Edward Jenner – role play
Edward Jenner – hero of the hour!
You have made a great scientific breakthrough. You have tested your vaccine
on 23 different cases and carefully recorded your findings. You need the
Royal Society to endorse your ideas because that will help you to get extra
funding and more people will adopt your ideas in the future.
You think some people in the Society oppose your ideas simply because they
want to protect their own quack remedies, especially the herbalists. You think
inoculation is far too costly. Vaccination could save money and lives!
Member of the Royal Society
You oppose Jenner’s ideas. You think it is extremely unlikely that a cure for
smallpox can be gained from a cow! It is unnatural.
Member of the Royal Society
As well as being a herbalist (someone who still believes natural remedies can
be found in herbs and other plants), you are a member of the Royal Society.
You don’t want the Society to adopt Jenner’s ideas or you will be out of a job!
Don’t let on this fact though!
Member of the Royal Society
You think vaccination is very dangerous. You have heard of cases of doctors,
who aren’t properly trained, infecting patients directly with smallpox instead of
cow pox.
Member of the Royal Society
You are interested in Jenner’s ideas on the quiet, but you don’t want your
colleagues to know. You have heard that foreign leaders are thinking of
adopting his ideas and think that might give other countries an advantage
over Britain. You want to give Jenner a chance to make his case.
Member of the Royal Society
You are a traditionalist. People have been practising inoculation for many
years. In Maidstone inoculations were proven to decrease the number of
outbreaks of smallpox. Why change when it clearly works. If it ain’t broke,
don’t fix it!