[Engraved diploma awarding honorary membership of the Institution to John Richard Bernie / London Vaccine Institution. 1826 Dec 18. Engraved by J. Dadley after James George Oben. On SM neg. HYG/C000019]

Founded in 1806 by John Walker (1759-1830), the London Vaccine Institution was one of several institutes to vaccinate the general public against smallpox. Walker qualified as a physician but spent his career working in the new field of smallpox vaccination. From 1802 until 1806, Walker was a vaccinator at the Royal Jennerian Society, set up by Edward Jenner (1749-1823), the pioneer of smallpox vaccination. After a dispute, Walker left to set up his own institution. He eventually returned and took over the Jennerian Society, which had closed in 1809. The certificate was designed by James George Oben (1760-1819) and engraved by J Dudley.