:


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>> Moderator Scores <<

Candi said:
Definitely Toss: Lacks Excellence
Sorry, this doesn't say Darwin to me. The other moderators may differ. Thanks anyway.


Bruce said:
Definitely Keep: Honorable Mention
Given he was a medical doctor I think this is worthy of an HM. Clearly the contagiousness of Smallpox was well known if patients were being quarantined on an island. Thanks, John.


James said:
Definitely Keep: Honorable Mention
By 1902 it was well known that smallpox was VIRULENTLY contagious, AND that the smallpox vaccine (developed in 1796) worked. I wonder how many box tops he sent in for his medical certificate? Thanks John!