Alfred Russel Wallace and the antivaccination movement in Victorian England

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Abstract

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 benefi t from history, but the proper context of the evidence used should always be kept in mind.

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Weber, T. P. (2010, April). Alfred Russel Wallace and the antivaccination movement in Victorian England. Emerging Infectious Diseases. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1604.090434

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