Alfred Russel Wallace and the Antivaccination Movement in Victorian England
Alfred Russel Wallace, eminent naturalist and codiscoverer of the principle of natural selection, was a major participant in the antivaccination campaigns in late 19th-century England. Wallace combined social reformism and quantitative arguments to undermine the claims of provaccinationists and had...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
2010-04-01
|
| Series: | Emerging Infectious Diseases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/16/4/09-0434_article |
| _version_ | 1811269538217459712 |
|---|---|
| author | Thomas P. Weber |
| author_facet | Thomas P. Weber |
| author_sort | Thomas P. Weber |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Alfred Russel Wallace, eminent naturalist and codiscoverer of the principle of natural selection, was a major participant in the antivaccination campaigns in late 19th-century England. Wallace combined social reformism and quantitative arguments to undermine the claims of provaccinationists and had a major impact on the debate. A brief account of Wallace’s background, his role in the campaign, and a summary of his quantitative arguments leads to the conclusion that it is unwarranted to portray Victorian antivaccination campaigners in general as irrational and antiscience. Public health policy can benefit from history, but the proper context of the evidence used should always be kept in mind. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T21:43:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f8d573a1acdd42fdb169e6a8d5b6d0eb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1080-6040 1080-6059 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T21:43:51Z |
| publishDate | 2010-04-01 |
| publisher | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Emerging Infectious Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-f8d573a1acdd42fdb169e6a8d5b6d0eb2022-12-22T03:15:42ZengCenters for Disease Control and PreventionEmerging Infectious Diseases1080-60401080-60592010-04-0116466466810.3201/eid1604.090434Alfred Russel Wallace and the Antivaccination Movement in Victorian EnglandThomas P. WeberAlfred Russel Wallace, eminent naturalist and codiscoverer of the principle of natural selection, was a major participant in the antivaccination campaigns in late 19th-century England. Wallace combined social reformism and quantitative arguments to undermine the claims of provaccinationists and had a major impact on the debate. A brief account of Wallace’s background, his role in the campaign, and a summary of his quantitative arguments leads to the conclusion that it is unwarranted to portray Victorian antivaccination campaigners in general as irrational and antiscience. Public health policy can benefit from history, but the proper context of the evidence used should always be kept in mind.https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/16/4/09-0434_articleVaccinationAlfred Russel WallacevaccinesEnglandhistorical review |
| spellingShingle | Thomas P. Weber Alfred Russel Wallace and the Antivaccination Movement in Victorian England Emerging Infectious Diseases Vaccination Alfred Russel Wallace vaccines England historical review |
| title | Alfred Russel Wallace and the Antivaccination Movement in Victorian England |
| title_full | Alfred Russel Wallace and the Antivaccination Movement in Victorian England |
| title_fullStr | Alfred Russel Wallace and the Antivaccination Movement in Victorian England |
| title_full_unstemmed | Alfred Russel Wallace and the Antivaccination Movement in Victorian England |
| title_short | Alfred Russel Wallace and the Antivaccination Movement in Victorian England |
| title_sort | alfred russel wallace and the antivaccination movement in victorian england |
| topic | Vaccination Alfred Russel Wallace vaccines England historical review |
| url | https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/16/4/09-0434_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT thomaspweber alfredrusselwallaceandtheantivaccinationmovementinvictorianengland |