清代江南种痘事业探论

A Preliminary Study of Vaccination in Jiangnan during the Qing Dynasty

人痘接种术大约在清初传入江南的浙西和苏南地区 ,然后逐渐传入浙东地区。施种牛痘的历史始于道光年间 ,到光绪二十年前后 ,江南大多数县份都创设了牛痘局。与接种人痘不同 ,牛痘传入后 ,官府很快介入 ,积极加以推广 ,不过 ,创设的主要动力似乎仍来自地方社会力量。人痘或牛痘的足迹到清末已遍及江南城乡各地 ,不过就整个江南地区来说 ,到清末有三四成以上的婴儿接种痘苗 ,已是一种乐观的估计。种痘对清代江南人口的增长虽然起到了一定的作用 。

Small pox inoculation was introduced in western Zhejiang and southern Jiangsu provinces and gradually to eastern Zhejiang province early in the Qing Dynasty Cowpox vaccination dates to the Daoguang reign but Cowpox Vaccination Bureaus were not established in most counties in Jiangnan until 1840 Different from small pox inoculation, cowpox vaccination spread quickly as the result of positive and rapid intervention from government officials once introduced The establishment of the vaccination bureaus,however, was mainly the work of local communities By the end of the Qing Dynasty,traces of small pox and cowpox could be found throughout the villages and towns of Jiangnan, but it is overly optimistic to estimate that more than thirty to forty percent of infants in Jiangnan had been vaccinated at the end of Qing Dynasty Vaccination did play a role in population growth in Jiangnan during the Qing Dynasty, but its contribution, especially with regard to small pox, should not be over exaggerated