Commemorative medal for smallpox vaccinations
The Smallpox Medal was established by Royal Decree in 1808 as a reward for doctors who carried out smallpox vaccinations. Around 1834, the medal bearing the image of a cow was replaced by King William I’s general reward medal, and in 1840 by that of King William II. The Smallpox Medal was produced by H. de Heus.
General
| Start date | 1808 |
|---|---|
| End date | 1840s |
| Captions | voorzijde, omschrift: VOLITAT JAM FAMA PER ORBEM; opschrift in afsnede: MDCCCIX; keerzijde: PRO VARIOL VACC INSIT PLUS C CIVIB UNO ANN GRATIS ADMINISTR |
| Dimensions [width] | 40 mm |
| Material | gold |
| Number | ? (Cow); 73 (William I); 77 (William II) |
Background
| Institutional decision | Royal Decree of 25 November 1808 |
|---|---|
| Additions | |
| Objective | Established as a reward for “doctors or surgeons who have vaccinated the greatest number of people without having received any reward for doing so, provided that the number of people vaccinated by them exceeds one hundred”. |
| (Historical) context | |
| Producer | H. de Heus |
| Bibliography | Nahuys 174–181 |
| Note | Around 1834, the medal bearing the image of a cow was replaced by King William I’s standard medal of honour, and in 1840 by that of King William II. |
Section
| In full | |
|---|---|
| Share | |
| Additions | none |
