SOME REASONS, &c.

1. THE Number of People who have not had the Small Pox is ſo great, that in the Way of accidental Pro⯑pagation it will probably remain in the Town a very long Time ſtill, to the vaſt Detriment of all Trade and Buſineſs, and perhaps the Loſs of the Aſſizes, Seſſions, Fair and other publick Meetings: Whereas if Inoculation was generally practiſed, it might be got through the Town in a very ſhort Time. In the firſt Caſe we may have it two Years; in the Laſt, we need not have it ſix Months.

2 As the utmoſt Hazard of dying of the inoculated Small Pox, appears by the laſt authen⯑tic Accounts, to be no more than that of 1 in 50, and by the ſame Accounts that of dying of the Natural is ſhewn to be that of One in Six; it would be the Means of ſaving great Numbers of Lives. For Inſtance, let us ſup⯑poſe that there are Three-thouſand Perſons in Bury who have not had the Small Pox: The 50th Part of Three-thouſand, or the Number [4]of Perſons which may be ſuppoſed to die of Inoculation, is Sixty; but the 6th Part of Three-thouſand, or the Number of Perſons that are to be ſuppoſed to die of the natural Small-Pox, is 500. Deduct Sixty from Five-hundred, and there will remain Four-hundred and Forty for the Number of Lives which may be clearly ſaved by Inoculation upon this Suppoſition.

UNDER this Article it is to be obſerved, that the inoculated Small Pox has been found to be as favourable to grown People, as to Children; but all the World knows the Con⯑trary is True of the Natural in a high Degree. So that if we conſider the Value of the Lives as well as the Number, we ſhall have ſtill farther reaſon for the Practice: For I ſuppoſe every One thinks the Life of a grown Per⯑ſon (eſpecially of the Head of a Family) to be of more Conſequence than that of a Child.

IT is alſo probable that the Hazard of dy⯑ing of the inoculated Small Pox is leſs than that of One in Fifty. An impartial Judge who reads the Accounts of thoſe who died af⯑ter Inoculation will ſee, that the Death of ſe⯑veral cannot in Reaſon and Juſtice be imputed to that, and it is much to be queſtioned whe⯑ther the Preparation before Inoculation, the Puſtules from whence the Matter was taken, and the Management of the Patient during the Diſtemper have been in moſt Caſes, ſuch as they ought to have been, and ſuch as they [5]may be for the future. Dr. Nettleton out of a Hundred and Nineteen, which he inoculated, had only one that miſcarried. He is a Phyſi⯑cian in Yorkſhire, whoſe Skill and Integrity no Man that knew him ever yet called in Que⯑ſtion; and in a Letter to Me, dated February 27, 1729-30. when the Small Pox was much at Newark, he ſays where due Care is taken of the Choice of the infectious Matter, Inocu⯑lation will very rarely fail of Succeſs.

IT is alſo to be obſerved that all thoſe, who have not had the Small Pox, and reſolve to continue in the Town muſt almoſt certainly have it now; at leaſt Children and thoſe who go much about. So that to theſe under the preſent Circumſtances of the Town, it is only neceſſary to determine whether they will have the Chance of 50, perhaps 60, 80, or 100, or even more for their Lives, or that of 6 to 1 for 'em. One they muſt have.

3. As this Diſtemper is infectious, and pro⯑duces it ſelf, ſo the ſeveral Sorts of it produce themſelves: A favourable Sort produces a fa⯑vourable One; a malignant Sort a malignant One. This is certain in Inoculation, and very highly probable in the natural Way. As it advances, therefore the Kind will grow worſe and worſe, for where the Infection is taken from different Perſons (and as it advances this will be more and more the Caſe) the Good can't correct the Bad, but the Bad will prevail over the Good. And here Experience con⯑firms [6]our Reaſoning, for it is obſerveable, that agreeably to that, the Small Pox is for the moſt Part favourable at its firſt coming into a Town, but as it ſpreads, grows more malig⯑nant. Now in the Caſe of Inoculation, not above 1 in 50 has a bad Sort, perhaps not a⯑bove 1 in 60, 80, or 100 as was hinted be⯑fore. Inoculation therefore would be a great means to preſerve the ſort good; ſo that even thoſe who have it not by Inoculation will have a fairer Chance, but in the natural Way where at a Medium 1 in 6 die, at the Time of the Town's being moſt infected 1 in 5, 4, or 3 may die: Nay perhaps more among grown Perſons. At Uxbridge near London 51 died out of 140, which is ſomething more than 1 in 3.

4. THE laſt Reaſon is the general Good of Mankind. Dr. Jurin has ſhewn that at leaſt a 14^th part of Mankind die of the natural Small Pox, and within the Bills of Mortality it de⯑ſtroys at a middle Reckoning conſiderably more than 2000 Perſons Yearly as appears from them: But it is very probable that if Inoculation was generally practiſed, we ſhould arrive at ſuch Perfection in it, that few or none would die. We have then a moſt happy Opportu⯑nity of ſerving Mankind at the ſame Time that we ſerve our ſelves. Indeed it is much to be feared, that Inoculation will never prevail, but by being introduced in ſuch Caſes, as ours is at preſent, where People are almoſt under a [7]neceſſity of having it, and are only to chuſe whether they will have it in a more or leſs dangerous Way. If beſides the Loſs of ſo ma⯑ny Lives we conſider the Fears and Uneaſineſ⯑ſes of People for themſelves, of Parents, Chil⯑dren, Relations and Friends for them, their own Uneaſineſs at not being able to viſit their Friends under this Diſtemper, the Unfitneſs for Buſineſs which it lays many under, &c. one has ſtill greater Reaſon to wiſh that this was the general Practice in Children, from the Age of 2 or 3, to that of 7 or thereabouts. And when we call to mind the Indignation and Gon⯑tempt which we have for the Oppoſers of Bark, Opium, and Mercury in Phyſic, Reformations in Religion, the wiſeſt Laws in Government, or of any Thing elſe, which is Great and Good (and Oppoſition has generally been the Fate of every ſuch Thing, either out of Intereſt and Diſhoneſty, or Ignorance, Folly, and Superſti⯑tion) it ſhould make us ſeriouſly reflect what Cenſures Poſterity may juſtly paſs upon us in the preſent Point.

THE Objections that are made to this Prac⯑tice are generally theſe.

I. WE are not certain that Inoculation is a Security from having the Diſtemper again.

THIS Objection may be anſwered thus. 1. Several Perſons who have been inoculated, have been made to converſe with, to handle, nurſe, [8]lie in the ſame Bed with others ſick of the natural Small Pox, and no one ever had it again, as far as they that have enquired can learn. 2. Several Stories, that have been in⯑vented to perſwade the World of the Contrary have been detected, and ſhewn to be Forgeries. 3. As the inoculated Small Pox is in every minute Circumſtance, exactly like the natural One, of the ſame Kind and Degree, it would be very extraordinary, and contrary to the whole Courſe of Nature's proceedings in ſuch Things, if it ſhould not be like in this. What⯑ever be the Reaſon why the natural Small Pox preſerves us from future Infection, it is inconceiveable that the Inoculated ſhould not do the ſame, for the ſame Reaſon. Indeed if the natural Small Pox, eſpecially of a favoura⯑ble Sort, be not an abſolute Security, which is the Opinion of ſome, neither can the Ino⯑culated be ſuppoſed to be: But this if True, yet is ſo rare as not to deſerve Notice. I ſup⯑poſe no one would deſire a bad Sort, rather than a good One, for that reaſon.

II. ANOTHER Objection to the Practice of Inoculation is, that the inoculated Small Pox often leaves bad Conſequences, as Con⯑ſumptions, Boils, and Blotches, weak Eyes, &c.

THAT the natural Small Pox is apt to leave the ſame Sort of ill Conſequences is known to every one; and yet there are Methods, which will for the moſt Part entirely prevent or re⯑medy [9]them, and always do it in ſome degree. The Objection therefore to have its proper Force muſt ſuppoſe, that Inocu⯑lation leaves more or worſe Diſorders, than the natural Small Pox, and in order to know whether this be ſo or no, it will not be improper to enquire firſt, what is the Reaſon of theſe Diſorders at all. In the Declenſion of the Small Pox, a Quantity of corrupted Matter returns in⯑to the Body, and mixes with the Blood; as is evident from the falling of the Face, Hands, and Feet which were before much ſwelled and inflamed: And tho' ſuch be the excellent Contrivance of a human Body, that it converts Things of moſt different Natures into Blood, proper for its Nouriſhment and Uſes, as we daily ſee in the vaſt variety of Things which all make healthful Food for Mankind, yet it cannot entirely overcome this corrupted Matter returning into the Veſſels, ſo as to make that in all Things fit for the purpoſes of Life and Health, but ſuffers from thence the ſecondary Fever firſt, then what Phyſicians call Obſtructions and Acrimo⯑nies, in which laſt conſiſt the Diſorders abovementioned. One would haturally think therefore, that where the moſt corrupted Matter, and of the worſt Kind [10]returned into the Blood, there the Diſ⯑orders ſucceeding the Small Pox ſhould be moſt and worſt, and ſo we general⯑ly find it; but then there are a great many Accidents happening in the Con⯑cluſion of the Diſtemper, which con⯑curring with the different Age, Conſtitu⯑tion, manner of living, different Me⯑thods uſed by different Phyſicians, &c. make ſometimes a malignant Small Pox, leave ſew ill conſequences, and a fa⯑vourable one leave many: And parti⯑cularly I think it is true that many who have the diſtinct Kind and ſoon recover their uſual Health to appearance, and often more than their uſual Appetite, are ſo defective in the Rules of Abſti⯑rence, and proper Phyſic, as to fall into an ill Habit of Body ſome time after. Now that ſomething like this has been the Caſe with ſeveral that have been inoculated, is not at all improbable, ſince it is remarkable that in London great pains have been taken to perſwade People, that Inoculation neither wants Preparation be⯑fore, the Attendance of a Phyſician du⯑ring the Diſtemper, nor Care afterwards: but this affects not thoſe who will take Care afterwards. As was ſaid in the 3d Anſwer to the foregoing Objection, [11]it is inconceivable how the inoculated Small Pox ſhould be like the Natural in the whole Progreſs of the Diſtemper, and yet differ in this: And to be more par⯑ticular, it is inconceivable how a Quan⯑tity of corrupted Matter falling into the Body ſhould be the occaſion of the Diſ⯑orders ſucceeding the Small Pox (a thing which all Phyſicians allow) and yet the inoculated Small Pox, where there is leſs of that Matter, and that of a more kindly Nature, be attended with worſe Conſe⯑quences. Now when any Matter of Fact is ſaid to contradict ſuch plain Reaſoning as this is, one may be allowed to exa⯑mine ſtrictly into the Evidence for that Fact. Let us examine then. And firſt it is altogether impracticable to make any Eſtimate of the ill Conſequences that at⯑tend the natural Small Pox, and therefore in like manner impracticable to compare the Natural and Inoculated together in that Re⯑ſpect. Then if any happen to ſuffer after the Inoculated, it is immediately in every once Mouth and that with many Aggrav [...] ⯑tions. In the Natural we hear nothing of thoſe who tho' they eſcape with Life are yet ſeverely afflicted with the i [...] [...] ⯑ſequences of it. In the Inoculated e [...]cept the Patient go through the whole St [...] [12]of the Diſtemper without any ill Symp⯑tom, and continue free from any after⯑wards, perhaps without due Care to make him ſo as was ſaid, we are ſure to have the moſt made of it againſt the Practice. Nay there have been Caſes, where Stories to diſcredit it have been entirely invent⯑ed. One would wonder that there ſhould be any, who tho' they may have Baſeneſs enough to affirm what they know is falſe, can yet be ſo ſtupid as to do it, when they are ſure they may and muſt be de⯑tected and expoſed. But I believe every ones own Experience will furniſh ſome In⯑ſtance of it. There are Men in the World who love to triumph, be it only for a Week or a Day, even when they cannot but be convinced, all will then end in their own Confuſion; and it is notorious that Inoculation has met with ſome ſuch Op⯑poſers, as may be ſeen in Dr. Jurin's Ac⯑counts of it.

THE Anſwer to this Objection then in ſhort is this. It compares the ill Effects of the natural and moculated Small Pox together, affirming that thoſe of the laſt, are worſe than thoſe of the firſt, but fails in the Eſtimate of both ſides of the Compa⯑riſon. The Eſtimate of the firſt can ne⯑ver [13]be had, and that of the laſt is groſly miſ-repreſented. This Evidence therefore will never ſupport a Poſition ſo contra⯑ry to all common Senſe as this, viz. that where the Quantity of corrupted Matter returning into the Blood is leſs, and alſo leſs corrupted; there the ill Effects of it ſhould be more ſevere. I will here add what I had from Dr. Jurin laſt April. He collected the Accounts of all (in Number 724) that were inoculated in Great Bri⯑tain for ſome Years, during which he was Secretary to the ROYAL SOCIETY: And it muſt be acknowledged he has done it with the utmoſt Impartiality. Upon my asking him what his real Opinion about the Practice was, and particularly whether the ill Conſequences that attend the in⯑oculated Small Pox were worſe than thoſe of the Natural; he anſwered, that as far as he knew they were not, and that his real Opinion of Inoculation might eaſily be known, becauſe he had juſt inoculated one of his own Children.

III. A third Objection is that by In⯑oculation we may communicate other Diſtempers.

MOST chronical Diſtempers (that is ſuch as are not Fevers) are chiefly owing to the irregular Make of the Veſſels thro' which the Blood and Juices paſs, and as Chil⯑dren often reſemble their Parents in the Features of the Face, ſo they may reſem⯑ble them in the make of theſe Veſſels, and by that means may have many Diſtempers hereditarily. Now if this was the Caſe of all, it would be as juſt to affirm that Inoculation could communicate the Fea⯑tures of another Man's Face, as commu⯑nicate other Diſtempers. But it muſt be acknowledged that there are ſeveral which may be communicated by methods, no ways conſiſtent with this Account: It cannot therefore be univerſally True. For inſtance, a Child receives its whole Suſten⯑ance from the Milk which has circulated thro' the Body of a Nurſe, afflicted with ſcrophelous Complaints, and has them from her. Nay ſome are of Opinion, that lying much in the ſame Bed with People of diſ⯑tempered Conſtitutions is of bad Conſe⯑quence but no one is afraid of ſuch In⯑fection in the ordinary Intercourſes of Life, and yet in them we continually receive by means of the Air which we breath, (per⯑haps by other means) ſuch Particles as fly [15]from the Bodies of thoſe we converſe with. This is the Method in which the Small Pox is Infectious, and he that will affirm that Inoculation gives other Diſtempers, will find it hard to prove that accidental Propagation will not do the ſame, for the ſame Reaſon; and that the common Inter⯑courſes of Life ſhould not much rather do the ſame, ſince there we often receive into our own Bodies greater Quantities from thoſe of others, than the Matter of In⯑oculation amounts to. There has been no Inſtance of this Kind produced that ever I heard of. The infectious Matter according to Experience, appears to com⯑municate nothing but what it was intend⯑ed to communicate, the Small Pox. It was never pretended to have left an here⯑ditary Complaint, ſuch as the Perſon from whence it was taken was afflicted with. And if all that has hitherto been advanced upon this Head ſhould be ſet aſide, yet there are enough of the laborious Part of Mankind where we have moral Certainty, that they have ſound and healthy Conſti⯑tutions. I am ſure no Parent would put put a Child out to a Nurſe but upon ſuch a Suppoſition.

IV. I come now to another Objection which is foreign to me as a Phyſician, but belongs to us all as Men. In this Capa⯑city I have a ſtrict Obligation not to miſ⯑take my Duty, and therefore a ſufficient Right to enquire: This then is my Apo⯑logy for doing ſo here. The Objection is that the Practice is ſinful: That is, that a Practice which would reſtore Trade and Buſineſs, and the Means of living to ma⯑ny, who now want it, which would ſave great numbers of Lives, and which might be of fingular Service to all Mankind, by either promoting or diſcouraging its far⯑ther Progreſs, is a thing forbidden us by infinite Goodneſs, who ſent us here to imi⯑tate his own Perfections, and that moſt eſpecially in doing good. At firſt ſight this ſeems to be a very inconſiſtent and un⯑amiable Repreſentation of the Parent and Governor of the World, ſuch a one as would be unworthy of an earthly Father, or a wiſe and beneficent Magiſtrate. At firſt ſight it ſeems, that if all, or the principal Part of what is here offered be true, this Objection muſt fall to the Ground of Courſe. But perhaps in another View of things it may appear otherwiſe. The Objectors ſay then that it is ſinful to en⯑danger [17]our Lives voluntarily. Be it ſo. Conſider now 50 Perſons in this Town who have not had the Small Pox, and let us ſuppoſe that 2 eſcape and 48 have it, or that 8 eſcape and 42 have it, or that 14 eſcape and 36 have it, or that 20 eſcape and 50 have it, or laſtly that 26 eſcape and 24 have it.

IN the firſt Caſe according to the Hazard above given of the natural Small Pox (that of 1 in 6) 8 will die, in the 2d 7, in the 3d 6, in the 4th 5, and in the laſt 4; for the 6th Parts of the Num⯑bers 48, 42, 36, 30, 24 are 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 reſpectively.

HE therefore who waits for the na⯑tural Small Pox runs the Hazard of 4 in 50, even ſuppoſing the Hopes that he has to eſcape to be more than an equal Chance, which can never be true. He that tries Inoculation has only the Haz⯑ard of 1 in 50. If therefore to incur the Danger of Life voluntarily be a Sin, it is a greater Sin to incur a greater Danger, a leſs Sin to do incur a leſs Danger, that is, it is a Sin to do the Firſt, and our Doty to do the Laſt. But ſay they again, the natural and inoculated Small Pox are [18]not equally voluntarily; God brings one upon us, the other is our own do⯑ing. What does God confine Men and their Families in the Town? No; but their Affairs and Fortunes do. Shall then a Man for that reaſon ſtand the Hazard of 4 in 50, and not take the leſs Hazard of 1 in 50, to avoid the greater of 4 in 50? And as Men endanger their Lives voluntarily in the preſent Situation of the Town by ſtaying in it, ſo they do, and muſt and ought to do it, by the Voy⯑ages and Journeys they daily make, the Phyſic they ſometimes take, and the ma⯑ny Handicraft Trades pernicious to Health which are practiſed.

IF it be ſaid that we are to truſt in Providence, the Anſwer is, that Provi⯑dence has given us Heads and Hands to contrive and execute what is moſt for our Advantage: And to neglect to uſe them for that Purpoſe, is not to truſt in Providence, but to be preſumptuous and ungrateful. To truſt in Providence is to do all we can for our ſelves, and then to believe we ſhall be taken care of. But to believe ſo, till we have firſt done that, is Preſumption. It is affirming that all Buſineſs muſt ſtop, Mankind ſit ſtill [19]and e [...]pect that Providence ſhould build for 'em, cloath 'em, and rain down their daily Bread.

A tender Parent ſays, I ſhall never for⯑give my ſelf, if my Child ſhould die of the inoculated Small Pox, that I did not ſtand the Hazard of the Natural. But for the ſame Reaſon, ſuppoſing the Haz⯑ards equal, a tender Parent ought to ſay, I ſhall never forgive my ſelf if my Child ſhould die of the natural Small Pox, that I did not try Inoculation. And if the Hazards be unequal, what is a tender Parent to ſay then? If particularly the Hazard of the Natural be more than that of 1 in 6, that of the Inoculated leſs than that of 1 in 50, the Hopes of eſcap⯑ing the Diſtemper in Children not 1 in 100, and the ill Conſequences of the In⯑oculated conſiderably milder than that of the Natural; all which Suppoſitions in my Opinion are very probable. What would a tender Parent give to have a Child alive again, to try the Chance of Inoculation?

IT is often ſaid that many of the Cler⯑gy are againſt the Practice. If they are it is upon a Suppoſition that the Prac⯑tice [20]does not promote our Lives, Healths and Happineſs: At leaſt all the Gentle⯑men of that Order that I have had the Honour to converſe with upon the Sub⯑ject have put it upon that Iſſue. And it is the Buſineſs of this Paper to ſhew that at leaſt in our preſent Situation it would; and whether it is made out to be probable that it would, is ſubmitted to them, and the reſt of the Gentlemen and Tradeſmen of the Town and Coun⯑try. I have no other View, that I know of, but to ſerve Mankind in general, the Place where I live in particular, and moſt particularly in the way of my Profeſſion, and by doing this to make my ſelf re⯑garded.