AN ACCOUNT OF The Succeſs of Inocula⯑ting the SMALL POX in Great Britain, &c.

THE Diſputes about the Pra⯑ctice of Inoculating the SMALL POX, like many of our other Differences, have been carry'd to ſo great a Height, that it is difficult for any one to write upon this Subject, without being drawn into Con⯑troverſy, even tho' he delivers only Matter of Fact, or the undeniable Conſequences drawn from it, and that with the greateſt Impartia⯑lity, and the ſtricteſt Regard to Truth. [2]Tho' ſuch a Procedure, one would imagine, ſhould ſo far entitle the Writer to the good Nature and Protection of the World, as to ſe⯑cure him from the Attacks of either Party; eſpecially as in acting thus, he cannot favour or prejudice either of them, any otherwiſe than as the Facts themſelves declare for, or againſt them. At leaſt, thoſe who contend only for Truth, ought never to be out of Humour with him, who indifferently furniſhes either Side with the proper Materials for the Support of their Opinion, or the Conviction of its being not to be maintain'd.

With this Deſign I laid before the World a little ^* Piece the laſt Year, and intend, God willing, to continue ſo doing, from Year to Year, 'till the Practice of Inoculation ſhall ei⯑ther be eſtabliſh'd on a firm and laſting Foot, or ſhall be juſtly exploded; the Fate thereof being, as I conceive, only to be determin'd by Matter of Fact and Experience faithfully related.

In Order to be able to do which, I have uſed my beſt Endeavours, with the Aſſiſtance of my Friends, to procure the moſt Authen⯑tick Accounts I was able; and I ſhall be thankful to all Perſons, who at any Time hereafter, will be pleaſed to ſend me well atteſted Relations of any Particulars relating to the Succeſs of this Practice, bad as well as good; all which, they may be aſſured, ſhall be juſtly repreſented.

To impoſe upon the World in any Particu⯑lar, is diſingenuous and baſe; but to deceive them in an Affair ſo nearly concerning the [3]Lives of Mankind, is a Wickedneſs worthy of the utmoſt Abhorrence and Deteſtation. I hope none, that know me, will think me capable of any Thing ſo criminal; and as for others, I beg they will not too eaſily give Credit to flying Reports, with which the World is too often amuſed, without any juſt Foundation; but that, in Caſe of Doubt about any Thing which I ſhall here deliver, they will be pleaſed to give themſelves the Trouble of peruſing the Materials in my Hands, which I ſhall carefully preſerve, and be ready to ſhew them for their Satisfaction, as Vouchers of my Fidelity.

This Controverſy, though drawn out into many Particulars, ſeems principally to turn upon the two following Points.

• 1. Whether the Diſtemper given by Inocu⯑lation be an effectual Security to the Patient, againſt his having the Small Pox afterwards in the natural Way?
• 2. Whether the Hazard of Inoculation be conſiderably leſs than that of the natu⯑ral Small Pox?

If theſe two Points were effectually ſettled, there would, I ſuppoſe, be an End of the Diſpute, at leaſt among Phyſicians. For, if either of them be fairly determin'd in the Negative, the Practice of Inoculation muſt on all Hands be given up. And on the other Hand, if the Teſt of Experience ſhould plainly [4]declare for the affirmative Side of both theſe Queſtions, I doubt not but that every Gen⯑tleman, who has the Honour to ſerve his Country in the Capacity of a Phyſician, will have Integrity and Humanity enough to de⯑clare himſelf honeſtly and openly in Favour of the Practice. At leaſt, he will conſider, whether it will be for his Reputation, when his Friend and his Patient ſhall put his Life, or the Lives of his Children, into his Hands, to amuſe himſelf with Theological Diſputes and Scruples, whether it be lawful to ſave them. For if the Practice of Inoculation be really found to be a Means of preſerving Life, it will not be eaſy to make the World believe, that it is criminal to uſe it.

As to the firſt, therefore, of theſe Queſtions, though it will require a conſiderable Length of Time, and a much greater Number of Ex⯑periments than have yet been made, before it can be abſolutely determin'd; yet thus much may at preſent be ſaid, that our Expe⯑rience, as far as it goes, has hitherto ſtrongly favour'd the affirmative Side. For tho' many Trials have been purpoſely made by Phyſi⯑cians and others, both upon Children and grown Perſons, who have had the Small Pox by Inoculation, in cauſing them not only to converſe with, but to handle, to nurſe, and to lie in the ſame Bed with others ſick of the natural Small Pox; yet there is no Inſtance, as far as I have been able to learn, of any one Perſon either in Turky, New-England, or here at Home, who has receiv'd the Small Pox by In⯑oculation, that has afterwards had it in the na⯑tural [5]Way. If any ſuch Caſe ſhall hereafter come to my Knowledge, I ſhall not fail to lay it faithfully before the World; tho' it is to be obſerv'd, that a ſingle Inſtance or two of this Kind, out of a very great Number of Perſons inoculated, ought not in Reaſon to overthrow the Practice. For it cannot be expected, that a Perſon who receives the Small Pox by Ino⯑culation, ſhould be ſafer from having it again, than one that has undergone it in the natural Way; and we are not certain, that the Small Pox does never, tho' perhaps exceeding rare⯑ly, happen twice naturally to the ſame Per⯑ſon. For my own Part, I have never known it: But my ingenious Friend, Mr. Iſaac Maſ⯑ſey, Apothecary, whom I the rather name, becauſe he is known to be no Friend to Ino⯑culation, has aſſur'd me, that he ſaw the ſame Perſon twice undergo the natural Small Pox. This, however, undoubtedly happens very ſeldom; but if it does happen in the natural Way, it may happen likewiſe after Inocula⯑tion; and conſequently, a Perſon who has receiv'd the Diſtemper by this Means, muſt content himſelf with no greater a Degree of Security, than if he had undergone it natu⯑rally.

But if the Perſon inoculated does not re⯑ceive the Diſtemper in any Degree from that Operation, as ſometimes falls out; in ſuch a Caſe we have no Reaſon to be ſurpriz'd, if he afterwards happen to be taken with it in the natural Way. Inoculation, like all other Applications in Phyſick or Surgery, will not always produce the intended Effect. [6]And no Wonder. We know from a thou⯑ſand Inſtances, that of ſeveral Perſons, equal⯑ly expoſed to the ſame contagious Diſeaſe, Part ſhall eſcape, and Part be infected; and the ſame Perſon, expoſing himſelf in the ſame Manner, at different Times, to the ſame Danger, ſhall eſcape at one Time, and be ſeiz'd at another. The ſame has happen'd twice in the Caſe of Inoculation: Two Chil⯑dren, who had been inoculated without any Manner of Effect, as is atteſted, not only by the Phyſician, Dr. Nettleton, but by the Cer⯑tificates of the Parents themſelves, were af⯑terwards ſeiz'd with the Small Pox, when it raged epidemically where they were; they had it favourably, and recover'd. The Re⯑lation ſent up to me, with the Certificates, by Dr. Nettleton, was publiſh'd ſome Months ago in the Daily Journal, and is reprinted at the End of this Paper, the Originals being ſtill in my Hands. And theſe are all the Caſes of this Kind that are come to my Know⯑ledge, except a like Caſe of Mr. De Grave the Surgeon's Daughter; an Account of which, under the Father's own Hand, has been pub⯑liſh'd by Mr. Maitland.

In Order to come to ſome Determination of the ſecond Queſtion, viz. Whether the Hazard of Inoculation be conſiderably leſs than that of the natural Small Pox? It is ne⯑ceſſary in the firſt Place, to know what is the Proportion between the Numbers of thoſe that undergo the Small Pox in the natural Way, and thoſe that die of them. With this View, [7]I have prov'd in my Piece ^* publiſh'd laſt Year, that at leaſt a fourteenth Part of Mankind die of the natural Small Pox; and I have, I think, render'd it probable, that, of Per⯑ſons of all Ages undergoing that Diſtemper, there die at leaſt two in ſeventeen. Theſe Deductions are drawn from the Conſideration of the Bills of Mortality for 42 Years paſt: And from an actual Account of a great Num⯑ber of Perſons that underwent that Diſeaſe, as taken in ſeveral Places, by a careful En⯑quiry from Houſe to Houſe, I have there ſhown, that there died one in between five or ſix, or about two in eleven. I ſhall now re⯑peat that Account with ſeveral others, which have ſince been communicated to me by Per⯑ſons of Credit, in the following Table.

The Reſult is, that as far as theſe Accounts can inform us, there dies nearly one out of ſix Perſons ſick of the Small Pox in the na⯑tural Way, or (more accurately) five out of thirty one: Which Proportion we muſt con⯑tent our ſelves with for the preſent; 'till by obtaining Accounts from more Places, we may by the Largeneſs of the Numbers, come near⯑er to the true Proportion.

Such therefore being the Hazard of dying of the Small Pox in the natural Way; we come now to conſider what is the Hazard of dying of the Inoculated Small Pox; in Order to which, we offer the following Liſts of Per⯑ſons inoculated; which we hope may be de⯑pended [9]upon, as having taken all poſſible Care to obtain the beſt Accounts that we could.

The firſt contains the Number of Perſons inoculated to the End of the Year 1723, with the Names of the Perſons that perform'd, or directed the Operation, and the Places where it was done.

The ſecond Table contains the Number of Perſons of every ſeveral Age there expreſs'd, that were inoculated, with the Effect of the Operation

In Order to make which the better under⯑ſtood, as well as for the Information of thoſe Readers, who may have Occaſion to make Uſe of this Practice, I ſhall here give ſome Account of what is to be done, and what is uſually obſerv'd in Inoculation, as I have extracted it from a careful Examination and Compariſon of the ſeveral Relations tranſ⯑mitted to me, with Regard, 1ſt, To the Sub⯑ject to be inoculated: 2d, The Preparation: 3d, The Choice of the infectious Matter: 4th, The Operation: 5th, The Sickening, or the Symptons preceding the Eruption: 6th, The Eruption: 7th, The Running of the Inciſions.

1. Great Care ought to be taken to inocu⯑late none but Perſons of a good Habit of Body, and free, not only from any appa⯑rent, but, as far as can be judg'd, from any latent Diſeaſe; for which Reaſon, every prudent Perſon will, in this Caſe, have the Advice and Opinion of his own Phyſician, whether the Subject to be inoculated, be in a fit Condition to undergo the ſmall Pox; that ſo he may not have that Diſtemper, and a bad Conſtitution, or perhaps another Di⯑ſeaſe, to ſtruggle with at the ſame Time; of which there have been ſeveral fatal Inſtances, thro' the Neglect of this Caution. In ſome Caſes indeed it has fallen out, that the Perſon inoculated, has by this Means got free of an⯑other Diſeaſe, under which he labour'd be⯑fore; [13]as ſometimes happens likewiſe in the natural Way, though the contrary is much more frequent.

2. The Body, eſpecially if Plethorick, ought to be prepared by proper Evacuations, as bleeding, purging, vomiting, &c. tho' in many Caſes there will be Occaſion for very little or none of theſe, it being ſufficient to enjoyn a temperate Diet, and proper Regi⯑men: But this muſt be left to the Judgment of the Phyſician.

3. The utmoſt Caution ought to be uſed in the Choice of proper Matter to communicate the Infection. It ſhould be taken from a young Subject, otherwiſe perfectly ſound and healthful, who has the Small Pox in the moſt favourable Manner. When the Puſtules are perfectly, maturated, and juſt upon the Turn, or ſoon after, two or three of them ſhould be ripp'd with a Glover's Needle, or ſmall Lancet, and a couple of ſmall Pledgets of Lint, or Cotton, are to be well moiſtned with the Matter, and immediately put into a little Vial, or Box, and carry'd in the warm Hand, or Boſom of the Operator, to the Houſe of the Perſon to be inoculated.

4. The Inciſions are uſually made with a ſmall Lancet in the brawny Part of both Arms, or in one Arm and the oppoſite Leg, cutting juſt into, or at moſt thro' the Cutis, or true Skin, for the Length of a Quarter of an Inch, half an Inch, or at moſt an Inch. This being done, one of the Pledgets moiſtned with the infectious Matter, is to be laid upon each Inciſion, and to be kept on by Means of [14]a Bit of ſticking Plaiſter laid over it, for about four and twenty Hours; after which, all may be taken off, and the Inciſions dreſt with common Diachylon, or with only warm Cabbage or Colewort Leaves, once a Day at firſt; and afterwards, when the Diſcharge is conſiderable, twice a Day 'till they heal; or only with a Linnen Roller, to defend them from the Air.

5. The Perſon inoculated, ſometimes re⯑ceives the Small Pox without any previous Sickneſs, as often happens in the moſt favou⯑rable Sort in the natural Way. But the great⯑er Part begin to be a little feveriſh, and have more or leſs of the uſual Symptoms preceding the natural Small Pox, moſt commonly upon the eighth Day from Inoculation, tho' pretty often upon the ſeventh, and very rarely a Day or two ſooner or later.

6. The Patients are ſometimes taken with fluſhing Heats, which diſappear again in a lit⯑tle Time, about the 4th or 5th Day; but the Eruption of the Puſtules happens generally within a Day, or ſometimes two or three, after the ſickening, viz. moſt commonly on the ninth Day, leſs frequently on the 10th, and ſtill leſs on the 8th or 11th; in a few Caſes it has appear'd on the 7th or 12th, in one Caſe on the 18th, in one on the 24th, in one on the 6th, and in another on the 3d. The laſt Patient but one had the confluent Sort, and dy'd: The laſt was very full of the diſtinct Kind, and recover'd.

7. The Inciſions begin to grow ſore and painful about the 4th or 5th Day, and about [15]the 6th, 7th, or 8th, they begin to digeſt, and run with a thick purulent Matter, which gradually encreaſes 'till about the Turn of the Diſtemper, during which Time the Wounds grow wide and deep; afterwards the Running gradually abates, and they uſually heal up in about a Month, ſometimes in three Weeks, though in ſome they continue running five or ſix Weeks, or ſomething lon⯑ger. The greater the Diſcharge is by the In⯑ciſions, the more favourable the Diſtemper is found in other Reſpects. When the Ino⯑culation does not take Effect, the Inciſions heal up in a few Days, like a common Cut. Where Children happen to have Iſſues before Inoculation, they begin in a few Days to run in a much greater Quantity than uſual, and continue ſo doing, in the ſame Manner as the Inciſions, during the State of the Di⯑ſtemper, after which, they return to their ordinary Courſe.

In this Table, by having an imperfect Small Pox, is meant, the having ſome ſligh⯑ter Eruption, of but a few Days continuance, but this attended with an Inflammation and Running of the Inciſions for the uſual Time, and generally preceded by ſome of the com⯑mon Symptoms of the Small Pox; this be⯑ing eſteem'd, by the Accounts from Turkey, and our own Experience at Home, as far as it goes, to be an effectual Security againſt ha⯑ving the Small Pox afterwards in the natural Way.

Under the Article of No Effect, are com⯑prehended, not only all thoſe Perſons upon [16]whom the Operation produced no Effect of any Kind, but alſo thoſe upon whom the E⯑ruption was ſo ſlight, and the Running of the Inciſions ſo little in Quantity, or of ſo ſhort a Duration, as to render it juſtly doubt⯑ful whether it would amount to a Security, or no. Two of theſe were known to have had the Small Pox before, and were inocula⯑ted only for Experiment Sake, and ſeveral of the reſt underwent the Operation upon a Doubt whether they had had the Small Pox before or no, the Diſtemper which they had un⯑dergone in the natural Way, having been ſo ſlight and ſo favourable, as to make their Pa⯑rents, themſelves, or their Phyſicians, to ſuſpect that it was not the true Small Pox. But there were ſome, upon whom Inocula⯑tion did not produce the Diſtemper, tho' there was no Suſpicion of their having had it be⯑fore.

Under the Head of dying after Inocula⯑tion is compriz'd every Perſon, as far as I have been been able to learn, that has either by the Friends, or Adverſaries, to this Pra⯑ctice, been ſuſpected to have dy'd of Inocula⯑tion.

From this Table it appears,

1. That of 474 Perſons inoculated, 440 have receiv'd the Small Pox from that Opera⯑tion; to which if it be thought proper to add the five, who had an imperfect Small Pox by Inoculation, the whole Number will be 445.

2. That the Operation has of ner fail'd of taking Effect upon thoſe of more advanc'd Ages, than upon young Children, as was naturally to be expected from the Reaſons mention'd above; it being more likely that Perſons of ſuch Ages have had the Small Pox before, than Children.

3. That however more favourable the na⯑tural Small Pox generally is to Children than grown Perſons, yet Inoculation has been at⯑tended [18]with better Succeſs in the latter than in the former; and in particular, that out of 50 or 53 Perſons of 20 Years of Age and upwards, that have had the Small Pox by Inoculation, not one has miſcarry'd.

4. That 9 is the Number of Perſons, who have been ſuſpected to have died of Inocula⯑tion; ſo that, if this Operation was really the Cauſe of all their Deaths, the Hazard of dying of the inoculated Small Pox muſt be that of 9 in 440, or 445, that is, of one in 49, or 50.

But the curious Reader will doubtleſs ex⯑pect, that I ſhould give him ſome farther In⯑formation, in Order to enable him to judge, whether, or no, all theſe Perſons really died of Inoculation. This I ſhall endeavour to do with all the Fidelity, that a Caſe of ſo much Importance requires, and with ſuch Im⯑partiality, as to give no juſt Cauſe of Offence to either of the contending Parties. With this View I ſhall here ſet down the Name of every Perſon, that has been ſuſpected by the one Side to have died of Inoculation; and on the other Hand, I ſhall communicate the Accounts of thoſe Caſes, as they have been tranſmitted to me by the Gentlemen con⯑cern'd in inoculating thoſe Perſons, ſubjoin⯑ing every one's Name to his own Account.

1. The firſt is the Caſe of the Honourable Mr. William Spencer, aged about three Years, who was inoculated in Town, April 2d, 1722, and died on the 21ſt of the ſame Month. The Eruption appear'd on the 9th Day; he had a fair and full Eruption of Puſtules of [19]different Sorts, obſerving the common Periods and Symptoms of Inoculation; and after the greateſt Part of the Puſtules were dry'd off, he was ſeiz'd, on a ſudden, on the 21ſt Day, of a convulſive Fit, of which he died. The Occaſion of his Death may be farther enquir'd into, from the printed Account. Mr. Maitland. Vid. Maitland's Anſwer to Dr. Wagg⯑ſtaffe.

2. Miſs Rigby, aged a Year and ſix Months, was inoculated in London, April 29, 1722. She had a fair Eruption of Puſtules, appearing on the eighth Day, and a much more favoura⯑ble Diſeaſe than her Siſter, who recover'd: But one of her Arms ſwell'd and impoſthuma⯑ted, (as is uſual ſometimes in the natural Small Pox) and whether it was by that, or breeding her Teeth (for ſhe cut ſome Teeth about that Time) is uncertain; however ſhe continu'd ſickly, feveriſh and hectick, and died about 8 Weeks after the Inoculation. N. B. Mr. Maitland declin'd the inoculating her with her Siſter; but the Father having had a fa⯑vourable Account of this Practice from the Turkey Merchants, would have it done; and there was another unlucky Circumſtance in this Affair; Mr. Maitland was ſeiz'd with a violent Fever for the Space of three Weeks, from the Day ſhe was inoculated, which, he thinks, might in ſome Meaſure have occa⯑ſion'd the Soreneſs of her Arm, no ſuch Thing having happen'd where he has been able to attend. Mr. Maitland.

3. Lord Bathurſt's Servant, aged 19, was inoculated in London, April 30, 1722. He [20]was lately come from the Country into my Lord's Houſe, where five of his Lordſhip's Children were then ſick of the Small Pox: He was ill for ſome few Days before he was inoculated, and his Complaints were ſuch, that 'twas apprehended 'twould be the Small Pox. Therefore he was remov'd to a Nurſe's in Swallow-Street, Piccadilly, who provides for Perſons in that Way. By Mr. Mead's Di⯑rections he was blooded, and vomited, and took ſeveral cordial Powders; whereby being reſtor'd to Health it was thought proper to inoculate him. The Small Pox appear'd on him the 9th Day after Inoculation, of the favourable diſtinct Kind, whereby his Com⯑plaints were allay'd; but returning the next Day with bilious Vomitings frequent Stools, and a Delirium, a great many of the fluxed Kind then appear'd. Theſe continu'd more or leſs upon him, notwithſtanding all the Medicines which Dr. Arbutbnot, and after⯑wards Dr. Me [...]d in Conjunction wi [...]h him did preſcribe. He died on the 7th Day from the Eruption. His Lungs were found inflam'd and mortify'd. Serjeant Amyand.

4. Miſs Rolt, aged between 9 and 10 Years, was inoculated in London, together with a Child of between 2 and 3 Years of Age, both with the ſame Matter, Sept. 25, 1723. Then both began to ſicken on the eighth Day from Inoculation, and on the 10th the Small Pox appear'd on both of the diſtinct Kind. The Boy recover'd. Miſs Rolt, the Day before the Eruption, complain'd of great Pains in her Shoulders, Elbows and Knees, [21]and the Fever continuing, the Small Pox flux⯑ed upon her the 3d Day from the Eruption. Sir Hans Sloane and Dr. Arbuthnot attended her. She went thro' the Diſtemper with Eaſe; the Small Pox began to turn on her the 7th Day; but 'twas not dry'd all over 'till the 14th. The Fever, that aroſe then, occa⯑ſion'd her being blooded, and ſoon after ſeveral Tumours appear'd in the Neighbour⯑hood of ſeveral Joints, which were open'd. The Fever ſtill continu'd, and more ſuppu⯑rated Tumours were daily appearing, which were diſcharg'd as ſoon as poſſible. Some⯑times ſhe was troubled with a Diarrhoea, whereby, as well as by the Suppuration of 20 or 30 Boils that were open'd, ſhe was ſpent, ſo that ſhe dy'd the 27th of November following, that is 9 Weeks after the Inocu⯑lation. Her Inciſions continu'd running to the laſt. By all Accounts, ſhe had a bad Habit of Body; ſhe ſtruggled with the Jaun⯑dice the Year before, during ſix Months; it ſhew'd its Head again in the Spring, but was ſoon conquer'd; and as I have been inform'd of late, ſhe recover'd of the Meaſles but 10 Weeks before ſhe was inoculated. Had I been inform'd of this before, as well as of her ir⯑regular Life, no Ways ſuited to one of her Years, I would hardly have adventur'd the Inoculation on her; tho' all that Time, ſhe ſeem'd to me in a perfect State of Health, and perfectly recover'd of the Meaſles, which ſhe had had in the moſt favourable Manner: Serjeant Amyand.

5. Miſs Brookſbank, aged 15 Months, was inoculated at Ealand near Halifax, in June 1723. She dy'd ſuddenly on the 11th Day from the Eruption. Vid. Dr. Nettleton's, and the Parent's Account at the End of this Paper.

6. Miſs Betty a Court 4 Years of Age, in⯑oculated at Ivy-Church near Saliſbury, Sept. 20, 1723.

She may very well be ſaid to be born an infirm Child, for it is notoriouſly known, that her Mother was ſo ill almoſt all the Time of going with her, that her Midwife often deſpair'd of her Life, as believing ſhe would not go out her Time. The Child, two or three Months after ſhe was born, was ſeiz'd with an Ophthalmia in both Eyes, and after that ſhe had a Humour to a great Degree, which broke out under her Chin, her Throat being very raw from Ear to Ear, which by purging, cutting an Iſſue, &c. went off. But ſtill at Spring and Fall ſhe was ſubject to theſe Humours, but to a leſs De⯑gree than at firſt. Her Iſſue by the Negli⯑gence of the Nurſe, was dry'd up ſome con⯑ſiderable Time before the Child was inocu⯑lated, as Mr. a Court himſelf told me; and that the Child had ſomething of theſe Hu⯑mours broke out upon her, not above 3 Weeks before the Operation was perform'd, I was aſſur'd by the Servants in the Houſe.

She was inoculated with her four Bro⯑thers and a Servant Maid, all with the ſame Matter, from a Boy about 8 or 9 Years old, that had a kind Sort. I heard nothing of any of their Complaints 'till the eighth Day, [23]and then one had a Pain in his Head, ano⯑ther in his Back, one was taken with a Shi⯑vering, another with a Vomiting, and in ſhort every one of them had ſomething or other of the Symptoms of the Small Pox, except the Maid Servant. Miſs's Complaint was chiefly in her Head and Back; the next Day, after the Symptoms came on, ſhe was fluſh'd in her Face rather like an Eryſipelas than the Small Pox, and in 24 Hours after that the Puſtules appear'd very thick in her Face, her right Arm and right Thigh, and ſeem'd to come on pretty well. They were as full on her Breaſt, the Abdomen and Inſide of the Thighs; yet they continu'd always flat and languiſhing, without coming to Ma⯑turity, notwithſtanding all the Doctor could do to raiſe them. The Fever encreas'd on her every Day, and ſhe grew more and more reſtleſs, tho' her Inciſions diſcharg'd after a wonderful Manner. For all round each Arm, from her Shoulders to her Elbows, they ran like large Bliſters, being as thick of Puſtules as they could ſtand under the Dreſſings, which gave us ſome faint Hopes ſhe might get over it, 'till a Day or two before ſhe died. The Puſtules on her Face, her right Arm and Thigh, turn'd the 7th and 8th Day; but then the ſecond Fever came on, and it getting Ground every Day, ſhe continu'd in a languid State, and grew weaker and weaker, 'till ſhe expir'd, which was the 22d Day from the Inciſions. Mr. Goldwyer.

A Daughter of Mr. a Court's, 4 Years of Age, was inoculated under a very ill Habit [24]of Body, and ſubject to inflammatory cuta⯑neous Eruptions from its Birth. Perſecuted always by a hectick Heat, the Child was thin and weak, too weak, indeed, to withſtand the Malignity of the confluent Kind ſhe la⯑bour'd under. But the four Sons inoculated at the ſame Time, with Matter taken from the ſame Perſon, had Diſeaſes of the diſtinct Kind, and are recover'd, though not the moſt proper Perſons for this Operation. Dr. Hele, Phyſician in Saliſbury.

6. Francis Bacon, Eſq; 17 Years of Age, was inoculated at Earlbam near No [...]wich, with his Siſter, Sept. 11th, 1723. The In⯑ciſions did not inflame, but healed in about 10 Days, like a common Cut: No Fever, nor any Sort of Eruption follow'd; he was kept in breathing Sweats in Bed the 9th and 10th Day; a Day or two after he was purged, and ſo a 2d, and a 3d Time.

On the 1ſt of October, a ſecond Attempt was made with Matter taken from his Siſter; the Succeſs was the ſame; he was purged again as before, and releas'd from his Con⯑finement. During this whole Proceeding, he ſlept very well, had a very good Appetite, and made not the leaſt Complaint, 'till up⯑on taking the Air in a very ſharp Day, to⯑wards the latter End of October, he grew feveriſh that Night, with Pains in his Head and Limbs; his Pulſe was ſtrong, his Urine high colour'd, with a good Sediment; he was not very hot, nor thirſty, but inclinable to ſweat; the greateſt Uneaſineſs he felt, was from a decay'd Tooth, which he was forc'd [25]to have drawn. This Diſorder went off in 3 Days by natural Sweats: All that was given him, was 3 or 4 Papers of Pulv. e Chel. Cancr. comp. with Caſtor, &c. he being ſometimes a lit⯑tle low ſpirited. A Faintneſs remain'd up⯑on him, four or five Days after the Fever went off, with want of Appetite: But upon taking a little Rhubarb once or twice, he ſoon recover'd his Stomach, and ſeem'd per⯑fectly well, when he return'd to Cambridge, about the Middle of November. The only Difference I obſerv'd in him, was, that he was paler than uſual, which I imputed to a long tedious Confinement and a ſpare Diet, together with ſome little Anxiety from the Diſappointment he had met with. What happen'd at Cambridge, I ſhall ſay nothing to, leaving that Part to the Phyſician that at⯑tended him; I ſhall only obſerve, that this young Gentleman has been very ſubject to Fevers, attended with nervous Symptoms; and that a Perſon nearly related to him, who ſaw him in both Caſes, told me, that this laſt Illneſs differ'd in nothing, except in the Violence of the Symptoms, from a Fe⯑ver he was ſeiz'd with about three Years ago. Dr. Offley.

This young Gentleman was taken ill of a nervous Fever, ſuch as he had been ill of ſeveral Times before, about Chriſtmas laſt, and dy'd on the 5th of Jannary. No Spot, nor Eruption of any Kind appear'd upon him; but a little before his Death, a great Quan⯑tity of Blood and Matter guſh'd out at his [26]Noſtrils. Mrs Bacon, Mr. Profeſſor Green, Dr. Aſhenhurſt.

8. Mary Waller, five Years and a half old, was inoculated near Goſport, Oct. 18, 1723; together with two other Children, all with the ſame Matter. The other two ſicken'd on the 7th Day, the Small Pox appear'd on the 9th, and they did very well: But this Child ſicken'd at the Completion of the 4th Day, and the Eruption appear'd on the ſixth. She had the confluent Kind all over her, with many Purples, and died on the 18th Day after ſhe was inoculated. From the ^* Ear⯑lineſs of her Sickening, and the Eruption, it is not improbable, that ſhe had taken the Infection the ordinary Way before. This Opinion is farther ſtrengthen'd by the fol⯑lowing Circumſtance. A Maid was violent⯑ly ſeiz'd with the Small Pox in the common Way, a little before the Operation, and con⯑tinu'd there two Days in a narrow Room, her Breath ſmelling ſtrong of the Infection, and the Child was ſometimes with her. To what is ſaid, may be added, that the Child was leprous. Mr. Waller.

9. Miſs Brailsford, aged 2 Years, died the 26th Day after Inoculation, of a Worm Fe⯑ver. The Small Pox were all ſhal'd and gone off. Dr. Dover.

From the Facts here laid down, I am ſen⯑ſible the Inoculators will raiſe ſeveral Ob⯑jections againſt the Eſtimate of the Hazard of Inoculation, which I have given above, and to do them Juſtice, I am obliged to lay [27]what are, or may be their Arguments, be⯑fore the World.

1. They will maintain that the 4th, 6th, and 8th Caſes ought to be left out of the Computation, becauſe the Patients were un⯑healthy Subjects, and therefore no Argument can be drawn from their dying, to increaſe the Hazard of thoſe who ſhall be inocula⯑ted in perfect Health, purſuant to the Cau⯑tion above given; and conſequently, that the Hazard to heathful Perſons, can at moſt be reckon'd to be no more than that of ſix in 440, or 445, that is of one in 73, or 74.

2. They may object, that the ſeventh Caſe is intirely out of the Queſtion, the Perſon hav⯑ing been well ſo long after the Operation, and in his laſt Illneſs, which happen'd near three Months after the ſecond Inoculation, having had no Manner of Appearance of the Small Pox, nor any other Symptons, (as ap⯑pears by the Acknowledgement of his near⯑eſt Relations and others,) but what he had had more than once in former Fevers; ex⯑cept only the Eruption of Blood and Matter from his Noſtrils, a little before his Death; which often happening in other Caſes, ſeems not to be juſtly chargeable upon Inoculation, eſpecially at ſo great a Diſtance of Time from that Operation.

3. They may juſtly plead, that in a Com⯑pariſon between the Hazard of the natural and inoculated Small Pox, either only ſuch, as die in the Courſe of the Diſtemper, ought to be ſet down on both Sides; or that, if in the Caſe of Inoculation, I will charge the [28]Conſequences of the Operation, in occaſion⯑ing other Diſeaſes, of which, the Patients happen to die after the Small Pox are en⯑tirely gone off, that I ought to do the ſame in the Caſe of the natural Small Pox, it being notorious, that this Diſtemper frequent⯑ly occaſions other Diſeaſes, of which the Patients die a conſiderable Time after: And if I cannot do this in the natural Way, be⯑cauſe the Death of the Patient is, in this Caſe, ſet down in the weekly Bills, &c. to the other apparent Diſeaſe, then I ought to omit all ſuch Caſes in the Way of Inocula⯑tion, and conſequently the 2d, as likewiſe, the 4th and 7th for this Reaſon, beſides the others before given, ought to be left out of the Eſtimate.

4. They may likewiſe object to the 1ſt, 3d, and 5th Inſtances, from the Circumſtan⯑ces mention'd in the Account of thoſe Caſes, and conſequently will not allow of more than one Caſe, where the Patient can be juſtly ſaid to have died of Inoculation: And per⯑haps even that will be diſputed.

How far theſe ſeveral Objections are of Weight, is ſubmited to the Determination of thoſe, who muſt and will judge for them⯑ſelves, that is, to every intelligent Reader, who being thus appriz'd of the Facts, may eaſily, by ſtriking off ſuch of the Inſtances given above, as he thinks reaſonable, form to himſelf a Judgment of the Hazard of Life in this Operation: And to ſuch therefore I leave it But to ſave him ſome little Trou⯑ble, I ſhall only obſerve, that if upon the [29]Reaſons here mention'd, he ſees Cauſe to ex⯑cept one Perſon out of the Number of thoſe that are ſuſpected to have died of Inocula⯑tion, the Hazard muſt then be eſtimated to be that of one in 55, or 56.

It may perhaps be expected from me by ſome Perſons, that in giving Account of the Miſcarriages of Inoculation, I ſhould not con⯑fine my ſelf barely to Loſs of Life; but that I ſhould likewiſe relate all the leſſer Acci⯑dents, as the breaking out of Boils, &c. that have follow'd upon that Practice, where the Patient has eſcap'd with his Life. But to ſuch I muſt reply, that in a Deſign to make a Compariſon between the Hazard of the Di⯑ſtemper in the natural Way, and when given by Inoculation, it would be improper and uſeleſs to inſert ſuch an Account, if it could be obtain'd, on the one Side, unleſs it were done likewiſe on the other. And every Phyſi⯑cian knows, that ſuch like Accidents frequent⯑ly happen upon having the natural Small Pox, which it would be next to impoſſible to make a perfect Collection of, and as im⯑practicable to ſet that Collection in ſuch a [30]Light, as would be requiſite, in Order to make a Compariſon between it and the Accidents owing to Inoculation. For this Reaſon, I limit my Compariſon to the Hazard of Life itſelf, and ſee no Reaſon to doubt, but that ſuch Way of having the Diſeaſe as leſs en⯑dangers Life, muſt be likewiſe more favour⯑able in all other Particulars. This is affirm'd by the Practiſers of Inoculation, and their Adverſaries, I think, do not offer to deny it.

Before I conclude, it may not be impro⯑per, to take ſome little Notice of an Article lately inſerted in one of our publick Papers. that in the Year 1722, there died of the Small Pox, within the Bills of Mortality, 2167 Per⯑ſons, and that in the Year 1723, the Year of Inoculation, there died 3271, exceeding the former Number by 1104.

With what View this was publiſh'd, is beſt known to the Authors of that, and ſome other ſuch like Articles: But the Uſe that I have heard made of it in Converſation, is, that in⯑oculating the Small Pox, contributed very much to the ſpreading of the Diſtemper, and conſequently to the great Increaſe of the Mortality above-mention'd.

To obviate, which, I muſt take Notice in the firſt Place, that by the Accounts now lying before me, it appears, that in the Year 1722, there were 63 Perſons inoculated with⯑in the Bills of Mortality, and in the Year 1723, which this Writer calls the Year of Inoculation. the Number inoculated was 68, juſt five more than the Year before.

2. That as there died of the natural Pox, 3271 Perſons in the Year 1723, the whole Number ſick of the ſame Diſeaſe that Year, muſt have been, by the Proportion laid down before, of ſix and ſomething more to one, about 20000 Perſons, and conſequently the ſpreading of the Diſtemper by Means of Ino⯑culation, could bear no greater a Proportion to the natural Propagation of it, than that of 68 to 20000, or of one to 300. For it will not, I ſuppoſe, be pretended, that the Small Pox given by Inoculation, is more infectious than the natural Sort. I believe every Per⯑ſon, who has been acquainted with both, will think it leſs ſo, in Proportion, as it is more favourable.

Laſtly, if I have not already taken up more of the Reader's Time upon this Head, than the Thing is worth, I would deſire him to caſt his Eye upon the following Account of the Mortality of the Small Pox, for ſeveral Years before Inoculation was introduc'd among us, in ſome of which, he will find it greater, and in others, nearly equalito the laſt.

Out of every thouſand Perſons that were bury'd, there died of the Small Pox,

The Conſideration of the Bills of Mortali⯑ty puts into my Head another Remark, which I muſt beg leave to make.

For theſe ten Years laſt paſt, there have died of the Small Pox, within the Bills of Mortality, at a Medium, 2287 Souls per Annum. Let us now conſider a little, what may be the Conſe⯑quence, in Caſe Inoculation ſhould hereafter become a general Practice. If we allow all the Oppoſers of Inoculation contend for, we ſhall find but one in 49 to die of Inoculation, and in the natural Way, we have ſhown it to be one in ſix: It follows, that if we ſubſti⯑tute Inoculation for the natural Way, the Number of the Dead would be reduc'd ſeven Parts in eight, and conſequently 2000 Per⯑ſons, that are yearly cut off, within the Bills of Mortality alone, and thoſe generally in the Beginning, or Prime of Life, might be preſerv'd to their King and Country. Let the warm Oppoſers of Inoculation, lay their Hands upon their Hearts, and conſider, whe⯑ther the ſaving of ſo many Lives, be con⯑trary to any Precept of Law, or Goſpel. We have been told indeed, and from the Pulpit too, that this Practice came from the Devil: But if it prove thus beneficial and ſalutary to Mankind, I, for my part, ſhall make no Scruple of aſcribing it to a greater and a bet⯑ter Author; and undoubtedly, all ſober and thinking Perſons will judge and believe, that the making known to the World, a Method of preſerving their Lives from one of the moſt terrible Diſeaſes in Nature, can be ow⯑ing [33]to no other, than the kind and tender Pro⯑vidence of the great Creator and Preſerver of Mankind.