Who was against the smallpox vaccine?

• A. Church and Variolators
• B. Parliament
• C. Doctors
• D. The general public

Answer: (A)

Opposition to Jenner’s smallpox vaccine in its early days came from two key groups with different reasons: the Church and the variolators. The variolators depended on inoculation (variolation) for their livelihoods, so they had a strong economic motive to resist a method that could replace their trade. Religious authorities within the Church sometimes challenged vaccination on moral or theological grounds, arguing about meddling with divine plans or natural order. This combination meant there was organized resistance from those with practical or moral objections, rather than from the medical community or the general public as a whole. Over time, many doctors and parts of the public accepted vaccination as its benefits became clear, and Parliament moved to regulate the practice, rather than oppose it wholesale.