The tryal of Mr. Daniel Sutton, for the high crime of preserving the lives of His Majesty's liege subjects, by means of inoculationSutton, Daniel
History
The tryal of Mr. Daniel Sutton, for the high crime of preserving the lives of His Majesty's liege subjects, by means of inoculation
Sutton, Daniel
Smallpox -- Vaccination -- Great Britain -- Early works to 1800; Sutton, Daniel, 1735-1819
_Dr. Glass._ This Somersetshire operator inoculates all that apply to
him for that purpose, without examining in what state of health they
are, or have been, or asking them a single question. He always begins
his process with communicating the infection. After this he bleeds
some, purges all twice, confines them to a low diet, forbids exercise,
and whatever quickens the motion of the blood. Every one, as soon as
the eruptive fever begins, is put to bed in a room that is shut up
close, to keep out the cool air, is well covered with bed-cloaths, and
has plenty of baum tea given him to make him sweat. But if this doth
not answer, a sweating powder, which, being tasteless, is supposed
to be some antimonial preparation, is administered. By these means,
a plentiful sweat is procured, and continued till the eruption is
compleated. The patient is then permitted to get up, walk about the
house, and to go out, if he pleaseth, into the open air, when the
weather is not unfavourable.
_Couns. for the Pris._ I think, Sir, you said that you had been at some
pains to discover the cause of the miraculous success ascribed to this
new method of inoculation, as it is called: is it your opinion that it
is owing to any peculiarity in his preparatory course?
_Dr. Glass._ No; because the result of inoculation after various
methods of preparation, and without any preparation at all, as appears
from the practice of the Somersetshire man, are much the same.
_Couns. for the Pris._ Do you ascribe it to the use of mercury?
_Dr. Glass._ No; because I certainly know, that some gentlemen of my
acquaintance, who make it a constant rule to prepare with mercurials,
have not been more successful than some others, who seldom or never use
any mercurial preparation before or after the operation.
_Couns. for the Pris._ Are you of opinion that it is to be attributed
to his extreme cool regimen?
_Dr. Glass._ No; though I approve it in general: nevertheless, I will
venture to say, that I have met with some cases, in which cordial
medicines were necessary. Yet I apprehend, that a close room and hot
air are always extremely prejudicial in every stage of the small-pox,
and in all kinds of fevers.
_Couns. for the Pris._ Do you lay any stress on the manner of
communicating the infection?
_Dr. Glass._ No; it can make but little difference whether the
infectious matter is applied to a slight wound of the skin on the
point of a lancet, or a bit of thread.
_Couns. for the Pris._ To what cause then do you ascribe the great
success of the Suttonians?
_Dr. Glass._ It seems highly probable, that their singular success is
chiefly owing to their singular method of disposing their patients
to sweat, and then sweating them, by the medicines they give after
inoculation, and during the eruptive fever.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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