Hello, My Mother was correct after all: - Years ago my Mother told me that there was an Ancestor who was a Dairy Maid and had been involved in the testing of a Vaccination against Smallpox. Sarah Nelms had cowpox which country folk had claimed, helped to offset the affects of Smallpox. With the help of Sarah's infection, a Dr Jenner produced the first recorded vaccination to prevent Small Pox successfully in May 1796. I have just found an article in a book about the origins of Inventions and Discoveries, which confirms the above. Does anyone have information about this Sarah Nelms or even maybe share her Ancestors? It is possible Sarah was living across the border in Somerset which is where my NELMS Ancestors originated, around, Thornbury, Wick areas. Thank You, Gordon. Tel No. (01274) 23 5284 - VOICE MAIL Email: g.t.holmes@bradford.ac.uk Elect/IT/Techno Technician. Arch & Envi Sciences. Phoenix SW Building. Bradford University.

Hi Gordon You wrote: > > Years ago my Mother told me that there was an Ancestor > who was a Dairy Maid and had been involved in the testing > of a Vaccination against Smallpox. Sarah Nelms had cowpox > which country folk had claimed, helped to offset the affects > of Smallpox. > You may be interested in Jenner's original paper mentioning Sarah NELMES. You will find a transcript at: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1798jenner-vacc.html Sarah is mentioned in the first of these three papers, "Inquiry into the causes....", in Part I, Case XVI. She is described as "a dairymaid at a farmer's near this place", i.e. near Berkeley, GLS, where Jenner lived and around where he did most of his research. Incidentally the Fordham University site has lots of useful historical stuff. Hope that helps David in Hertford, England ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gordon T. Holmes." <g.t.holmes@Bradford.ac.uk> To: <ENG-GLOS-FOREST-DEAN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, June 09, 2004 8:39 AM Subject: [FoD] Cowpox - Sarah NELMS Dairy Maid (May 1796)