Prof Crookshank
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CROOKSHANK, EDGAR MARCH, M.B. Lond. (Honours in Obst.) 1884, M.R.C.S. Eng. 1881 (King's Coll.); Exhib. and Gold Medallist in Anat. 1st M.B. Lond. 1879; Fell. King's Coll.; Mem. Roy. Micros. Soc. and Path. Soc.; Prof, of Comp. Path, and Bacteriol. King's Coll.; late House Surg. King's Coll. Hosp., and Civil Surg. Med. Staff Egyptian Campaign (Medal and Clasp, Tel-el-Kebir, and Khedive's Star).  Director of the Bacteriological Laboratory, King's College, London

"Dr. Charles Creighton, Alfred Russel Wallace, William White, Prof. Edgar Crookshank, William Tebb, Dr. Scott Tebb, Dr. William J. Collins and his father, of the same name, who had been a public vaccinator for 20 years and had renounced the practice, were all head-and-shoulders above their opponents, both in intellect and in integrity. They may therefore never be mentioned on the radio, nor may their history."---Lionel Dole

Prof. Crookshank’s investigation of the subject led him to reject vaccination, and in 1889 he published a voluminous and critical enquiry, in two volumes, entitled History and Pathology of Vaccination (London: H. K. Lewis); the first volume containing a statement of Professor Crookshank’s views and researches, and the second a reprint of Jenner’s Inquiry, and numerous other early pamphlets on the subject. In his preface Prof. Crookshank says:—

: ''I had devoted myself for some time to pathological researches in connection with the communicable diseases of man and the lower animals, when the discovery of an outbreak of cowpox, in 88, led me to investigate the history and pathology of that affection. At that time I accepted and taught the doctrines, in reference to this disease, which are commonly held by the profession, and are described in the text-books of medicine. In endeavouring to discover the origin of this outbreak, it was proved beyond question that the cows had not been affected by milkers suffering from smallpox. While attending at the National Vaccine Establishment of the Local Government Board I was unable to obtain any exact details, clinical or pathological, of the source of the lymph which was employed there. From my experience of this and other vaccination stations, I found that both official and unofficial vaccinators were completely occupied with the technique of vaccination, to the exclusion of any precise knowledge of the history and pathology of the diseases from which their lymph stocks had been obtained. I gradually became so deeply impressed with the small amount of knowledge possessed by practitioners, concerning cowpox and other sources of vaccine lymph, and with the conflicting teachings and opinions of leading authorities, in both the medical and veterinary professions, that I determined to investigate the subject for myself.

''Professor Crookshank’s investigation finally compelled him to conclude that the orthodox teaching on the subject was entirely erroneous. At pages 465 and 466 of Vol. I of his book he says:—

''Unfortunately, a belief in the efficacy of vaccination has been so enforced in the education of the medical practitioner, that it is hardly probable that the futility of the practice will be generally acknowledged in our generation, though nothing would more redound to the credit of the profession and give evidence of the advance made in pathology and sanitary science. It is more probable that when, by means of notification and isolation, smallpox is kept under control, vaccination will disappear from practice, and will retain only an historical interest.'' Both Dr. Creighton and Prof. Crookshank gave evidence before the Royal Commission and their views withstood the critical examination of the medical members of the Commission. DR. CREIGHTON AND PROF. CROOKSHANK (Chapter 4, The Vaccination Problem by Joseph Swain, 1936)

Publications
[1889] History and Pathology of Vaccination. (vol. 1. A Critical inquiry. By E. M. Crookshank.-vol. 2. Selected essays. Edited by E. M. Crookshank.) H. K. Lewis: London, 1889.

While attending at the National Vaccine Establishment of the Local Government Board, I was unable to obtain any exact details, clinical or pathological, of the source of the lymph which was employed there. From my experience of this and other vaccination stations, I found that both official and unofficial vaccinators were completely occupied with the technique of vaccination, to the exclusion of any precise knowledge of the history and pathology of the diseases from which their lymph stocks had been obtained......I gradually became so deeply impressed with the small amount of knowledge possessed by practitioners, concerning Cow Pox and other sources of vaccine lymph, and with the conflicting teachings and opinions of leading authorities, in both the medical and veterinary professions, that I determined to investigate the subject for myself. History and Pathology of Vaccination.