Mr. Maitland's ACCOUNT Of INOCULATING the SMALL POX.

HAVING underſtood, ſince my Retirement into the Country, that the late Experiment of Inoculating the Small-Pox at Newgate, has been pretty much talk'd of; and finding withal, that the Reports of that Matter are various, and oftentimes contradictory: I thought it be⯑came me, to give the Publick a plain and honeſt Account of the Truth of Facts; both to prevent, if poſſible, any one's being impos'd upon, as to the Trials already made; or ſear'd from the Practice of it for the future.

[2] 'Tis not here my Deſign to offer an Eſſay on the Theory of the Small-Pox; or to attempt the beſt Methods of Cure: I leave that to the learned Gentlemen of the Profeſſion; who, I do not queſtion, not⯑withſtanding all their beſt Diſcoveries and Obſervations hitherto made, will certainly agree with me, That it is a Diſtemper of the moſt fatal and deſtructive kind; and that, far from being poſſeſs'd of any infal⯑lible Method or Remedy, they will own, 'tis many Times too too hard for them, and very often baffles the moſt celebrated Skill.

They cannot then be offended, (I am ſure the better and more candid Part of the Faculty will not) if, out of a ſingle View of doing good, I here publiſh to the World a certain Method of Relieving Man⯑kind, and reſcuing them from the Fears and fatal Effects of that very loathſome and malignant Diſeaſe.

The Method I here propoſe, is no other than that very plain one of raiſing the Small Pox by Inoculation. A Method, new indeed, and utterly unknown here, till of late, tho' univerſally practis'd with Succeſs all over Turky theſe threeſcore Years paſt; and in other Parts of the Eaſt, an hundred, or, for ought we know, ſome hundreds of Years before. The Practice having thus obtain'd amongſt an illiterate Sort of People, what I here offer to recom⯑mend it, ſhall be delivered in the plaineſt [3] Manner, and ſuited to the meaneſt Capa⯑city, without the labour'd Embelliſhments of Learning or Eloquence: And indeed, one would think, theſe ſhould not be here wanted, to reconcile to this very ſafe and uſeful Method, even Perſons or a higher Rank, and more delicate Taſte; eſpecially ſince they, of all Sorts of People, generally ſpeaking, ſuffer the moſt; witneſs the Ha⯑vock made in great Families, not many Months ſince, by that Mighty Diſeaſe, which ſeem'd then to go forth like a de⯑ſtroying Angel, ſubduing all before it, and contemning all human Means us'd to ſtop its Career.

It may therefore be hoped, that This Practice ſhould meet with a kind Reception even by them, who, of all others, are moſt terribly fearful of the prodigious Loath⯑ſomeneſs of the Diſtemper, and of the ugly and monſtrous Effects it leaves, both on them, and their Children: Yet being ap⯑prehenſive, that Sloth and Lazineſs, ill⯑placed Affection and Tenderneſs, and it may be, ſome worſe Diſpoſitions too, which I am not willing to ſuggeſt, may poſſibly ſtifle this ſafe and uſeful Method in its Birth; I ſhall here take a little Pains to obviate the Scruples and Objections, which are commonly rais'd againſt it. And in Order to this, ſhall, firſt of all, give a Short and Hiſtorical Account of what I [4] have ſeen and practis'd, both in Turky and at London.

In the Year 1717, when I had the Ho⯑nour to attend the Engliſh Ambaſſador and his Family at Conſtantinople, I had a fair Opportunity fully to inform my ſelf of what I had long before heard, namely, the famous Practice of Tranſplanting, or raiſing the Small Pox by Inoculation.

My Enquiry chiefly turn'd upon two or three Particulars, which, I thought, could I be well ſatisfied in, would go a great way towards convincing me of the mighty Ad⯑vantages and Safety of the Method, and reſolving my greateſt Scruples and Difficul⯑ties againſt it.

Having heard that this contagious Diſ⯑eaſe, which for many Centuries of Years has prov'd ſuch a terrible Scourge to Man⯑kind, had its firſt Riſe in Egypt, Arabia, and other Parts of the Eaſt, I thought it proper to enquire, Firſt, Whether it conti⯑nues ſtill to rage in the Turkiſh Dominions in that violent Manner it was anciently obſerv'd to do; and as at times, it is known to attack us here, and moſt other Parts of Europe: For ſhould it be found to be always of a milder and more temperate Sort than ours, why ſhould that People take ſo very ſtrange and uncommon a Way to avoid it? I quickly found the Caſe to be quite otherwiſe, being aſſur'd, beſides [5] what I ſaw with my Eyes; that the Small Pox is rather more Malignant and Epidemic there, than with us; inſomuch that, as ſome have affirmed, one half, or at leaſt one third Part of the Diſeaſed, at certain Times, do die of it; and they that eſcape, are terribly disfigur'd by it^†.

Again, I enquired what were the Sym⯑ptoms which attend, this new and ſtrange Operation? And whether the Iſſue is al⯑ways known to be ſalutary? The Diſ⯑order both before and after the Eruption was ſo very ſlight and gentle, that, in Strictneſs of Speech, it could not be called a Diſeaſe, having none of the uſual Com⯑plaints of Pain in the Back, Vomitings, Head-achs, Thirſt, Inquietude, and the like, the Pulſe being only ſomewhat fuller and higher than before; yet ſo far from a Fever, that it ſcarce deſerves the Name of a Febricula, bating ſome ſingular Inſtances, which are ſo rare, that they are not One to a Thouſand. And laſt of all, which I thought not a little material, The Puſtules, whether many or few, (and they common⯑ly were from 10 to an 100, ſometimes more) never left any Marks or Pits behind them, except only in the Inciſions, or Parts In⯑grafted.

[6] But ſtill I had one Difficulty left, which I took to be the moſt conſiderable; and which, if not fully clear'd, would render, in my Opinion, the whole of the Proceſs but trifling and precarious: And that is, whether every one who has undergone this Operation, is really ſecured againſt all fu⯑ture Danger of catching the Small Pox by Infection? Were I but well aſſur'd of this, I ſhould then, I thought, be at Liberty to practiſe it my ſelf, and likewiſe with Con⯑fidence recommend it to others. All my Enquiries here were fully anſwered beyond Expreſſion: For I was aſſured by all, and they could have no Deſign to impoſe upon me, that there was not an Inſtance known of any one's being ever infected, who had had any Puſtules at all, how few ſo ever rais'd by Inoculation; tho' for a further Trial, ſeveral had been once and again Ingrafted; and others alſo had been con⯑fined to the Room, and in the ſame Bed too with the Infected. This I rejoiced to hear, and from thence concluded the Pra⯑ctice to be univerſally ſafe and uſeful. And indeed wonder'd not a little, that, not⯑withſtanding the Authentic Accounts there⯑of more than once tranſmitted into England, there had never been hitherto any fair and full Trial made of it.

Hence alſo I could not forbear admiring the very great Sagacity of the Men who firſt invented this Method; and the lau⯑dable [7] and diligent Obſervation of them too, who ſo carefully practis'd it themſelves, and ſo faithfully convey'd it to their Neigh⯑bours: They all indeed were ſenſible of the Benefit, and found their Account in it.

About this Time, the Ambaſſador's in⯑genious Lady, who had been at ſome Pains to ſatisfie her Curioſity in this Matter, and had made ſome uſeful Obſervations on the Practice, was ſo thoroughly convinced of the Safety of it, that She reſolv'd to ſub⯑mit her only Son to it, a very hopeful Boy of about Six Years of Age: She firſt of all order'd me to find out a fit Subject to take the Matter from; and then ſent for an old Greek Woman, who had practis'd this Way a great many Years: After a good deal of Trouble and Pains, I found a proper Subject, and then the good Woman went to work; but ſo awkwardly by the ſhak⯑ing of her Hand, and put the Child to ſo much Torture with her blunt and ruſty Needle, that I pitied his Cries, who had ever been of ſuch Spirit and Courage, that hardly any Thing of Pain could make him cry before; and therefore Inoculated the other Arm with my own Inſtrument, and with ſo little Pain to him, that he did not in the leaſt complain of it. The Opera⯑tion took in both Arms, and ſucceeded perfectly well. After the third Day, bright red Spots appear'd in his Face, then diſ⯑appear'd; and thus interchangeably (as it [8] commonly happens) till in the Night be⯑twixt the Seventh and Eighth Day, he was obſerved to be a little hot and thirſty, yet remain'd ſo but a few Hours; and then the Small Pox came out fair: They be⯑came round and yellow, like thoſe of the more gentle diſtinct kind; and the Red Spots which appeared firſt, were the fulleſt and largeſt of all: They began to cruſt a few Days after, and then gently died away; ſo that the young Gentleman was quickly in a Condition to go Abroad with Safety. He had above an hundred in all upon his Body; but without any the leaſt Diſorder but what I have mentioned: And they all fell off, without leaving any one Mark or Impreſſion behind them. This Operation was performed at Pera near Con⯑ſtantinople, in the Month of March 1717.

The Honourable Lady abovementioned, who had been happily delivered of a Daugh⯑ter ſome three Months before, ſeeing the great Succeſs of the Operation upon her Son, had a Mind to have it tried alſo upon the Infant: But this, for certain Rea⯑ſons, was then laid aſide, and I hope very luckily, being reſerv'd to ſet the Firſt and Great Example to England, of the perfect Safety of this Practice, and eſpecially to Perſons of the Firſt Rank and Quality, who have ever ſuffer'd ſo much by that fatal Diſtemper.

[9] This Noble Lady ſent for me laſt April, and when I came, ſhe told me, ſhe was now reſolved to have her Daughter Ino⯑culated, and deſir'd me forthwith to find out Matter for the Purpoſe. I pleaded for a Delay of a Week or two, the Wea⯑ther being then cold and wet; for indeed, I was unwilling to venture on an Experi⯑ment altogether new and uncommon here, in a cold Seaſon; tho' I am now convinc'd it may, with due Care, be practis'd at all Times and Seaſons, but ſtill with more Safety in the temperate and favourable. I alſo pray'd, that any two Phyſicians, whom they thought fit, might be call'd, not only to conſult the Health and Safety of the Child, but likewiſe to be Eye⯑witneſſes of the Practice, and contribute to the Credit and Reputation of it. This indeed was at firſt deny'd me, it may be, out of a Deſign to keep it ſecret, or leaſt it ſhould come to nothing.

In the mean time having found proper Matter, I ingrafted it in both Arms, after the uſual Manner; the Child was neither blooded nor purg'd before, nor indeed was it neceſſary, conſidering the clean Habit of Body, and the very cool, regular Diet ſhe had ever been kept to from her In⯑fancy. She continued eaſie and well, without any ſenſible Alteration, bateing the uſual little Spots and Fluſhings, till the tenth Night, when ſhe was obſerv'd [10] to be a little hot and Feveriſh. An an⯑cient Apothecary in the Neighbourhood being then call'd, prudently advis'd not to give the Child any Medicine, aſſuring them there was no Danger, and that the Heat would quickly abate, which accord⯑ingly it did; and the Small Pox began next Morning to appear, which was indeed ſome two Days later than uſual, by rea⯑ſon of the uncommon Diſcharge of Matter at the Inciſions from the Beginning. Three learned Phyſicians of the College were ad⯑mitted, one after another, to viſit the young Lady; they are all Gentlemen of Honour, and will on all Occaſions declare, as they have hitherto done, that they ſaw Miſs Wortley playing about the Room, chearful and well, with the Small Pox rais'd upon her; and that in a few Days after ſhe perfectly recover'd of them. Se⯑veral Ladies, and other Perſons of Diſtin⯑ction, viſited alſo this young Patient, and can atteſt the Truth of this Fact. I need not here be more particular in determining the ſeveral Periods of this Cafe, they being the very ſame with that abovementioned; except only that here the Puſtules were not ſo many, nor did they ripen ſo ſoon; which may be eaſily accounted for, with⯑out having Regard to the Difference of Climates, for there is little or nothing in that, ſeeing the Circaſſians, and others inhabiting the Banks of the Caſpian Sea, [11] a Climate much colder and more difficult than ours, practiſe it with Safety.

Another Inſtance I ſhall give for the further Confirmation of this Practice; name⯑ly, one of the learned Phyſicians above⯑mentioned, who had viſited Miſs Wortley, having ſome Years ſince fully inform'd him⯑ſelf of this Method of Practice, and being thoroughly ſatisfied of the Safety and Reaſonableneſs of it, at length reſolved to try it in his own Family: He had for⯑merly loſt ſome Children in a very malig⯑nant kind of the Small Pox, and therefore deſired me to loſe no Time to ingraft the only Son he had left. The Boy (who was not quite Six Years of Age) being of a pretty warm and ſanguine Complexion, the Doctor ordered about five Ounces of Blood to be taken from him; and then, in ten Days after, having found Matter which he lik'd, I inoculated him in both Arms. This was performed the 11th of May; next Day having look'd at the Inciſions, I found them both inflam'd, which convinced me the Thing had taken. Some Red Spots appeared about his Temples the third Day; and ſome two or three Puſtules be⯑tween the ſeventh and eighth; the Boy being all the while without any Thing of Thirſt, Head-ach, or any other Diſorder, only his Pulſe was obſerv'd to be fuller and quicker; and then about the 10th or 11th, ſome more Puſtules appear'd round [12] and yellow; and in two or three Days more dy'd away: The Inciſions continuing all the while inflamed, and diſcharging a thick well-digeſted Matter.

Here I could bring a great many Caſes of Perſons inoculated in Turky, to prove the conſtant and certain Succeſs of this Practice; in all which I have never ſeen any Miſcarriage, except in One, which was wholly owing to the Raſhneſs and Inadver⯑tence of a Surgeon at Conſtantinople. I would not here be thought to pretend to a Secret, or to make a Myſtery of this Operation; no, my Deſign is, only to adviſe every one that attempts it to be cautious: For ill Conſequences may ſometimes hap⯑pen, and never more than in Things com⯑mon and eaſy, and adapted to vulgar Ca⯑pacities. In it ſelf indeed it is ſimple and obvious, and may, like other plain Chi⯑rurgical Operations, be in a manner Me⯑chanically learn'd and practis'd: For, not to mention ſeveral Surgeons, whoſe Buſineſs it is; I knew an old Greek Woman, who, having been taught it from her Youth, had practiſed it with Succeſs a great many Years.

Hence, if any Regard be due to Facts, and to the moſt certain Obſervation and Experience of others; which, in Matters of Practice, have ever been counted the beſt and ſureſt Direction; I am perſwaded, all impartial People will allow this Method to be not only ſafe, but uſeful; and highly [13] worthy to be receiv'd with Eſteem and Applauſe. Is it not a Matter of the greateſt Importance to us, to know how to prevent the mighty Contagion of the Small Pox; and how to preſerve our Children and Fa⯑milies from the violent Attacks, and fatal Effects of it? What would not tender Parents give to ſecure to them the Lives and Features of their beloved Offspring; when they behold them disfigured by the loathſome Diſeaſe, and ſtruggling with the Pangs of Death? Do not we oftentimes ſee great Families extinguiſh'd by it, as by the Plague, and their Titles and Eſtates thereby tranſmitted to Strangers? And if they have the good Fortune to eſcape with their Lives, what an ugly Change from what they were before? What Pittings, Seams, and Scars in their Faces? What Films and Fiſtula's, and ſometimes Blind⯑neſs in their Eyes? What Ulcers and Im⯑poſthumes in their Bodies; Contractions of the Nerves, and even Lameneſs for Life? Again, to avoid the Infection, what Un⯑eaſineſs and Diſquiet of Mind, what Fears and Apprehenſions do not even grown Peo⯑ple labour under, eſpecially the more de⯑licate and tender? Don't they renounce all Commerce with their beſt Friends and deareſt Relations? And if by chance they meet an Object that has but lately reco⯑ver'd, how ſuſceptible then are they of [14] the Diſtemper? And how few thus ſeiz'd do ever eſcape?

In ſhort then, to prevent all theſe, and many the like Calamities, the almoſt univer⯑ſal and inevitable Conſequences of this fatal Diſeaſe; I may truly venture to af⯑firm, that the Method here recommended is, of all others hitherto known, the ſafeſt; and I am ſure far more infallible, than that of the moſt learned and moſt cautious Practice.

I have, however, in Converſation, met with ſeveral Scruples and Objections againſt this Method; ſome whereof relate to the manner of the Operation; which, I hope, by the Account already given, are in ſome meaſure ſatisfy'd: Some again concern the Lawfulneſs of it; and others would even ſeem to queſtion the Fact, denying that the Small Pox are hereby rais'd; or that the Eruptions ought to be deem'd of that kind; ſince they are not preceded by a Fever, nor attended with the uſual Pe⯑riods of the Diſtemper.

They that ſcruple the Lawfulneſs of this Practice, are apt to call it, a Preſumption, a forcing of Nature, a tempting of Provi⯑dence, and the like. True indeed, were the Operation in it ſelf dangerous; and the Iſſue generally doubtful, as ſeveral, both in Phyſick and Surgery ſometimes are, yet neither preſumptuous nor unlawful for all that; I ſhould be ready to own the [15] Charge, and yield it at once to the tender⯑hearted and the ſcrupulous: But pray, what are they afraid of? Is there any Thing here frightful, or ſhocking to the niceſt and the moſt delicate? The Practice is moſt plain, rational, and eaſie, intended only to prevent the malignant Infection, and to preſerve Life: not to give a Diſeaſe, and in this Senſe, to force Nature before its Time; but in effect, to cleanſe Nature from the latent Fomes or Seminium; and to ſecure againſt that popular Contagion. We have heard, and indeed it were much to be wiſh'd we had any that truly deſerve the Name, of Preſervatives againſt the Plague; And why may not This, which has elſewhere been ſo univerſally tried and ap⯑proved, paſs for One againſt the Small Pox?

But again, what do they mean by tempt⯑ing of Providence? Can they imagine, that uſing the fair and proper Means of avoiding and preventing a Diſeaſe, is often⯑ſive to Providence? Why then do they Bleed, Vomit, or Purge, or uſe any other Remedy, to prevent a Fever? And why don't they truſt that Providence, rather than dare to abandon their Families, and deſert the Diſtreſſed, to flee from this or any other Diſeaſe? Nay, ſo far am I from counting this Method tempting to Provi⯑dence, that I rather eſteem it a Motive of Thankfulneſs to the divine Providence, and a great one too, for, the Diſcovery.

[16] As to the Objection againſt the Fact, de⯑nying the Small Pox to be hereby rais'd: Did the Eruptions come the natural and common way, I acknowledge it to be highly reaſonable: For the only way we have to diſtinguiſh between the genuine Small Pox of the ſeveral kinds, and the ſpurious, or what they call the Chicken Pox, is not only by obſerving the Nature and Periods of the Puſtules, but alſo by the firſt Invaſion, and ſubſequent Progreſs of the Fever, and of the uſual Symptoms attending it. The known Periods of the Small Pox are diffe⯑rent, according to their different kinds; and this Difference ariſeth, not only from the various Diſpoſitions of the Juices and Habits of the Bodies affected; but likewiſe from the different Degrees and Qualities of the External Infection, howſoever com⯑municated, as it is more or leſs ſubtil, malignant and epidemic.

Now in thoſe rais'd by Inoculation, the Periods, tho' a little different from the com⯑mon and natural, are, in their kind, as certain and regular as the other: A Dif⯑ference indeed is obſerv'd of ſometimes two or three Days, as to the Time of Eruption; but that is no more than what is common in the natural Sort. And thus too, it is with Reſpect to the other Stages of the Diſeaſe: I mean thoſe of the Invaſion, Maturation, and Declination; they are equal and regular, and what is more, the [17] Proceſs is certain, and the Prognoſtick in⯑fallible.

But the principal and moſt material Dif⯑ference of all lies in the Fever, which here is ſo gentle, that it hardly deſerves the Name; but in the natural, and eſpecially the confluent kind, 'tis always violent, and often the immediate Cauſe of Death.

Were it not altogether foreign to my Deſign, and inconſiſtent with the Brevity I here propoſe, I could eaſily demonſtrate the Cauſe of this Difference; and make it appear, that the ſmall Quantity of the Matter inſerted into the Capillary Veſſels of the Skin, is not capable of altering or diſſolving the Maſs of Blood, as it happens in the Caſe of Infection; nor of raiſing an Ebullition ſufficient to produce a Fever, and the dangerous Symptoms which always fol⯑low upon it: And yet it is certain, not⯑withſtanding all this, that the Matter thus inſerted does produce Eruptions of the right Small Pox kind, with good digeſted Matter, as hereafter deſcrib'd; and without any Thing of the Danger and Loathſomeneſs, ever inſeparable from the other.

That it is the right and genuine kind, may be further prov'd beyond all Exception, by a few plain Inſtances here ſubjoin'd; by which it will appear, that the Small Pox thus rais'd by Inoculation, is truly in⯑fectious and catching; and that ſeveral Adult Perſons, who never before had them, [18] have been actually ſeiz'd, by means of kiſſing and careſſing a Child, not quite three Years of Age, while the Eruptions thus rais'd were upon it. What ſtronger Proof can reaſonably be deſired of the genuine Small Pox? And what need is there of more Words or Arguments to convince any one, that will not be perſwaded by Facts?

I am haſtening to give you an Account of thoſe Facts, and do aſſure you, it ſhall be an honeſt and a true one. But before I come to it, I wou'd briefly take notice of a Queſtion or two, which a learned Phy⯑ſician, one Day ask'd me, on the Subject. As firſt, Whether I was always ſure, thus to give the Small Pox? And then, whe⯑ther, when given, I cou'd engage the Pa⯑tient ſhould never take them again by In⯑fection?

To the firſt, I anſwer'd, the Operation had never yet fail'd me, or any one elſe, that I know of; nor do I believe, it ever can, when duly perform'd, but upon Perſons who have had them before: For I very much queſtion, what ſome have affirm'd, namely, That there are People in the World, who are not ſuſceptible of the Diſeaſe. In the mean time, I had a Mind, with great Sub⯑miſſion, to have ask'd the Doctor a plain Queſtion in Anſwer to his; and that is, Whether, when he preſcribes a Purge or a Vomit, he is always ſure, it will anſwer his Intention? For I have often heard, [19] that Vomits have ſometimes prov'd Purges; and Purges, Vomits too; and, which is worſe, that People have had the Misfortune to die under both Operations; which has never yet happen'd, in the Caſe of Ingraft⯑ing.

As to the Doctor's ſecond Queſtion, I have ſaid ſomewhat already; and now can add further, that beſides the frequent Experi⯑ments which have been made in Turky; as, of Inoculating the fame Perſon a ſecond and a third Time, and the like; I my ſelf have lately made open and repeated Tryals, on one of the Six Inoculated Criminals of Newgate, reſerved for that purpoſe, ſuffici⯑ent to convince any one, that there's no Danger of their Catching the Diſeaſe by any future Infection. This is, One ^† Elizabeth Harriſon, of about nineteen Years of Age. Here I muſt obſerve to you, that this Girl, had the feweſt Eruptions upon her, of any of the five, that were Inoculated at Newgate, but had a more than Ordinary Diſcharge at the Inciſions.

I firſt employ'd her as Nurſe to a Servant Maid, very ill and full of the continued-diſtinct Kind of the Small Pox, in the Houſe of Mrs. Moſs, in Chriſt's Hoſpital Buildings at Hertford, whom ſhe attended during the whole Courſe of the Diſeaſe. This Maid [20] had hardly recover'd, when one of the Boys, about ten Years Old, of the ſaid Hoſpital, was alſo ſeiz'd with the very ſame Sort; I oblig'd her to lie every Night in the ſame Bed with this Boy, and to attend him conſtantly from the firſt Beginning of the Diſtemper to the very End: And thus ſhe continued for Six Weeks together, without Intermiſſion, or feeling any the leaſt Head-Ach or other Diſ⯑order; tho', indeed, I once ſaw ſome Heats and little Pimples upon her, as Nurſes commonly have under ſuch Confinements. There's no Ground to queſtion this Fact, being atteſted by a Cloud of Witneſſes.

For a further Confirmation of what I have ſaid, I once intended to have here ſub⯑joyn'd D. Timoni and Pylarini's Letters, publiſh'd in the Philoſophical Tranſactions, No. 339 and 347. But being unwilling to enlarge this Account beyond its juſt Bounds, I muſt leave them to another Opportunity, and withal take the Liberty to refer the Reader to them.

A Journal of the Experiment at Newgate.

London Auguſt 9. 1721.

IN Obedience to their Royal Highneſſes Commands, I performed the Operation of Inoculating the Small Pox, on Six con⯑demated Criminals at Newgate; in Preſence of ſeveral eminent Phyſicians, Surgeons, and other.

[21] The Names of the Criminals are,

• 1. Mary North Aged 36 Years.
• 2. Anne Tompion Aged 25 Years.
• 3. Elizabeth Harriſon Aged 19 Years.
• 4. John Cawthery Aged 25 Years.
• 5. John Alcock Aged 20 Years.
• 6. Richard Evans Aged 19 Years.

Auguſt 9. 1721. Being Wedneſday, betwixt the Hours of 9 and 10 in the Morning, I made Inciſions in both Arms and the right Leg of all the Six.

10 and 11. Thurſday and Friday, I find little or no Alteration in any of them, except Mary North, who ſometimes was troubled with Vapours, as uſual to her: They all ſleep well, dreſs, and walk about all day, and are hungry for their Food: Their Pulſe a little rais'd, but without any ſenſible Diſorder.

12. Saturday, In the Morning; obſerving the Inciſions not ſo much inflamed, and tending to Suppuration as uſual; and thence ſuſpecting the Matter ingrafted to have been defective and languid, having been kept at leaſt 15 or 16 Hours, for a very good, but unavoidable Reaſon; I ſearch'd for freſh Matter, and having found it in. Chriſts Hoſpital, about 6 a Clock at Night I made new Inciſions in each Arm of five [22] of them, and ingrafted it as before. I had no Matter left for the ſixth, Evans.

13. Sunday Morning, theſe five complain all of Pain in both Arms: Having taken off the Dreſſings, I find all the firſt Inciſions inflamed and feſter'd, but without any Sickneſs in the Patients; their Pulſe ſen⯑ſibly higher, and their Water turbid.

14. Monday Morning, red Spots and Fluſhings appear on all the five; but moſt of all on Mary North, eſpecially about her Face, Neck, and Breaſt: And ſo likewiſe on Ann Tompion: But without any Sick⯑neſs, Head-ach, or Thirſt; except a little they complained of in the Night; and a higher Pulſe.

15. Tueſday, The ſame Spots and Fluſh⯑ings appear freſh in the Morning; but turn paler and darker towards Night, yet with⯑out any Diſorder.

It is here to be obſerved, That the ſixth, viz. Richard Evans, who had had the Small Pox in Priſon laſt September, has had no manner of Pain, Heat, or Inflammation in any of his Inciſions, nor any manner of Alteration otherwiſe: But all continuing pale from the Beginning, yeſterday dry'd up entirely.

16. Wedneſday, They all continue much as before, only their Inciſions begin to diſ⯑charge a thick, purulent Matter. Anne Tompion has a large yellow Puſtule on the bending of her Thigh, and another on the [23] outſide of her right, Arm, like Small Pox: And John Alcock has more freſh Puſtules appearing on his Face and Arms; having had a ſlight Febricula in the Night, with diſturb'd Water. And John Cawthery has a large yellow Puſtule on his left Cheek, and ſeveral ſmall ones on his Face.

17. Thurſday, The ſaid Alcock has theſe Puſtules appearing now fairly, with a yellow digeſted Matter, and red Bottoms, and a great many of them, but without Sickneſs. Ann Tompion has the ſame yellow Puſtules on her right Arm and Thigh, with other freſh ones ſtruck out about her Chin and Mouth.

18. Friday, Alcock's Small Pox appear ſtill fair and yellow, but fuller and larger, with a bright red round them. All the others much the ſame, with their Inciſions running.

19. Saturday, Laſt Night, this Alcock un⯑accountably pricks and opens all the Puſtules he could come at with a Pin; which occa⯑ſions them to fall and cruſt ſooner: But they continue red at Bottom; and the Inci⯑ſions in him abate of their Running.

It is here to be noted, that tho' he has had by much the greateſt Number of Puſtules or Small Pox upon him, yet the ſecond Time he was touch'd in one Arm only, there not being Matter enough for the other Arm; whereas the other four had both Arms ingrafted, and Matter in Abun⯑dance.

[24] 20 and 21. Sunday and Monday, All of them continue as before: The Inciſions on the other four, run ſtill a thick, digeſted, yellow Pus.

Here I muſt obſerve, that the ſecond In⯑ciſions in both Arms, by which a vaſt Diſ⯑charge has been made, ſeem to me, in the Iſſue, to have been rather a Prejudice and Impediment to the Eruption, than to have, in any Sort, contributed towards it: But however, I believe them to be, in all Re⯑ſpects, as ſafe from any future Infection as Alcock, who had 60 Small Pox, at leaſt up⯑on him.

22 and 23. Tueſday and Wedneſday, All of them continue well; and their Inciſions ceaſe running, and dry up apace.

24. Thurſday, I purg'd Alcock and Caw⯑thery for the firſt Time; and did deſign alſo to purge the three Women; but was pre⯑vented by their. Monthly Purgations, which, I was not a little ſurpriz'd to hear, ſeiz'd them all about the ſame Time; tho' ſome of them had been obſtructed ſeveral Months before.

28. Monday, Mary North, before ſhe was quite free, unaccountably waſh'd in cold Water, and thence caught a violent Colic, which laſted near two Days.

30. Wedneſday, They all three take a purging Potion, which anſwers the Intenti⯑on, and perfectly carries off Mary North's Colic Pains.

[25] 31. The two Men are again purg'd, in Order to their being diſcharg'd: And ſo likewiſe, next Day, are the Women.

And on the Sixth of September, they were all diſmiſs'd to their ſeveral Counties and Habitations.

To conclude, The Thing has been ſuc⯑ceſsful on all the Five, far beyond my Ex⯑pectation, conſidering their Age, Habit of Body, and Circumſtances; and it has per⯑fectly anſwer'd Doctor Timoni's Account of this Practice, and alſo the Experience of all who have ſeen it in Turky.

I cannot here forbear mentioning the very ample Teſtimony, which Mr. Cook, an eminent Turky Merchant, one Day gave to this Experiment, in my Hearing at Newgate; After having ſeen the Perſons ingrafted, and fully conſider'd their Inciſions and E⯑ruptions; He openly declared, they were the very ſame with what he had ever ob⯑ſerved in Turky, of which he had ſeen a great many Inſtances: And that we might be aſſur'd, none of theſe here would ever be infected with the Small Pox again.

And it is particularly remarkable in this whole Affair, that tho' there was not the leaſt encouraging or favourable Circumſtance attending it before the Operation; yet after it, nothing in any ſort dangerous or unſucceſsful did happen: Although no Art, nor ſtimulating Medicine, was made Uſe of [26] to promote the Eruptions; not ſo much as to oblige the Patients to keep their Bed; the whole having been left to Nature, aſſiſted by a ſtrict and regular Diet.

October 2. 1721. After due Preparation of the Body, I ingrafted Mary Batt, an Infant of two Years and an half old; Daughter of Thomas Batt, a Quaker, living at Temple, within three Miles of Hertford: The red Spots and Fluſhings appeared on her Face and Neck the fourth Day; and ſhe kept playing about well till the ſeventh or eighth, when ſhe became a little heavy and thirſty, with a fuller and quicker Pulſe; then the Puſtules came out freſh and full, and the Inciſions diſcharged a thick well⯑digeſted Matter. She had not above 20 in all upon her; they continued about three or four Days, then dry'd away and fell off, and the Child recover'd perfectly.

Thus far all was well; but what hap⯑pen'd afterwards was, I muſt own, not a little ſurprizing to me, not having ſeen or obſerv'd any Thing like it before. The Caſe was in ſhort this; Six of Mr. Batt's Domeſtick Servants, viz. four Men and two Maids, who all, in their Turns, were wont to hug and careſs this Child whilſt under the Operation, and the Puſtules were out upon her, never ſuſpecting them to be [27] catching, nor indeed did I, were all feiz'd at once with the right natural Small Pox, of ſeveral and very different kinds; for ſome had the round diſtinct Sort, ſome the ſmall continued, and others the confluent; all of 'em had a great many, but eſpecially the laſt, with the uſual bad Symptoms, and very narrowly eſcap'd: But they all (God be thanked) did well, (except one Maid, that would not be govern'd under the Diſtem⯑per, who dy'd of it) and now enjoy a per⯑fect State of Health^†.

October 12. 1721. I Inoculated Joſeph and Benjamin, Sons of William Heath of Hert⯑ford; the firſt of about ſeven, and the ſecond of three Years of Age; both with the ſame Matter, and at the ſame Time: the laſt had a very gentle and favourable kind, in all Reſpects like the abovenamed Mary Batt; but the firſt, viz. Joſeph, be⯑ing a fat, foul, gluttonous Boy, who would not be confined to the Rules and Directions I had ſtrictly charged his Mother withal, as to Diet and keeping warm; was taken very ill before the Eruption, and after it had a great Load of the continued ſmall kind, but at laſt recover'd and did well.

[28] What a mighty Difference is here to be obſerved between thoſe two Boys! the Reaſon of it ſeems to be plainly this; The younger, who had the favourable kind, was of a clean Habit, moderate Appetite, and eaſily govern'd during the whole Pro⯑ceſs. The elder was not only, as I have ſaid, of a groſs, foul Conſtitution, but like⯑wiſe had a voracious Appetite, always eating and filling his Belly with the coarſeſt Food; as Cheeſe, fat Country Pudding, cold boil'd Beef, and the like; which I ſaw my ſelf as I came in by chance, the third Day after the Operation; nor was there any Care taken to reſtrain or keep him within in cold, windy, froſty Weather; he once wet his Feet in the Water; in⯑ſomuch that had he taken the Small Pox by Infection, the World could not have ſav'd his Life. Hence it appears how ne⯑ceſſary it is to cleanſe thoroughly thoſe foul Habits before the Operation; and withal to keep them to a very ſtrict Regimen under it.

'Tis alſo here very remarkable, further to evince the Power of Infection, and the Genuineneſs of the Inoculated Small Pox; that an Infant of about four Months old, then on Mrs. Heath's Breaſt, while ſhe nurs'd her two Sons, and lay in Bed with them, was alſo ſeiz'd with the diſtinct natural Kind; and in due Time perfectly recover'd. [29] Mrs. Heath alſo, by being Night and Day conſtantly with her Children, and always embracing and careſſing of 'em, tho' ſhe had had the Small Pox many Years before, ſtruck out in ſeveral Pimples or Puſtules on her Face and Hands, but without any Thing of Sickneſs or Diſorder: which, we know, has often happen'd to Nurſes, by at⯑tending People in this Diſtemper; and even by waſhing their Linen.

Not many Days after this, I met Mr. Hughes, Judge Advocate General of his Ma⯑jeſties Forces, who requeſted me, upon my Return to Hertford, to viſit his two Chil⯑dren at his Houſe in Herting for dbury, which I promis'd to do; and found, when I came there, his Son, a Child of about 18 Months old, actually ill of the Small Pox; I imme⯑diately acquainted Mr. Hughes, with this, and withal remov'd the Daughter, who was about three Years of Age, to a neigh⯑bouring Gentleman's Houſe. Mr. Hughes then recommended to me the particular Care of his Son, and pray'd me, if the Small Pox ſhou'd prove of the favourable Kind, not to fail to inoculate his Daughter from him. The Boy had indeed the fair diſtinct Kind, and not a great many, and recover'd perfectly of them; but afterwards dy'd of a cancerous Tumour, which had been breeding in his Cheek and upper Jaw, [30] long before his Seizure with the Small Pox. But to return, I took Matter from him, at the proper Time, and with it Inoculated his Siſter, November 17th, having firſt gently purg'd her. The Thing took; ſhe ſicken'd, the 24th, and two Days after the Small Pox ap⯑pear'd fair, and continu'd to fill and ripen to December the 3d, then cruſted and gra⯑dually fell off in the uſual Manner.

This Young Patient had above two Thou⯑ſand Puſtules or Small Pox upon her, that came out well, fill'd up, ripen'd and fell off, obſerving the moſt regular Periods of the natural Small Pox of the diſtinct Kind; yet ſhe did not keep her Bed one Day, nor wanted a Nurſe to watch with her one Night during the whole Proceſs; never having been affected with the uſual Com⯑plaints and Symptoms of the Natural Small Pox; nor in the leaſt pitted or ſcar'd with them.

I thought it proper to be the more par⯑ticular in relating this Caſe, becauſe of the very falſe Account which had been given of it in the Poſt Man of December 2, which, in my Abſence, the Gentleman himſelf was pleas'd to contradict in the St. James's Evening Poſt, December 7th.

December 17. I Inoculated two of Mr. John Colt's Children, at his Houſe in Cle⯑ment's Lane, Lombard Street: The one [31] a Boy of 7, the other a Girl of about 4 Years of Age; their Bodies having firſt been duly prepar'd by a Phyſician's Order. They both ſicken'd the 24th, the Small Pox appear'd on the Girl the 26th, and on the Boy the 27th; they came out gently, fill'd and ripen'd to the 3d and 4th of January; and then died away as uſual. Thoſe Children had at leaſt 300 Small Pox each, all fair and round; but the Boy had rather more: His came out later, and kept out longer too than his Siſter's; which can only be ac⯑counted for (the Ingrafted Matter having been the ſame, and in the ſame Quantity) by the Difference of their Habits and Juices. In the mean Time, neither of 'em from the Beginning cou'd be ſaid to be downright ill; nor was oblig'd to lie in Bed; nor, in a Word, was affected with any of the dange⯑rous or bad Symptoms ordinarily attending that Diſeaſe, or conſequential to it.

They being perfectly recover'd; Satur⯑day January 13th, I perform'd the Opera⯑tion upon a third Child of the ſaid Mr. Colt; a Boy of about 6 Years of Age, who was alſo deſign'd to have undergone it with the other two the Month before, had it not been that he was then out of Order; he continu'd chearful and well till the 20th, when he became ill and feveriſh; then the Small Pox appear'd the 22d, and three Days after, the Eruption being quite over, [32] they grew fair, round, full and yellow; like the natural Small Pox of the diſtinct Kind, and thus went on to the 29th or 30th, when they began to cruſt and fall off after the uſual Manner. This Child had a great many upon him, like the above⯑named Miſs Hughes; and is alſo perfectly well recover'd of them: He was viſited, while under them (as indeed were the o⯑ther two) by ſeveral eminent Phyſicians, and other Perſons of Diſtinction about the Town, who all unamiouſly agreed that it was the right Small Pox, and declar'd themſelves fully ſatisfied with the Trial.

I do not here take notice of the little Heats and Fluſhings, which appear'd upon them in the Beginning; nor of the o⯑ther more minute Circumſtances generally common to all; nor of the proper Evacua⯑tions preſcrib'd before and after; that I may avoid tedious Repetitions, as much as I am able. But I wou'd beg leave to add one Obſervation, the Reaſon of which is plain and obvious, namely, that the greater the Diſcharge of Matter at the Inciſions is, the fewer commonly are the Eruptions; and on the contrary. Hence alſo the great Advantage of Iſſues in This, and other cuticular Diſeaſes, may with great Proba⯑bility be evinced and demonſtrated.

But to conclude: From theſe few Inſtan⯑ces, which I have here contracted into the narroweſt Compaſs, ſeveral very obvious and [33] uſeful Obſervations might be made, and un⯑queſtionable Proofs brought, to ſhew, in the moſt Satisfactory Manner, that the Small Pox thus rais'd are of the true and genuine Kind; that they may be always given and communicated to proper Subjects, young or old, without any Danger of a Relapſe; and finally, that this whole Pra⯑ctice, prudently manag'd, is always Safe and Uſeful, and the Iſſue ever Certain and Sa⯑lutary.