What is advanced in my second position I consider also of very
great importance, and I could wish it to be strongly impressed on
the minds of all who may be disposed to conclude hastily on my
observations, whether engaged in their investigation by
experiments or not to place this in its clearest point of view
(as the similarity between the action of the smallpox and the
cow-pox matter is so obvious) it will be necessary to consider
what we sometimes observe to take place in inoculation for the
smallpox when imperfect variolous matter is made use of. The
concise history on this subject that was brought forward
respecting what I had observed in this neighbourhood [Footnote:
Inquiry into the Causes and Effects of the Variolae Vaccinae,
p.56 of the original article]. I perceive, by a reference since
made to the Memoirs of the Medical Society of London, may be
considered as no more than a corroboration of the facts very
clearly detailed by Mr. Kite [Footnote: See an account of some
anomalous appearances consequent to the inoculation of the
smallpox, by Charles Kite, Surgeon, of Gravesend, in the Memoirs
of the Medical Society of London, vol. iv, p. 114.]. To this
copious evidence I have to add still more in the following
communications from Mr. Earle, surgeon, of Frampton-upon-Severn,
in this county, which I deem the more valuable, as he has with
much candour permitted me to make them public:
"SIR:
"I have read with satisfaction your late publication on the
Variolae Vaccinae, and being, among many other curious
circumstances, particularly struck with that relating to the
inefficacy of smallpox matter in a particular state, I think it
proper to lay before you the following facts which came within my
own knowledge, and which certainly tend to strengthen the
opinions advanced in pages 56 and 57 of your treatise.
"In March, 1784, a general inoculation took place at Arlingham in
this county. I inoculated several patients with active variolous
matter, all of whom had the disease in a favourable way; but the
matter being all used, and not being able to procure any more in
the state I wished, I was under the necessity of taking it from a
pustule which, experience has since proved, was advanced too far
to answer the purpose I intended. Of five persons inoculated with
this last matter, four took the smallpox afterwards in the
natural way, one of whom died, three recovered, and the other,
being cautioned by me to avoid as much as possible the chance of
catching it, escaped from the disease through life. He died of
another disorder about two years ago.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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