 Family Theatre presents Tyrone Power and J. Carol Nash. From Hollywood, the Mutual Network in Cooperation with Family Theatre presents The Pox, starring Tyrone Power. And now, here is your host, J. Carol Nash. Thank you, Tony LaFranco. Family Theatre's only purpose is to bring to everyone's attention a practice that must become an important part of our lives. If we are to win peace for ourselves, peace for our families and peace for the world. Family Theatre urges you to pray, pray together as a family. And now to our transcribed drama, The Pox, starring Tyrone Power as Dr. Edward Jenner. In the year 1796, a killer stalked the streets of Europe. And though his name was well known, he prowled on challenge for the sewers of Paris, the alleys of Naples, even the rich rolling countryside of Gloucestershire, England. Mr. Phipps, good day to you. Mr. Hughes. Jimmy Lad. Morning, sir. What might be your pleasure, Mr. Phipps? It's the boy here. Touch of the colleague, I think. What would you give him? Oh, too many sweets, eh, laddie? I say it's just that. Pure stuffing himself. I haven't been stuffing myself. Close your mouth. I see you have. He'd be fit as a nox by supper. But his mother, well, you know women. That I do. Well, then, eh, something for the colleague. Let's see. It, eh, needn't be much. I've no wish to spend a fortune. Aye, well, for the colleague. I'd say a bit of scamony. And what do you call a bit? There, that's a bit. How much? Toppings. That little twig of a thing? Include in my trained advice as an apothecary. If it was trained advice I wanted, I'd be going to Dr. Jenner. Then I suggest you do, Mr. Phipps. The scamony's toppings. Do you want it? It's a steep place for something so small. Take it or no. Hello, Dr. Jenner. Good morning, Jimmy. Mr. Phipps. Good morning to you, sir. What's your pleasure, doctor? Small packet of mercury salts use. Aye. Well, how are you feeling, Jimmy? I've got the colic. Well, that's too bad. Where does it hurt? It hurts in the stomach, so we'll not be wanting to trouble you, Dr. Jenner. No trouble at all. Stick out your tongue, Jimmy. If you're thinking to charge me for this service. There won't be any charge, Mr. Phipps. Go on, Jimmy. Stick out your tongue and say, ah. Ah. No discoloration. Any chills or headaches lately? No, sir. What would it be mean if he had? Oh, it could mean nothing. On the other hand, well, there has been an outbreak of the pox over near Sodbury. Oh, no, you don't. I beg pardon? You doctors are all one. Always drumming business for yourselves. I've told you once, I'll have no part of that denoculation business you do. I don't pretend it's perfect, but it has shown results. Aye. And some of those results are dead and buried outside the Kirk? It's daft. Given yourself the small pox, so you won't catch it later. Until something better comes along, it's all we can do. Aye. Well, you'll no do it to me or mine. And furthermore, we'll not be catching the pox, even if it comes. I hope you're right, sir. I am. We've all but Jimmy had the copox, so we'll no catch the other. Come along, lad. Here's your salts, doctor. Thank you, Hughes. Vol the ignorant, superstitious. He's caught the copox, so that protects him. Well, one can hardly blame a man for being afraid of an oculation. It can as likely kill a person as cure them. But it's scientific. All the best doctors use it. And the worst, we all use it, because there's nothing else. It seems to me, Dr. Jenner, that for a country practitioner, you're mighty impatient with the improvements of science. Oh, Hughes, don't talk like a fool. A fool, am I? For almost 75 years, an oculation has saved people from the pox. Yes. And it's also helped spread the very thing it's trying to check. While a person is going through his inoculation period, he can infect others with small pox, just as surely as if he were suffering from the disease. That's a price of scientific achievement. Oh, hogwash, there's got to be a better way. Don't tell me, Dr. Jenner, you found time off from your owns to probe the hidden mysteries of science. Well, I can tell you this much about science, Hughes. There's precious little of it in the apothecaries trade. I resent that. And I resent the charms and spells you dispense over this counter under the guise of medicine. Charms and spells you call it. Well, look. Look at the labels on those jars. Clothes, jalape, snake root, St. John's wart. All listed in the latest edition of the London Pharmacopier. Look at the date. 1790. And you'll also find in that witch's manual a recommended cure for kidney stones. Light wine, genshin root, and nutmeg. Well? Well, if that combination has ever produced anything but a morning headache, I've yet to learn of it. Very well, Dr. Jenner. Perhaps you'd like to give me your solution for curing the pox. A man so critical of the work of others must surely have something better to offer. If there's something better, Hughes, it's nothing I have to offer. It's here already. Man has only to find it. Then what kind of science is that? I'm not sure we have a name for it yet. But nature, as we know it, is in perfect harmony with itself. It was created that way. And the creator has provided us with an answer to every problem he poses. Fighting fire with fire is man's way. Quenching it with water is God's. And you think fighting the pox with inoculation is man's way, too? I do. The water to put it out is somewhere. And if man has faith, he'll find it. Faith? What is science to do with faith? I'm surprised at you, Hughes. Didn't you know? Know what? Science is one of the roads to faith. Well, hello, Jimmy. How's the colic? Oh, that's been gone a week. It's not me who's sick this time. It's Sarah our milkmaid. I know. That's why I stopped by. How's she feeling? All right. Does father know you've come? I met him in the square this morning and told him I might look in. He doesn't like doctors, does he? No, I wouldn't go so far as to say that, Jimmy. It would probably be more to the truth to say your father doesn't understand doctors. He says there's no need for them. Well, in a way, he'd be right. If the world knew all there was to know about diseases. Father says that if you get sick and God wants to cure you, he won't need any help from a doctor. I'm sure he won't. But I've also heard that God helps those who help themselves. Even doctors? That seems to be the prevailing opinion. Could I be a doctor? Would you like to be, Jimmy? Oh, yes. Someday I'd like to be a doctor just like you and help people, help themselves. Then I shouldn't be surprised if you will. Is Sarah up and about in the cottage? Oh, yes. Come in. What is it you want? Dr. Jenner. Good day, Sarah. How are you feeling? I might, but I'll come around in a day or so. It was good of you to visit me, doctor. Is there anything I can do? Oh, no, sir. It's just a cowpox. The man I was spaking, I'm glad I caught it. Well, that's very philosophical of you. Oh, it's not... not whatever you just said, sir. I'm pleased to have caught the cowpox. Even though it does leave me a bit marked up with these red spots. Why are you pleased, Sarah? Well, it means now I'll never catch the smallpox. You mustn't depend on that. Oh, I can. It's God's honest truth, sir. You can believe me. Uh, Jimmy. Yes, sir? Would you be good enough to run down by the gate and see if I tethered my horse securely enough? But I just saw you tether him, Dr. Jenner. Yes, but I'm not sure of the job I did. Would you have a look for me? I'd not like my mare to run off. All right. Oh, and here, you might give her this apple. And mind she eats it all. I will, Dr. Jenner. Sarah. Yes, doctor? You told me something a moment ago. You swore it was God's honest truth. About the cowpox? Yes. You mean about not catching the smallpox if you'd add the cowpox? Exactly. Now, Jimmy's not standing between us to hear you if, well, if you'd like to admit that's something you heard his father say. Well, well, yes. I've heard Mr. Phipps say it. You're a good girl to tell the truth. But also my father gets to say it and my brothers, and, well, and anyone who's tended cows. You mean it's a general superstition among farm folks? It's no superstition, Dr. Jenner. It is true. Them has evaded the cowpox and never catched the smallpox. Sarah, I've successfully inoculated dozens of farmers, men whose cattle have been ravaged by cowpox. But had the farmers themselves had it? I should certainly think so. They tended their herds all the while the animals were affected. That didn't mean they caught it, sir. I had an older brother, was an herdsman, 20 years and never did. But when the smallpox came, he caught that and then, fortunately, he was dead. Sarah, did you see this happen with your own eyes? I did not, sir. If I had, I wouldn't be here to tell of it. That was six years ago and I'd not add the cowpox myself yet. And where was your brother working? Small farm near Tidworth. Him and one of the older's children were the only ones caught the smallpox of the lot. And what about the child? He died. Sammy Spilly, my brother, he'd not the cowpox neither. It's God's only truth, sir. God's honest truth. I beg pardon, sir. I'm just thinking, Sarah. Well, I must be getting along. Thank you for looking in, doctor. Sarah. Yes, sir. Would you be knowing if Mr. Phipps will be at home this evening? Not before 9.10, sir. No. He went to the cattle auction this morning. I see. But you might find him back at the inn about 7, sir. He often stops there when he's up light on business. About 7, you say? Yes, sir. Thank you, Sarah. I'll try the inn. To Jenner. Evening, Hughes. It's not often you honor us with your presence. Would you care to join me in a nail? Not just now, thank you. Have you seen Phipps about? Phipps? Farmer Phipps, you mean. That I have the old bear. Here at the inn? At Yonder Table. Stuffing himself with beef and scowling at the world. Oh, yes. Yes, I see. From the look of him, I'd appoint that Farmer Phipps ended the day at the short end of a business transaction. Only a financial reverse could twist his face so unbecomingly. Yes, ma'am. Well, thank you, Hughes. Stop back and join me in an aisle, doctor. I'll value you'll need it after talking of him. Mr. Phipps. Dr. Jenner. May I join you? It's a public inn. I stopped by to see Sarah earlier today. If you're thinking to derive a fee from that... Well, I'm not. If you are, I'd remind you that Sarah Nelms is paid a milk maid's wage. So if you have any bills, send them to her. And there won't be any bill, Mr. Phipps. I wanted to speak with you about... Now, something you said last week when we met in the apothecary shop. What might that be? You were... You told me you'd never catch the smallpox because you'd already had cowpox. Aye. And I've no doubt a worldly physician like yourself feels that's not but country superstition. Is that what you said down to tell me? No. No, it is not. In truth, I've begun to wonder if there may not be something in it. Sarah Nelms told me the same thing this afternoon. Does could have any milk maid from Glasgow to Wales? Yes, but Sarah cited a specific case. Her brother? Yes. I could match it with a scorer. My own father died in the pest house. I brought him food twice the day, but having had the cowpox as a lad, not harmed me. Has your son Jimmy ever had the cowpox? He has not. Believing as you do, then, might it not be a blessing for him if he caught it? I... I don't make your meaning, doctor. Well, it might protect him forever against smallpox. That it might, but... Would you do me a service, Mr. Phipps? That would depend upon the service. My rooms are just a few doors away. Could we go there and talk privately when you've finished yourself? Privately. Concerning what? Your son, Jimmy. It's daft, as daft as your inoculation. On the contrary. It may be nature's answer to the risk we run with inoculation. But to give someone one disease to fend off another, it's unnatural. Why is it unnatural to use the very medicine nature provides us with? Because nature is not to be ruled by man. Then why is it here? Why has it been given us? To enjoy, but not to tamper with. No, doctor, I'll not permit it. Now listen to me, Phipps. God has given us fire and water. Do you call it tampering with nature that we have combined these two forces and produced a steam engine? A steam engine is not a disease. But people have been scalded by steam, burned to death. And yet, does it's good not outweigh its evil? And no be swayed by your tongue, doctor. I say it's unnatural to tamper with God's creatures, and that's an intuit. Where were you this afternoon? What does that to do with it? Were you not at a cattle auction? I was. And was not your purpose at that auction to acquire stock that would improve the strain of your own herd? I didn't see what bearing this has on the matter. Then apparently you do not see anything unnatural in man's attempting to improve God's creatures when they happen to be cowed. No, look here. But when it comes to man's bettering himself, then you balk. Is that it? It's... it's not the same thing. Phipps. Phipps, you and I are God-fearing men. For all our differences, we kneel in the same kirk on the Sabbath and we lift our hearts to the same Almighty. We both labor to be pleasing in His eyes. Are we to ignore the wisdom He gives us when it may prove a boon to the rest of His children for all time to come? But... but Jimmy, why must it be Jimmy? Could you not give the cowpox to an older person? Giving it to an older person would prove nothing. The important thing is to learn if it can prevent smallpox in the very young. That way every child from birth could be protected. It would stamp out the disease forever. It's... it's such a danger. Yes, I... I can't deny that. And yet it's not near the danger of inoculation. But you'll be inoculating him just the same. Only after he's taken the cowpox. And if your experience is right, the smallpox inoculation will then be harmless to him. I... I can't submit the lad to it unless he's willing. Neither could I, Mr. Phipps. You... you have convinced me that... that doing this might be God's will. But Jimmy must have the final say so. Of course. Do you... you want me to talk to him? Perhaps that would be the best way. I mean, I'm not saying I fully agreed. I know. But if you talk to Jimmy and not gloss over the danger... Oh, I wouldn't think of it. Well, I'm... then... a faith that God wouldn't lead a child to wrong. You're certain you know just what I'm going to do, then, Jimmy? Yes, Dr. Jenner. And you, Sarah? You... you're going to give Jimmy a bit of my carepox? Yes. I'll just scratch one of those little red marks on your arm, and then I'll transfer it to a small scratch on Jimmy's arm. Will... will it hurt the lad, Jenner? I get scratches all the time, Phipps. Close your mouth. I lost the questions. Jimmy's right. It'll hurt no more than a scratch. Will it hurt me, sir? Don't be such a frady cat. You're just like mother. Close your mouth. Why did she go down to pray in the cook, Father? It's not Sunday. Never mind why she went. Close your mouth and... and endorse the doctor tells you. It'll only be a scratch, Sarah. You'll hardly feel it. Well, if... if you say so... Go on, let him scratch you. You open your mouth once more, laddie, and you'll get a burchin. Is it all right, Sarah? I... I guess so. Go ahead. Very well. Now, with the edge of this instrument, I just... lift a bit of the matter. That hurt? I hardly felt it. Wouldn't I tell you? Close your mouth. I take a bit of this matter from one of the red marks on your arm, Sarah, and then I make a scratch. So, on Jimmy's arm. It felt good. That's a brave lad. And then touch the same instrument to it. So, and there we are. Yes. Is that all? That's all. What do you think he was going to do? Cut off my hand? You are a brave lad, Jimmy. Now what do I do, Doctor? Now? Now we wait a week or so. And then what? Then... Then comes a time, Jimmy, when you'll have to be even braver. Come. Come in. Doctor Jenner? Oh, yes. Yes, come in, Phipps. Sit down. What's the trouble, man? You look like you haven't slept for days. Oh, I'm... I'm all right. Is Jimmy with you? I... Adam wait outside. Is anything wrong? Has any of the cow pox but that single scar appeared on his body? Just the one where you scratched him. What's wrong, man? Are you beginning to doubt yourself? I wish I knew. He's come through the cow pox, right? I know. Thank heaven for that much. Are you thinking the inoculations too risky? I'll be truthful. I hardly know what I'm thinking. I read once where... where knowledge from God comes through suffering. I hope there's something to it. I can see by your face it's been a hard two weeks for you. I'd scarcely say you look the picture of health. I'm worried, yes, and so is my wife. But we've prayed. And now I brought Jimmy here. Would you ask him to come in? Aye. Come in, lad. The doctor wants to see you. Hello, Dr. Jenny. Hello, Jimmy. Want to see my arm where you scratched me? Could I? Aye. Look. Well, seems to have healed up. I didn't even get the headache or the fever like Sarah had. Oh, you've come through in fine style. But now's the important part, isn't it? Yes. Now is the important part, Jimmy. Well, what are we waiting for? Are you sure again, Jimmy, that you know what I'm going to do to you? Father says you're going to, um, inoculate me with the smallpox. That's right. But this is not just an ordinary inoculation. I know this is bigger. You know what that means? I think so. Tell me. Father said you're going to give me more smallpox than anyone has ever had before. Oh, others have had this much before, but do you know what always happened to them? I think so. What? They died. That's right. Anyone who caught as much smallpox as I'm going to give you would die. Yes, but I've had the cowpox. You gave me that and I didn't even take a fever like Sarah. Jimmy, lad. Yes, Father? You're no obliged to do this if you're the faintest goat. That's right, Jimmy. It isn't being a frady cat if you don't want to. But I've had the cowpox. I can't catch the smallpox. No better how much you give me. Can I? We, we don't think so, but we're not certain. That's what we're trying to find, Jimmy. That's why we're doing this. I see. Jimmy. Yes, Father? You, you and I just came from the Kirk, did we not? Yes. And while we were there, I asked you to pray as I prayed for guidance. Yes. Did, while you were praying, did God seem to tell you anything? Tell me anything? What I think your Father means, Jimmy, is did God let you know if you should do this? Oh, no. He never tells me anything like that. He doesn't. Oh, never. I kneel in the Kirk and say my prayers. And then he reminds me I should obey my parents and do what grown-ups say is best. That's all he ever tells me. I see. And both you and Father are grown-ups. And I heard you say this is best. So I know he wants me to do it. Well, Doctor? Jimmy? Yes, Sir? Roll up your sleeve. Yes, Sarah? He just wants to see you in the cottage. It's about Jimmy. Is anything wrong? I don't know. He knew I was coming, didn't he? Yes. He sent me out to wait for you. Come along. Go right in, Sir. Doctor Jenner. Yes? Come into the bedroom. There's something I want you to see. You... You don't mean... Hello, Doctor Jenner. Jimmy? 18 days. A nice fit is a fiddle. Jimmy, how do you feel? Is this a fiddle? Oh, thank God. Isn't it, Doctor Jenner, that... What was it you called it? Vaccine. That's a vaccine with a cowpox. It works. It seems to have. Seems to have. It only bears out what I told you at the inn last month. What was that? Nothing. Any milk made from Glasgow to Wales couldn't have told you. Just common sense. Oh, yes. Yes, I remember now. When you said the cowpox will never catch the smallpox. Yes. And... And you were right, too, Sarah. Me, sir? Yes. It's... It is God's honest truth. This is J. Carol Nash. You know, friends, I heard a remark the other day that struck me rather forcibly, and I'd like to pass it along to you. The best that I can hope for, said a friend of mine, is to live to the age of 70. That'll give me 840 months of life. Now, I figure that for a third of a man's life, he's not quite sure what it's all about. He spends another third just sleeping. That leaves 280 months in which he can accomplish the good that God expects of us. We certainly can't try to dodge our opportunities. Above all, we cannot overlook our responsibilities to our families, and the reason we can't is that is the vocation in life to which most of us are called. If we wholeheartedly dedicate ourselves to making our homes as happy and as holy as God meant them to be, well, then we'd surely not be wasting the life that has been given to us. And God will help us do this. If we have the vision and the faith to pray to him daily in the circle of our home. For I can promise you this. The family that prays together stays together. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. A true incident in the life of Dr. Edward Jenner was based upon an idea by Robert Hardy Andrews and was written and directed for Family Theatre by John T. Kelly with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman. This series of Family Theatre broadcasts is made possible by the thousands of you who feel the need for this type of program, by the mutual network which has responded to this need, and by the hundreds of stars of stage screen and radio who give so unselfishly their time and talent to appear on our Family Theatre stage. To them and to you, our humble thanks. This is Tony LaFranco expressing the wish of Family Theatre that the blessing of God may be upon you and your home and inviting you to be with us next week when Family Theatre will present The Story of Little Tree starring Edmund Gwen. Dick Contino will be your host. Join us, won't you? Family Theatre has broadcast throughout the world and originates in the Hollywood studios of the world's largest network. Welcome to our virtual broadcasting system.