Alfred Russel Wallace, the co-discoverer of natural selection, became a prominent leader in the late 19th-century anti-vaccination movement in England, specifically opposing compulsory smallpox vaccination laws. Initially accepting vaccination as a scientific fact, Wallace converted to the anti-vaccination cause in the 1880s after being recruited by fellow spiritualist William Tebb, citing concerns over personal liberty, medical incompetence, and the lack of rigorous statistical proof for vaccine efficacy.
Wallace authored several influential pamphlets, most notably "Vaccination a Delusion: Its Penal Enforcement a Crime" (1898), in which he argued that:
Vaccination was ineffective: He claimed statistical evidence showed no correlation between vaccination rates and reduced smallpox mortality, attributing declines in disease to improved sanitation and living conditions instead.
Enforcement was unjust: He viewed penal legislation enforcing vaccination as a gross violation of personal liberty and a crime against humanity, leading to the imprisonment of thousands of conscientious objectors.
Data was manipulated: He alleged that medical professionals and government officials systematically falsified records to hide vaccination injuries and exaggerate its benefits.
His high-profile advocacy provided the anti-vaccination movement with a crucial scientific foothold, helping to build public opposition that eventually led to the introduction of a conscience clause in 1907, which effectively dismantled compulsory vaccination in the UK. Wallace maintained that his stance was driven by a commitment to civil liberties and a holistic, naturopathic view of health influenced by his Swedenborgian spiritual beliefs.
