John Fewster to save him from smallpox. According to Player Fewster replied that he had already thought of this but had decided against it as, in his view, variolation was very successful and an alternative seemed unnecessary. Nonetheless, Player reports, Fewster went on to inoculate three children in Thornbury with cowpox, during spring 1796. These vaccinations took place at around the same time as Jenner's first vaccination attempts. Fewster never made any claim to have discovered vaccination. John Fewster Dr John Fewster (1738–1824) was a surgeon and apothecary in Thornbury, Gloucestershire. Fewster, a friend and professional colleague of Edward Jenner, played an
HMS Surprise (1796) time, Le Drézénec, who had been recently promoted to "capitaine de frégate", was suffering from smallpox and was incapacitated. Consequently, her first lieutenant, Lieutenant Le Breton, commanded "Unité". Captain Thomas Fremantle in command of the frigate HMS "Inconstant" had heard there was a French frigate in Bône, and sailed to intercept her. When "Unité" arrived in the afternoon of 20 April 1796, the watch aboard "Unité" identified "Inconstant" as a neutral vessel and Le Breton did not clear the ship for action. About an hour later, "Inconstant" sailed alongside, boarded and captured "Unité" intact. About a year after capture, "Unité"