Doctor Therne

Doctor Therne

This novel, very much a piece of pro-vaccination propaganda and in fact dedicated to the Jenner Society, is nevertheless a very enjoyable story that modern-day readers should find highly affecting. It tells the story of "James Therne," a promising young doctor who suffers some early tragedies. He is unjustly accused in a malpractice case, loses all his patients even though he is acquitted, and later suffers the loss of his young wife. Though a staunch believer in vaccination, he runs for Parliament on an anti-vaccination platform, selling out his beliefs and morals for political gain and filthy lucre. Need I mention that this only leads to tragedy for Therne, his daughter and the general community, when a smallpox outbreak strikes his (fictional) town of Dunchester many years later?This novel, very much a piece of pro-vaccination propaganda and in fact dedicated to the Jenner Society, is nevertheless a very enjoyable story that modern-day readers should find highly affecting. It tells the story of "James Therne," a promising young doctor who suffers some early tragedies. He is unjustly accused in a malpractice case, loses all his patients even though he is acquitted, and later suffers the loss of his young wife. Though a staunch believer in vaccination, he runs for Parliament on an anti-vaccination platform, selling out his beliefs and morals for political gain and filthy lucre. Need I mention that this only leads to tragedy for Therne, his daughter and the general community, when a smallpox outbreak strikes his (fictional) town of Dunchester many years later?