A NEW ESSAY ON THE SMALL-POX.

EVery Perſon is ſenſible, how fatal the Diſeaſe I inſiſt on, hath been theſe late Years; and perhaps there is not a Family in the Kingdom, that laments not the Spoils of it; which is ſufficient to juſtify every honeſt At⯑tempt, to free the Publick from ſuch a Ca⯑lamity.

I ſhall not enter into the Diſpute about Ino⯑culation, which is now on the Carpet; by reaſon what I have in my Views, is the ſu⯑perſeding any Occaſion for that Operation; which, if it could be obtain'd, muſt, on ma⯑ny Accounts, be preferr'd to the general Pra⯑ctice of it; and render it more ſafe in the few Inſtances, wherein, after all, it may be eſteem'd proper.

In order to introduce this Propoſal, I think it neceſſary to obſerve what gave me the firſt Hint, and is the real Foundation of it; viz. That the Diſtemper it ſelf is both of a Fo⯑reign Extract, and of a late Origin. There are ſome Parts of the World entirely unac⯑quainted with it at this Day; and we are aſſur'd, one Quarter of it (viz. America) was ſo, till the Spaniards ſubdued it; when, by the Infection of a Negro, this cruel Diſeaſe ſpread it ſelf among the Natives, and hath now almoſt extirpated great and populous Clans.

The old Greek and Latin Phyſicians had no Idea of this Diſorder; For we have the [3]firſt Deſcriptions of it from the Arabian Wri⯑ters. I confeſs, we read of Eruptions in Fe⯑vers; and have Reaſon to think theſe obtain'd in ancient Time. I know not whether what we term the Chicken-Pox, may not be a pro⯑per critical Secretion of ſome Humours in Children; for they often affect them, with⯑out any previous Contagion, and are attend⯑ed with no ill Conſequence. But the Moors and Arabs (who, every Perſon knows, by their ſordid, naſty way of Living, in a hot Climate, have turn'd common Fevers into Plagues;) have perhaps, in the ſame man⯑ner, given that malignant, contagious Effi⯑cacy, to thoſe Mild and Natural Pu⯑ſtules.

From this Account of the Caſe, it muſt evidently follow, that the Diſtemper I now treat of, is One Species of a Plague; and therefore both may, and ought, in the ſame Manner, to be extirpated from the Na⯑tion.

The late Experiments of Inoculating it, confirm this Account; and, at the ſame Time, ſufficiently demonſtrate, how ſmall a Seed, [4]leſs than the Hundredth Part of a Grain, will produce a very plentiful Crop. It's true, this may differ very much, in regard of the Soil; which is a Conſideration, in Favour of a Practice, that allows us a con⯑venient Opportunity to prepare the Body, and to adjuſt both the Quantity and Situation of the Particles, that are thrown into it. But why ſhou'd we generally cultivate after this manner an Eaſtern Plant, that hath made ſuch dreadful Havock among us? Eſpecially ſince there is ſo much Reaſon to queſtion, whether we could promiſe our ſelves that Succeſs, if it were univerſally in Uſe: For, the Contagion muſt increaſe in Proportion to the Subjects; whereas, on the other hand, when the Diſeaſe hath left us, the few who (on the Account of Travelling, or Phyſick) may have leave to go through the Opera⯑tion, will run leſs Hazard in it.

I confeſs, there will be a Difficulty in o⯑vercoming popular Prejudices, in Favour of theſe Diſorders. They eſteem them ſent of God, for the Sins of Mankind; which is a pious Account of all our Afflictions. But when this Repreſentation diſcourages the pro⯑per [5]Endeavours to remove them; it hath ge⯑nerally been eſteem'd, in other Caſes, a cri⯑minal Abuſe of the Doctrine. This is per⯑fectly the Caſe in Turkey; where, for that Reaſon, their great Towns are no more free from the Plague, than ours are from the Small-Pox. But I have the Pleaſure to ob⯑ſerve, that the Articles of the Church of England prudently caution us againſt this Conſtruction of the Sentence of Predeſtina⯑nation; which, for Curious and Carnal Per⯑ſons to have before their Eyes, is there ſaid to be, a great Downfall. But I leave the Management of this Argument to our Di⯑vines.

When our People are well reconcil'd to the Religion of the Thing, there can, perhaps, be nothing more eaſy or ſafe, than to deliver us from the Infection. For, the Subſtance of my Propoſal is but, in ſhort, ‘To take the Method, that was inſiſted on as neceſſary to deliver us from the Plague, if it had been imported among us; as we appre⯑hended it might, from Marſeilles.’

The Thing is then ſo far done, that I have Reaſon to hope, and ſay, A few Generations hence would enquire, what Sort of Diſtemper their Anceſtors intended, by the Name of the Small-Pox? And when ſo great an Advantage may be procur'd by it; there can be nothing unkind, or difficult, only in obliging the At⯑tendants and Phyſicians, where the Small-Pox are, to perform a Sort of Quarantain; to bury the Furniture, and purify the Houſes; which is all that will be requir'd, and to which they will have ſufficient Inducement to conſent, if the Loſs they ſuſtain by it, is but ſupported by the Publick. I know not whether an Office of Inſurance might not be eſtabliſh'd for that Purpoſe: But this will be the Care of the Legiſlature, if our Phyſicians do but come in⯑to the Scheme: They are the only Perſons that will ſuffer, in a profitable Branch of their Practice. But whatever ſome impudent Quacks may have in their View, I have the Aſſurance to ſay, The Gentlemen of the Faculty, up⯑on the Principles of the New Philoſophy, and the beſt Experience, will eſteem this Propo⯑ſal worthy their Conſideration. They know very well, that when the Eruption is com⯑pleated, [7]and the putrid Particles have fix'd on the Lungs, and vital Parts, the Event muſt be left to Nature; for there is little Room for the Exerciſe of the beſt Skill: And upon that Account, they muſt be pleas'd with an Expedient, that will ſecure their Art from the Tryals, that are vain in themſelves, and often fatal to their Reputation. As for the Scandal of our Profeſſion, the Men who have no Comfort but in Filth and Ordure, and are only Caterers for the Worms; I am not a⯑ſham'd to confeſs, I have ſhew'd no regard to their mercenary Ends.

It is to the very Learned and Worthy-Bo⯑dy, I ſubmit this Propoſal; who will, I am perſuaded, at leaſt honourably treat a Plan, that is form'd upon the Practice of ſome of the Ancient Phyſicians, the Fathers and firſt Ornaments of this Science; who did not on⯑ly conſult particular Caſes, but deliver'd whole Nations at once from Plagues. If the Method I have ſuggeſted appears to them as well cal⯑culated for this Purpoſe, as it's honeſtly de⯑ſign'd; I have no Reaſon to doubt the Appro⯑bation of Perſons of ſuch a generous and gen⯑teel [8]Education, and whoſe Buſineſs is the Health of the People.

I know, the Fate of this Scheme will de⯑pend on their Repreſentation of it; and there⯑fore, by reaſon The Royal College of Phyſicians are beſt qualify'd to direct the Execution, I have not preſum'd to offer the particular Rules that muſt be obſerv'd, and that will require the Sanction of the Legiſlature: It is what, I do not doubt, they will favour their Coun⯑try with, if this Propoſal is ſo happy as to come recommended by them.

His Moſt Sacred Majeſty, whom God long preſerve; and Their Royal Highneſſes, tho' they are now in no pain for the Princes, the young Hopes and Joys of theſe Realms; They have too much Regard for their People, not to encourage every Thing that may make them Happy and Healthful.

And I hope our Nobility and Gentry will eſteem it too much a common Intereſt, to neglect this Propoſal, if there is a Proſpect (as, I think, there is a very good one) in this Way of being ſecure from this Diſtemper, [9]and, at the ſame Time, from a Train of E⯑vils and Ulcers, that generally attend the worſt Sort of it. For why ſhou'd we cheriſh the cruel Brood of Africa or Aſia in our Bow⯑els, that have made thoſe frightful Ravages a⯑mong us, and entail this Poiſon on our Poſte⯑rity, that was, perhaps, the Import of our Holy Wars in former Days?

How great muſt be the Happineſs to ob⯑ſerve the new Scenes ariſe, when a noiſome Plague ſhall ceaſe to change our Countenances, and ſend us away, or to make us a Terror to our ſelves and others! How deſirable would it be, no more (unleſs by the ſpecial Commiſ⯑ſion of Heaven) to feel any of the Fury of it, filling our Graves, or ſpoiling our Fea⯑tures? We ſhou'd not then ſo frequently meet the diſmal Scars, and indelible Characters, it hath left on almoſt every Face: But Britain, no longer inhabited by theſe Sort of Picts, would become Fair Albion once again.

Then, to uſe the ſacred Stile, may our Sons be as Plants grown up in their Youth; they will always carry their firſt Bloom; and our Daugh⯑ters as Corner-ſtones, poliſh'd after the ſimilitude [10]of a Palace; or, in our Language, more ſmooth and ſparkling than the beſt-wrought Marble. Then would all the Domeſtick Virtues flou⯑riſh: The Beautiful Mothers, ſecure of the Affection of their Huſbands, wou'd convey the healthy Treaſure to their Offspring: The La⯑dies wou'd ſhine in our Aſſemblies; and the Gentlemen ſoften, under their Influence, into every Virtue. Let future Ages tell the reſt with Joy!

Full of this Project, I can't forbear ima⯑ging to my ſelf the Acknowledgments of a whole Iſland; and every Perſon in it, contri⯑buting to make my Life eaſy and happy, who have in this Propoſal ſtudied to make theirs ſo.