This content was created by Maren Ehlers. The last update was by Kate McDonald.
Bodies and Structures 2.0: Deep-Mapping Modern East Asian HistoryMain MenuGet to Know the SiteGuided TourShow Me HowA click-by-click guide to using this siteModulesRead the seventeen spatial stories that make up Bodies and Structures 2.0Tag MapExplore conceptsComplete Grid VisualizationDiscover connectionsGeotagged MapFind materials by geographic locationLensesCreate your own visualizationsWhat We LearnedLearn how multivocal spatial history changed how we approach our researchAboutFind information about contributors and advisory board members, citing this site, image permissions and licensing, and site documentationTroubleshootingA guide to known issuesAcknowledgmentsThank youDavid Ambaras1337d6b66b25164b57abc529e56445d238145277Kate McDonald306bb1134bc892ab2ada669bed7aecb100ef7d5fThis project was made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
On the background of the vaccinators' oath, see A New Regional Network of Vaccinators.
The Vaccinators' Oath
[translated by Maren Ehlers, with thanks to Peng Hao and Brigid Vance for advice.]
The vaccine is an effective method from the West for eliminating the poison of smallpox. Our country has been suffering damage from smallpox for over a thousand years. This damage has been great and especially immense in recent times. Only our lord has been lamenting this fact, and has been searching for a treatment in far-away lands to make our country forever free from smallpox through prevention. (Kasahara) Ryōsaku is a humble man but has taken on this heavy task. He is afraid the vaccine might go extinct and the endeavor might fail. The members of this alliance are looking up to the rich virtue of the state and are revering the authority of medicine's founders. They are working together with a single mind and see it as their mission to eliminate this scourge of the people. After implanting the vaccine, sometimes true pox will emerge and sometimes spurious pocks will appear. It is very difficult to distinguish between true and spurious pox. If a mistake were made, this would not only cause the endeavor to fail, but would also damage the enlightened reputation of our lord. We are fearful at such an outcome. Oh members of the alliance, let us observe the following rules. We must not violate them by any means.