Les Malheurs de la vaccine [The Misfortunes of the Vaccine]

In the nineteenth century the prestige and influence of doctors rose quite rapidly; however, their newly elevated position in society had its price. Doctors also elicited a degree of hostility which was frequently vented in the work of humorous illustrators, who satirically depicted the various diagnostic and therapeutic methods of their day. Most major discoveries in the field, such as microorganisms as the cause of infection, and anesthesia, were made during the latter part of the century. Prior to that, treatments primarily focused upon diet, emetics, bloodletting, and enemas which more often made patients feel worse and, at times, caused death. The precise meaning of this print is not known; however, within this context, there are a number of possibilities. It could be a satiric comment on a fad for a certain kind of vaccine or the potential side effects of the drug, including addiction.