Thoughts on General and Partial Inoculations: Containing a translation of two treatises written when the author was at Petersburg, and published there, by Command of her Imperial Majesty, in the Russian LanguageDimsdale, Thomas
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Thoughts on General and Partial Inoculations: Containing a translation of two treatises written when the author was at Petersburg, and published there, by Command of her Imperial Majesty, in the Russian Language
Dimsdale, Thomas
Smallpox -- Vaccination -- Early works to 1800
When all these circumstances are duly considered, surely it will be
allowed, that the Small Pox is frequently caught from the inoculated;
and let it be remembered, that whoever takes the disease from an
inoculated patient, has himself the natural Small Pox, with all the
circumstances of danger in respect to his own life, and of spreading the
contagion to others.
I know it has been said, and even publicly declared, that the Small Pox
from Inoculation is so mild, as scarcely to be infectious to others; but
if this was true, how comes it that matter, taken from inoculated
patients, conveys the distemper with equal certainty, as if it was taken
from the natural Small Pox? is it not morally certain, that the effluvia
partake of the same infectious quality? No physician of any experience,
I am sure, will ever countenance such an opinion. But lest it should
prevail, and do mischief among the ignorant and credulous, I think it
incumbent on me to contradict so dangerous and unwarrantable an
assertion.
In fact, it is certain that the Small Pox is infectious, in proportion
to the number and malignity of the pustules; so far there is usually
less danger from the artificial disease, than from the natural. But let
not this presumption make any one remit their care, or abate their
concern for the community; for I can assert from my own knowledge,
that[3] many fatal instances have happened from the disease having been
spread by the inoculated.
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Footnote 3:
Vide note page 9.
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Having considered the subject as fully as I am able, it shall be left to
the consideration of the public without any comment; only entreating
every family that may inoculate, to be extremely careful, and use every
possible precaution to prevent spreading the infection during the
illness, and to be also particularly attentive, that all furniture and
cloaths be well aired. The persons concerned in inoculating should, on
their parts, take great care that they do not contribute to the
mischief.
If strict attention is paid to these particulars, it may be reasonably
hoped, that the only remaining objection to the practice of Inoculation
in London among persons of condition, may be much weakened, if not
entirely removed.
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On general and partial Inoculations in the country.
The preceding translated treatises having been calculated for Russia,
which in many circumstances differs from England, and in particular that
the will of the Sovereign there is most implicitly obeyed, cannot be
expected to contain all that may be necessary to be considered, and
attended to in this country.
Nevertheless, the general principle of the regulation, so far as it
relates to public Inoculation in towns and villages, may be attended to,
and of such places I mean to treat first, and of London and other
populous places afterwards, for reasons that will be sufficiently
evident in the sequel.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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