I Am very Senſible of the Reſpect that is due to the Profeſſion, and Character of the Author of the Letter againſt Inoculating the Small Pox; but am no leſs ſenſible of the Obligation I lye under to vindicate my own Reputation, which a violent Fit of Sickneſs hath hitherto hinder'd me from doing. And I can do it with the more Freedom, becauſe I am conſcious to my ſelf, that I began this Practice in England with the ſame View to the Publick Good, with which, I hope, the Learned Author condemns it. I muſt take the Liberty to ſay, that allowing the Doctor's Abilities to be as great as poſſible in his own Profeſſion, he ſeems not quite ſo well qualify'd to write upon this Subject; becauſe of the Narrowneſs of his Experience (as far as appears by his Letter) and his partial Credulity, or Incredulity in Matters of Fact, which he takes from others; and laſtly, becauſe of ſtrong Prejudices, which impoſe upon his moſt excellent Underſtanding; and draw him into Reaſonings, which either are inconſequential, or conclude ſtrongly for the Practice of Inoculation, which they are brought to overturn. All theſe, I believe, will appear very plain to any Impartial Reader, in the following Animadverſions, in which I will endeavour to be as ſhort as the Subject will allow.

The Letter pretends to be an Admonition to Phyſicians not to meddle in this Practice of Inoculation, 'till they are better aſcertain'd, by Experience, of the Succeſs of it: At the ſame Time, it is a moſt warm Diſſuaſive, not only to Phyſicians, but to all Sorts of People, not to practiſe it at all; and conſequently, to deprive them of all Poſſibility of coming by Experience. Would it not found ſomewhat abſurd, if any one ſhould ſay to a young Phyſician, Pray, Sir, don't Practiſe 'till you have Experience? But it is ſtill more ſo in this Caſe, becauſe in a Practice that is entirely to be laid aſide, you can neither have the Benefit of your own, nor other Peoples Experience.

As to Phyſicians meddling with this Practice of Inoculation, I can only ſay, it may favour too much of Novelty to be bigotly zealous for it; and too much of a Faculty-Intereſt to be ſo violent againſt it. Phyſicians cannot ingraft People againſt their own, or their Parents Conſent; and a Phyſician would be out of his Duty, who ſhould perſuade them to it contrary to their Inclinations: On the other Hand, If a Perſon, from the Experience of the Fatality of the Small Pox in general, or in his own Family in particular, ſhould reſolve to ingraft his Child, any Phyſician, who ſhould diſſuade him from it, might, in a great meaſure, be chargeable with the fatal Conſequences of the Neglect of a Method, which the Parent had propos'd, as the only Moans to ſave his Child's Life: And he would be ſtill as much to blame, if when the Parent had reſolv'd to ingraft his Child, he ſhould refuſe to attend him. It is very common with Parents, not only to leave their Children in Houſes infected with the Small Pox, but to bring them into the Room, where their Brethren or Siſters lye ill of them; and a Parent who does ſo, conveys the Infection to his Child as deliberately, and according to the Doctor, certainly more than he, who orders him to be Inoculated. Would it not then be equally, impertinent in the Phyſician to deny his Attendance in either Caſe?

I muſt put the Doctor in Mind, that there are very few of the moſt uſeful Diſcoveries in Phyſick, that have not been ſtrenuouſly oppos'd by many of the Faculty upon their firſt Appearance. There is extant a Decree of the College of Phyſicians at Paris, againſt the Uſe of Antimonial Vomits: It were eaſy to aſſign many Inſtances of the like Nature.

As the Doctor is ſurpriz'd, that an Experiment, practis'd only by a few ignorant Women, amongſt an illiterate and unthinking People, ſhould on a Sudden, and upon a ſlender Experience, ſo far obtain in one of the Politeſt Nations in the World, as to be receiv'd into the Royal Palace. I hope he has not forgot, that the Practice of Curing Intermitting Fevers by the BARK, was introduc'd of a Sudden, by a barbarous Indian, if not into the Royal Family, into the Family of a Viceroy; and thence tranſmitted to us.

Page 7.] The Blood of the Engliſh if we ſpeak of it as National, is the Product of the richeſt Dyet, &c. Ergo, to bring 'em to a ſpare Dyet before they have the Small Pox, muſt be extremely dangerous and hurtful. This muſt be the Doctor's Concluſion: mine, I own, would be the direct contradictory. If the Inflammatory State of the Blood, ariſing from the Richneſs of the Dyet, makes the Small Pox in England very mortal; That Practice, which either takes the Advantage of a contrary State of the Blood, or by a Spare Dyet introduces it, muſt be beneficial.

Page 8.] The fineſt, the moſt Volatile, and indeed, Inſenſible Particles of the Animal Juices, are the moſt penetrating, and conſequently the moſt contagious. And for the ſame Reaſon, the moſt noxious: Does it follow therefore, To convey the Infection by the groſſer and ſenſible Parts, muſt be extremely unfit and dangerous? I confeſs, I ſhould have inferr'd the contrary.

The Symptoms are more or leſs, and the Diſtemper appears in a greater, or a leſs Degree, according to the State of the Blood at the Time of Infection. Therefore the Practice of Inoculation is highly to be encouraged, becauſe it either finds, or puts the Blood into a good State, before the Infection; ſeems to be a more natural Concluſion, than the contrary One.

Page 10.] If we could be aſſur'd, that the Diſtemper would not be equally uncertain by Inoculation, according to the Nature of the Injected Matter, or the Diſpoſition of the Fluids, in the Perſon who receives it; ſo that it would conſtantly prove of the mildeſt Kind, Inoculation would, no doubt, be a very rational and uſeful Practice. The Doctor ſurely will not affirm, that a Perſon Inoculated is equally uncertain of the Circumſtances mention'd, with one who catches the Small Pox by the common Way of Infection. Firſt, He may be aſſur'd, if the Inoculation takes Place, of the Time when he ſhall have the Small Pox. Secondly, That he has not the Infection by the inſenſible Particles, which the Doctor owns to be the moſt contagious; or which is near the ſame Thing, convey the Contagion the ſtrongeſt, Thirdly, He may be as ſure, as his Operator is careful, that he is infected by a favourable Kind. And, Fourthly, He may be much more ſure of the Diſpoſition of his Fluids, than a Perſon who catches them by Chance, after a Surfeit, or a Debauch: And after all this, he may be aſſur'd, if he has not abſolute Certainty, (which, I believe, one has hardly in Blood-letting) that he has a much greater Probability to eſcape, which is ſufficient Ground for human Prudence to act upon: If the Doctor will deny thoſe Things, I think it is Folly to reaſon upon this Subject any longer: And if, as the Doctor ſays, Inoculation may be a more uncertain Method to give the Contagion, than that which Nature has purſu'd; it may be, notwithſtanding that, much more ſafe.

Page 11.] The very Choice that is made of a thick purulent Matter, to intermix immediately with the Blood, ſeems a little repugnant to our Reaſon, ſince we know, that the Particles have ſuch a different Contexture, and ſuch different Powers to Attract. It may proceed from my Ignorance, or Dulneſs, but, I confeſs, I do not eaſily apprehend the Meaning of this Sentence; Whether by the Particles he means the Particles of purulent Matter, or the Particles of Blood; or whether the Particles of purulent Matter have different attractive Powers, from thoſe of the Blood, is not obvious from the Conſtruction of the Sentence. I chuſe rather to underſtand him in the laſt Senſe, becauſe he has afterwards very ſagaciouſly diſcover'd, That the blended Particles of Blood with Blood, may, in all Reaſon, be thought more likely to unite, and leſs liable to raiſe Commotions. But it happens unluckily in the Caſe of Inoculation, the Deſign is to raiſe a Commotion; and the purulent Matter, for the Reaſon mention'd by him, is fitteſt for that Purpoſe; And his Obſervation, that purging Medicines injected into the Blood will Purge, does not prove, that the Pus of the Small Pox, mix'd with the Blood, may not raiſe the Small Pox. What he ſays in this Paragraph, as likewiſe in the following, concerning the Experiment of the Mangey Dog, proves, that Pus is a more proper Vehicle to convey Infection than Blood; I cannot find any more in it.

Page 13.] It never came into the Heads of the Practitioners above-mention'd to raiſe Diſtempers by Art in a human Body. Then I will be bold to ſay, it never came into their Heads to practiſe Phyſick; which, conſider'd in a true Light, is founded upon that ſingle Principle of Curing Natural, by raiſing Artificial Diſeaſes. What is Bleeding, but an artificial Haemorrhagy; Purging, but raiſing an artificial Diarrhaea? Does the Vomiting produc'd by a Surfeit, and that procur'd by a Medicine differ ſo much, as that the One muſt be call'd a Diſeaſe, and the Other not? Are not Bliſters, Iſſues, and Setons, artificial 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Impoſthumations? I hope he has not forgot the of his great Maſter Hippocrates. The Wounds and Amputations of Surgeons, differ only from accidental Ones, by the Manner and Intention; Morbus eſt ille corporis ſtatus qui functiones Animales laedit: And it may be likewiſe obſerv'd, that Phyſicians produce thoſe Diſeaſes in their Patients often by Way of Prevention as well as Cure; and in this they do nothing but imitate Nature, which often attempts the Cure of one Diſeaſe by another.

Page 14.] His next Argument is taken from the fatal Conſequences of this very Matter it ſelf returning into the Blood, in the very Height of the Small Pox, where there ſeldom is a full and ſufficient Diſcharge by the Skin, &c. One would imagine, that the natural Inference from this, would be to the Advantage of Inoculation; For if there are terrible Symptoms, which ariſe from Want of a ſufficient Diſcharge of the purulent Matter in the Small Pox; Inoculation, which provides for ſuch a Diſcharge, by artificial Out-lets, muſt needs be uſeful; and ſeems more proper than the Bliſters, which the Phyſicians apply on that Occaſion. As to the fatal Conſequences ariſing for Want of a ſufficient Diſcharge upon the Skin, I am affraid the Caſe is quite different from what the Doctor repreſents; for the more Matter is diſcharg'd upon the Skin, the more is often return'd into the Blood; witneſs the confluent Kind of Small Pox, where the Diſcharge upon the Skin, as well as the Symptoms ariſing from the Return of the Matter into the Blood, are both the greateſt: And I believe it will be found, the leſs the Diſcharge upon the Skin, the leſs will be the Danger from theſe Symptoms. The Doctor ſays, That one may always obſerve in this artificial Method (even where the Diſtemper is the faireſt and moſt kindly) that the Puſtules ſcarce ever plump up to that Degree, or contain ſo laudable a Matter, as they do in the natural Sort. Here is an odd Jumble of the Words always, ſcarce ever: Suppoſe for ſcarce ever one put ſeldom, then the Sentence runs thus; One may always obſerve the Puſtules ſeldom plump up, &c. What happens but ſeldom, happens ſometimes; and to obſerve always That not to happen, which happens ſometimes, is odd, or oddly expreſs'd. I would be glad to know how many Caſes the Doctor has obſerv'd, to frame this ſo general a Propoſition upon; of the contrary of which, Hundreds of Perſons about this Town, who know the Diſeaſe perfectly, have been Eye-Witneſſes.

Page 16.] The Doctor foreſees ſome Inconvenience that muſt happen, from thoſe viſcid Particles intermixing with the Blood, without undergoing the common Alterations of Aliment. But they have that in common with the Volatile and moſt Inſenſible Particles. But then they are viſcid, and therefore, (according to the Doctor's Reaſoning) don't convey the Infection ſo ſtrong: But they occaſion great Diſorders; Not ſo great as the Inſenſible and Volatile Particles. At laſt, they break through the Glands of the Skin: If only the ſmall Quantity of purulent Matter, that mixes with the Blood, break thro' the Pores of the Skin, the Eruption, indeed, would be very ſmall; But to cauſe an Eruption, is the very Intention of the Operation; the Small Pox cannot be produc'd without it: And if the Doctor ſtill inſiſts, that it is only like the Small Pox; all I can ſay is, If he had been pleas'd to attend Multitudes of Caſes of Inoculated Perſons, here and elſewhere in England, ſince this Practice began, he muſt have been convinc'd, that the Eruptions, produc'd by Inoculation, are the Genuine Small Pox. If his Arguments ſo far prevail, as to hinder any future Inoculation, he muſt for ever continue in his Miſtake; If the Patient recovers, then it was only ſomething like the Small Pox; If any one dies, then to be ſure it was the Small Pox catch'd by Inoculation, and of the worſt Sort. In this Paragraph it is no Small Pox; by and by, it is a Small Pox ſo bad, that it is capable of ſpreading the Small Pox through a whole City; and an artificial Way of depopulating a whole Country. This Way of Arguing is a very plain Proof of the ſtrong Prejudices the Doctor lyes under; and that as he has taken up his Opinion early, he is reſolv'd to defend it obſtinately.

Page 20.] The Inoculators are charg'd with Acting like Empirics, becauſe they are not aſcertain'd of the different Doſes for Children and Adults. There does not ſeem to be any great Matter in this Nicety, by Experience, as it ſtands hitherto; a ſmall Quantity will communicate the Small Pox, and a greater has been found not to do hurt in any one Inſtance. If the Inoculation is perform'd by Inciſion, the different Apertures will anſwer that Intention: However, there is a great Difference between recommending Caution, and forbidding the Practice: It is ſtill more ſtrange to forbid the Practice, 'till that is determin'd, which can only be found out by Practice. According to this Principle, it had been impoſſible ever to have found out any Thing in Medicine; for he that gave the firſt Doſe of a Vomiting, or Purging Medicine, or of any other, could never be ſure of the proper Doſe; nay farther, according to this Doctrine, it is impoſſible to give any Body their firſt Doſe of any Medicine: For who can tell what is the proper Doſe for any particular Perſon, there being often Singularities in every one's Conſtitution: In all theſe Matters, Mankind generally govern themſelves by common Senſe, and ſtrong Probabilities; there being no abſolute Certainty in any human Affairs.

Page 25.] The Doctor returns to his former Point, that it is not the Genuine Small Pox, and conſequently no Security againſt that Diſeaſe. The Matters of Fact I will anſwer by themſelves; all I ſhall ſay at preſent is, that if the Symptoms of the Ingrafted Small Pox are more mild, than thoſe of the natural Sort, I hope the Doctor will not bring that as an Objection againſt the Practice. I believe the Patient, in this Caſe, has juſt as great Certainty for not having the Small Pox again, as any other Perſon who has had them; which is no abſolute one. Thoſe who are Infected by any Method, I believe, are much in the ſame Condition, as to their Security from the Diſeaſe for the future; for which, I will give the Doctor this one plain Proof, which is ſufficient to eſtabliſh a moral Certainty. This Practice of Inoculation has been continu'd for many Years in ſeveral Countries; if the Inoculated had been ſubject to catch the Small Pox a ſecond Time, ſomething of this Kind muſt have happen'd; and a very few Inſtances of this, muſt have put an End to the whole Practice: For can any one imagine, that People in their Senſes would have continu'd a troubleſome Experiment, which was not effectual for the Purpoſe for which it was deſign'd? I will take the Freedom to ſay, that this ſingle Reflection is a ſtronger Proof of this Point, than all the Doctor's Doubts and Suggeſtions, who knows nothing to the contrary; as I ſhall ſhew by and by. May it not at leaſt be adviſeable to allow a Truce in the Diſpute, 'till an unconteſted Caſe of that Kind happens?

Page 28.] But, Innoculation does not always take Place and produce the Diſeaſe: is Therefore the Practice to be left off? There are ſome Perſons, who by a Speciality of their Conſtitutions, ſeem hardly ſuſceptible of the Diſtemper; and others, who have had the Diſeaſe, but it has been miſtaken, or forgot. They go farther in Turky, and affirm, that the very running Sores are a Security againſt the Small Pox. There may be, indeed, a ſtrong Preſumption, that Perſons, who have had ſo ſevere a Tryal as Inoculation, may not be ſuſceptible of the Diſtemper. Beſides, there are ſeveral Incidents in performing the Operation, which may not be carefully attended to; if the Patient has not the Small Pox, there is little Hurt done. There are ſome, whom a very ſtrong Doſe of Phyſick will not purge: What then? muſt we never afterwards give a Purge?

If the Doctor's Aphoriſm, laid down, Page 36, That an Experiment, to make it uſeful, always muſt be nearly uniform; there muſt be no ſuch Thing as the Practice of Phyſick; unleſs by the Word nearly he allows a very great Latitude.

I cannot allow it as a ſolid Argument againſt Inoculation, that the French and Italians have not begun it; no more, than that the Houſe of Bourbon has never been Inoculated. Were the Doctor's Letter publiſh'd in Italian too, as it is in very elegant French, both Nations, to be ſure, will be ſufficiently frighten'd from ever attempting this Practice: And to make the Antidote ſtill more univerſal, let us have it in Sclavonic and High-Dutch, Welſh and Iriſh alſo.

What the Doctor ſays, Page 44, of the Attention that is to be given to the natural Weakneſſes of the Conſtitutions of the Perſons Inoculated, is a very proper Caution; and perhaps Miſcarriages, if any ſuch there be, may be owing to the Neglect of it. But, as I hinted before, if the leaſt ill Succeſs, even in the moſt innocent Branches of the Practice of Phyſick, ariſing from Want of Care, or Skill, ſhould be a perpetual Bar to the Repitition of them, People muſt leave off to Purge, Vomit, Bleed, or even to cut Corns, of which Operation ſeveral die in a Year within the Bills of Mortality.

Page 45.] But it is poſſible, and even probable, the Matter of the Small Pox may communicate the Diſeaſes of the People from which it is taken. This is hard! The Doctor will ſcarcely allow, that the Matter of the Small Pox will communicate the Small Pox; but it is probable, that it will communicate any other Diſeaſe. Que vive Thomas Diaphoinus, il n'a Jamais ete vaincu en diſpute! How are we ſure, that the Aliment, or Drugs, both for External and Internal Uſes, don't communicate the Diſeaſes; nay, the very natural Qualities of thoſe Animals from which they are taken? I think, indeed, the Election of wholſome Subjects to Inoculate from, is a proper Caution; but the Doctor demands abſolute Certainty, which cannot be found in any human Affair, and leſs ſtill in any Medical or Chyrurgical Practice. Mankind in all thoſe Matters govern themſelves by the ſtrongeſt Probabilities; and that theſe are on the Side of Inoculation, I ſhall plainly demonſtrate.

Page 51.] The Doctor's Argument from the jarring Opinions of the Innoculators; if all he ſays were true, is juſt as ſtrong againſt the Practice of Phyſick in General: For if no Body was to take any Medicine 'till Doctors ceaſe to differ, I believe the Faculty would ſtarve: May we not with more Truth affirm, that the Anti-inoculators (a Word more ſonorous, and longer by two Syllables than that of Inoculators) are as inconſiſtent and changeable in their Opinions? One while they aſſerted, that it was impoſſible to give the Small Pox by this Method; when Experience had convinc'd them, ſome of 'em at leaſt, of the Untenableneſs of this Doctrine; then they allow'd, if it prov'd mortal, that it was the Small Pox; if they eſcaped, to be ſure they would have them again; If it was a favourable Sort, then there was ſome inveterate Diſtemper tranſplanted with it; If any Boils or Impoſthumations appear'd at the going off of the Diſeaſe, thoſe were the Effect of the Inoculation, not the Conſequence of the Small Pox in General, or of the Conſtitution of the Patient. Theſe are certainly, not the Reaſonings of ingenious and inquiſitive Philoſophers, but the Cavils of intereſted Diſputants; and it would be ridiculous, for any Man to be determin'd by the jarring Opinions, either of the one Side or t'other.

There is nothing material in the Way of Argumentation, 'till we come to Page 62. There this Practice is condemn'd, as it tends to propagate and continue an Infection in any Place: Here again it is the Small Pox; elſe why ſhould it ſpread the Small Pox? I anſwer, if it be true, that the Generality of Mankind have the Small Pox; if they are rare in ſome Years, they muſt be riſe in others; becauſe a new Stock of Subjects ſuſceptible of the Diſtemper is produc'd; and the Operation of this Diſtemper upon the Maſs of Mankind in any particular Place, is nearly uniform. When this general Run of the Small Pox happens; I take it to be indifferent to the Maſs of the Inhabitants of any Place in general, except in this one particular, that when the Diſeaſe is produc'd by a bad Conſtitution of Air, as it is moſt Epidemical, ſo it is then moſt mortal. Now if this Diſtemper ſhould happen to be propagated by an artificial Method in a favourable Seaſon, would not this be rather an Advantage to Mankind than otherwiſe? For example, The Doctor alledgeth that hardly one of a hundred hath dy'd of the natural Sort this Year; would it not then have been highly profitable to Mankind, that a general Run of the Small Pox had happen'd in ſo favourable a Seaſon; and this would ſtill operate more ſtrongly for the Benefit of Mankind, if not only the Seaſon, but the Method of Propagation had ten to one of odds of producing a mild Sort. So that this Argument of the Doctor's has the Misfortune, with a great many of the reſt, to prove the Contradictory of his Concluſion: But without taking the Advantage of the Doctor's hardy Aſſertion, that hardly one of a hundred have dy'd this Year of the Small Pox: I will examine it a little by Numbers. I have not all the Bills of Mortality by me, but by a ſmall Specimen, the Accompt ſtands thus:

Dy'd of all Diſeaſes. Dy'd of the Small Pox. 1707. 21600 1707. 1078   21291   1687   21800   1024   24620   3138   19833   0915   21198   1943   21057   1614   26569   2810   22232   1057   24436   2427   23446   2211 1718. 26523 1718. 1884           274605   21788

By which it appears that the ſingle Branch of Mortality occaſion'd by the Small Pox is ſome Years 1/ • and in a Circle of twelve Years about 1/12 of the whole Mortality in general; For 21,788 is near 1/12 of 274,615. During this Term of Years, London wanted an Addition of near 22000 People yearly to keep it equally full. If all Mankind had the Small Pox, then 22000 People, one Year with another had it; of which 1/12 dy'd; If one half of Mankind had the Small Pox, then 1 out of 6, who had the Diſtemper, dy'd of it. Which, by the way, ſhows the Doctor to be out in his Calculation; for if only 1000 die this Year, as perhaps may appear by the Bills, 100,000 muſt have been ſick of the Diſtemper, to make his Aſſertion true, that one only of a hundred dy'd: If he means it only of Children, it is a ſtrong Argument for Inoculation, becauſe it allows that to be a favourable Age.

By the Bills of Mortality of Breſlaw it appears, that the Maſs of Mankind loſe above 25 per Cent, before they are a Year old; that is, of a 100 that are born, more than 25 die that firſt Year: I may ſay with great Probability that not 1/9 of thoſe have the Small Pox at all; but die of other Diſeaſes; and that in the Account, as it ſtands before us 8 of 9 of Infants may be reckon'd neither Subjects of the Diſtemper, nor of this Practice, but as it were non-Entities. Therefore out of the 22000 People, the yearly Recruits of London abovemention'd, ſubſtracting 4000, there remains 18000, of which yearly there died above 1800 of the Small Pox; that is, 1/ • : So that the Small Pox may be reckon'd to cut off 1/ • of Mankind above the Age of one Year. I wiſh the World is not malicious enough to ſay, that Phyſicians (like the Clergy) are now ſtrugling for their Tenths. But to proceed, If, as I ſaid, all Mankind above a Year old have the Diſtemper, I out of 10 dies of it; If one half, then 1 out of 5, which have the Diſtemper the natural way, dies of it: If ¼ of Mankind have the Small Pox once in their Life, then of them 2 out of 15 die: If 5/6, then 3 out of 25, which have the Diſtemper, die of it. According to D. Nettleton's Calculation; out of 1245 who had the natural Small Pox in ſome Neighbouring Towns in Yorkſhire there died 270, which is about 22 out of a hundred. As to the prudential Part of Inoculation, it is all one whether a greater or leſſer Number have the Small Pox; for the Chance of not dying by the Small Pox the natural Way, is made up of the Chance of eſcaping the Diſtemper, and that of eſcaping in the Diſtemper. If ½ of Mankind have the Diſtemper, it is ½ of ⅕ or 1/ • ▪ If • /4 of Mankind have the Diſtemper, then it is ¾ × • / • or 6/ • or 1/ • &c. Still all Mankind muſt be conſider'd with the Seeds of a Diſtemper within them which has the Chance of 1 to 9 to cut them, off. Then ſurely they don't merit ſuch hard Names, of Homicides and Spreaders of Infection, who do but attempt to leſſen the Dread and Danger of this terrible Peſtilence.

By the Accounts of the Inoculation in England and the Plantations, tho' it is an early Practice, and has not been manag'd with due Care and Circumſpection; out of about 500 on whom it has been perform'd, the Enemies of the Practice have not produc'd the Names of above 3 Perſons that have died; allowing their Deaths chargeable on this Practice, which I believe is not in Fact true: A Practice which brings the Mortality of the Small Pox from one in ten to one in a hundred, if it obtain'd univerſally would ſave to the City of London at leaſt 1500 People yearly; and the ſame Odds wou'd be a ſufficient prudential Motive to any private Perſon to proceed upon, abſtracting from the more occult and abſtruſe Cauſes which ſeem to favour this Operation. It is a ſelf evident Propoſition, that a Perſon who receives the Infection by Inoculation, has a much fairer Chance for his Life, than he who takes it the natural Way; unleſs it can be affirmed, that the having the Election of all the Circomſtances of the Diſeaſe, is of no manner of Advantage. For Example, it muſt be of ſome Benefit, to know that one is to have the Diſtemper nine or ten Dayes before it comes; rather than to be ſurpris'd, or perhaps miſtaken in it. To have it at an Age when it is not ſo mortal: To take it when the Body is in a temperate and cool State, rather than in a contrary one: When the Conſtitution of the Air is favourable, rather than malignant: After a cool Dyet and other due Preparations, rather than after a Surfeit or a drunken Bout. For if the principal Strokes towards the Cure, are in the Regimen, in the Beginning of a Diſtemper; it muſt be ſtill more ſo, in a Regimen before it begins. If the Doctor will deny theſe Truths, I have done. But if the having all the Circumſtances abovemention'd in one's Power be of ſome Advantage, then the Practice of Inoculation cannot be hurtfull but beneficial to Mankind in general: Then why muſt an Experiment already practis'd with Succeſs in another Country, that bids fair to ſave the Lives of Multitudes, be entirely laid aſide and cruſh'd in the Bud? Cannot the learned Phyſicians, who ſo zealouſly oppoſe it, have a little Patience, and Time will clear up many Things in it, which perhaps may be now doubtful? Therefore ſince this Practice cannot be hurtful but beneficial to Mankind in general, it ought not to be diſcouraged.

As to the Inconſiſtencies and Miſtakes, the Doctor is pleas'd to charge me withall: I ſhall always be ſo ingenuous as to own ſuch, as my Inadvertency or Want of Experience have ſubjected me to. What I wrote was according to the beſt Information or Experience I had at that Time. General Propoſitions, in practical Matters, are not to be underſtood in the Strictneſs of a Logical Univerſality. The Symptoms from which I exempted the Inoculated Small Pox, are to be underſtood in a Comparative Senſe, with regard to thoſe of the natural Sort; the Word uſual will juſtify this Meaning, in which any Reader, not quite Captious, will interpret them. If with all theſe Reſtrictions I cannot be favourably underſtood, I beg Pardon; and as I ſaid before, I ſhall be always willing to recant any Miſtake. But as on the one hand, I ſtudy to keep myſelf free from Prejudices, ſo as to be ſuſceptible of any future Conviction, which may ariſe from Experience; ſo I wou'd not ſubmit a Point already eſtabliſh'd, to the ſilly Cavils of thoſe who have none.

I am ſure, I am not miſtaken in the Account of the Inoculation at Newgate; but the Doctor is. I referr the Reader to my printed Journal; whereby it appears, that the Operation was fairly and equally perform'd on all: And I can with great Truth, declare, that I had no Intention to make any Difference in the Inciſions; nor was there, indeed, any made. The Doctor not having ſeen Evans, the Man who had had the Small Pox before, till next Day, when they were partly heal'd, this might occaſion his Miſtake. Nor was the Matter taken from a violent Flux-kind, but from a full diſtinct Coherent kind, and at the proper Time. Mrs. Tompions Boil (as he call's it) on her Arm; was not the ſame from the firſt Day of the Eruption; nor the only one ſhe had: But was a fair, regular Puſtule of the Small Pox, of which alſo ſhe had others, if he had been pleas'd to examine. Alcock, who had the Goal-Diſtemper, had alſo 60 Puſtules, at leaſt, of the Genuine Small Pox; with a gentle Fever before the Eruption. As to all of them, having had but few Eruptions; I hope, that is no Objection againſt the Practice. And as to the Time and Manner of their Puſtules going off; they were much the ſame, as in the gentler Sort of Small Pox: Only that Alcock opening his with a Pin, made them fall off ſooner. The Doctor might have taken Notice, that Eliz. Harriſon, who had them as gently, at leaſt, as any of them; has been employ'd ſince in Nurſing above 20 People in the Small Pox, and never has catch'd them: Which any impartial Perſon will judge to be a better Proof of the Genuinneſs of the Diſtemper, than all his Obſervations can evince to the contrary.

As to Mr. H _… n's Caſe, it is true. But the Inference is only, that there was one Perſon, on whom the Inoculation did not take place. I hope the Doctor has not forgot that he own'd to me that Mr. Colt's Children had the true Small Pox; tho' their Caſe differ'd in nothing from thoſe in Newgate; but in the Degrees of the Diſtemper.

As to the Experiment in St. Thomas's Hoſpital, after two vaſtly large Inciſions, and an immoderate Quantity of the Matter applay'd; three Days and Nights Confinement of the Patient to his Bed, without opening his Bandage, a warm Regimen, in a hot Seaſon; I viſited him, (to know the Truth of the Noiſe that was made) on the ſixth Day after the Operation, and ſaw no Eruptions, nor had he any; nor were his Inciſions digeſted: I took the Freedom to ask Doctor Wadſworth then preſent, whether the Sores (pointing at them) were like thoſe he ſaw at Newgate? And he fairly own'd, he cou'd not ſay they were. I again ſaw this Patient a Week after, but ſtill no Eruption; If any Eruptions happen'd between theſe Times, they could not be the Small Pox: And I believe, none who ſaw and attended both Experiments, can truly ſay, they were like thoſe in Newgate.

I own that it ſeem'd probable that the ſix Perſons in Mr. Batt's Family might have catch'd the Small Pox of the Girl that was Inoculated; but it is well known that the Small Pox were rife not only at Hertford, but in ſeveral Villages round it, many Months before any Perſon was Inoculated there: Witneſs Mr. Dobb's Houſe in Chriſt's Hoſpital Buildings, where he himſelf died of the worſt Sort with Purples; and his Children had it. Some other Families there, and particularly Mrs. Moſs's, where the above-named Elizabeth Harriſon, Inoculated in Newgate, attended ſeveral Perſons under it, to prove whether ſhe would catch the Diſtemper by Infection; Both Latin Boarding-Schools; Mr. Stout's and Mr. Loyd's Families; Mr. John Dimſdale's Coachman and his Wiſe; and Mr. Santoon's Maid-Servant, who was brought to the ſame Houſe, and died of the Confluent kind of the Small Pox; I took Matter from the ſaid Coachman to Inoculate Mr. Batt's Daughter in the Country Farm Houſe, the firſt Ingrafted in that Country. After this I took Matter alſo from Mr. Stout's Maid-Servant to Inoculate Mrs Heath's two Sons; which were all I Inoculated in that Town. Beſides all theſe there were a great many more, whoſe Names I cannot at preſent call to mind both in Town and Country about it, who had the Small Pox, and ſeveral died of it, the Summer before I began this Practice: Theſe are Matters of Fact, which the Doctor's Author cannot diſprove. To charge then the Spreading the Infection and the Conſequences of it, 〈◊〉 that Town, upon two ſingle Boys who were Inoculated in a Court in a manner ſeparated from all the reſt of the Town, which was fuller of the Small Pox before than after the Inoculation, is not agreeable to that Ingenuity which the Doctor ſeems to demand of his Adverſaries.

The Caſe of Mr. De Grave's Daughter which fills up three or four Pages in the Letter, and upon which the Doctor lays the Foundation of his Hypotheſis, the Reader may pleaſe to take from her Father's own Words in his Letter annex'd. From which it appears that the Girl had the Small Pox but once, of the favourable kind; and in all Probability by Inoculation. So far the Caſe is ſingular, that it did not take place till eleven Weeks after the Operation; and untill the Blood was put into a Ferment by violent Motion. Here the Doctor triumphs in his Dilemma, Either ſhe had, or ſhe had not the Small Pox by Inoculation; If the firſt, then it is plain Inoculation is no preventive of the Diſeaſe; If the ſecond, the Experiment is good for nothing. I think in this way of Argumentation, to make it concluſive, there ought to be a perfect Enumeration; but here is a Third Caſe, and the real one, not enumerated; which is, that the Girl had the Small Pox, and that but once, by Inoculation; tho' not at the ſame Time when the Doctor lays the Scene of his Dilemma. But to conſider the Second Branch; allowing that this Small Pox was the natural Sort, and not produc'd by Inoculation, of which, I think, the contrary is plain; ſure it is a ſtrange Inſerence to ſay, that becauſe Inoculation has not taken Effect in one Subject, it is therefore good for nothing. The Doctor's excellent Judgment will inſtruct him to reaſon with more Temper and Solidity in other Matters of his Profeſſion; and not make Uſe of his Aphoriſm, That one Inſtance is as good as a thouſand in Matters of Experience. What the Doctor ſays of his Fears of a great Claſs of Hypothetical Diſeaſes, is all vaniſh'd, and the Girl is very well. I refer the Doctor upon this Head of the Preventive Power of Inoculation, to the Letter which he lays ſo much Streſs upon, from Boſton; where his Ally in this Diſpute owns, That not one of the Inoculated (being about three Hundred) during the Space of five or ſix Months, in a general Run of the Small Pox, has had the Small Pox the natural Way, as far as we know: But of this more afterwards.

As for his ſecond Story of Captain Huſſart, it requires only a bare Reading to make it ridiculous; For no unprejudic'd Perſon of common Senſe can believe that one, after having been Inoculated twice without any Effect, would try it a third Time: But after a third Time, to try it a fourth, fifth, and ſixth Time, paſſeth all Degrees of Credibility. But it ſeems this Captain was not very certain, whether it was five or ſix Times; one Inoculation had quite ſlipt out of his Memory: he wanted one Quality, which the Proverb demands in ſome Sort of People. Since the Doctor can give Credit to this Story of Captain 〈◊〉 and at the ſame Time queſtion the 〈◊〉 what is ſaid by eminent Phyſicians, who 〈◊〉 from their own and other Peoples Obſervations on the Spot, where Inoculation is practis'd daily; I appeal to my Readers, if I may not with Juſtice tax him of being partially Credulous or Incredulous, as Facts make for or againſt his Purpoſe. And with all due Reſpect to the Senate of Boſton, I queſtion whether a Bill, or an Hypotheſis, founded upon ſuch a Fact, is more extraordinary. But allowing it to be true, what is the Inference? That a Perſon, who could not catch the Small Pox by Inoculation, had them the natural Way: If that were granted, will it prove, that one who has the Small Pox by Inoculation, may afterwards have them the natural Way? If upon the ſame Authority, the Doctor can believe the Story of the Muſcovite Dragoon, or the Inoculated Soldiers in the French Army; I wiſh him much Joy. I promiſe him I will not (like the Gentry who went in queſt of St. Alban's Trough) ride twenty Miles to be able to diſprove it. I ſhould be glad to know, which Way the Doctor ſupports ſo bold an Aſſertion, That [Page 17] by the Account Dr. Nettleton gives, as alſo by the beſt Obſervation upon thoſe who have been Inoculated in this City, ſcarcely a fourth Part of them have had a true and genuine Small Pox; I have read over carefully Dr. Nettleton's Account, contain'd in his Letters printed in the Tranſactions of the Royal Society, No 370; and for my Life I cannot find any Thing to juſtify this Aſſertion; on the contrary he ſays, We have not yet found, that ever any had the Diſtemper twice, neither is there any Reaſon to ſuppoſe it poſſible; there being no Difference that can be obſerv'd betwixt the natural and artificial Sort, (if we may be allow'd to call them ſo) but only that in the latter the Puſtules are commonly fewer in Number; and all the reſt of the Symptoms are in the ſame Proportion more favourable. I hope there is at leaſt as much Credit due to an ingenious Practitioner, who writes from a very extended Experience, as to one who writes for the moſt Part by Hearſay.

As to thoſe who have been Inoculated in London; to oppoſe my own, and other Perſons Teſtimony from ocular Inſpection, againſt his, who talks by Report, may ſeem perhaps too great Preſumption. I therefore challenge the Doctor to name the Caſes and Authorities whereby he ſupports ſuch a wild Aſſertion.

As to Mr. Sp _… r's Caſe, I will not preoccupy my Reader with any Reflection; but refer him to the Matter of Fact here ſubjoin'd, as it is teſtify'd by the Surgeon and Apothecaries that attended him.

As to the Caſe of Lord B _… ts's Servant, I refer to the Account ſubjoin'd.

He is juſt as much miſinform'd of the Caſe of Lord F _… s's Son, who had a favourable Sort of Small Pox, and was in no Danger of his Life; as the Phyſician who attended him will readily own.

As to the unfortunate Accidents which have happen'd to ſome of the Firſt Rank by this Ingrafting Method; if I gueſs right who he means, one of them is perfectly well without any unfortunate Accident; and the Impoſthumation, which had no Dependance nor Communication with the Inciſion, is perfectly cur'd without any Exfoliation of the Bone, or any Hectic Fever. But it is hard to charge the common Accidents of the Small Pox in general, upon this Method in particular.

It is no leſs a Miſinformation, that the Children of a Nobleman, underſtood in his Letter, were Ingrafted from a bad Sort of Small Pox. As to what he ſays of the poorer Sort of People of Scotland, running about with the Small Pox upon them, without either Shoes or Stockings; the Doctor ſeems here to intend a Reflection, but I chooſe to avoid all Reflections, either National or Domeſtick. I believe the People of England, as well as thoſe of Scotland, for the moſt Part, neither wear Shoes nor Stockings in the Small Pox: As to their Cuſtom or Ability of running about, they are much in the ſame Condition, as they are here; ſome have them favourably, ſome otherwiſe, and every one has Conveniencies and Helps according to their Circumſtances.

As for the three Letters from Boſton in New England, printed by Way of Appendix to the Doctor's, It might ſuffice to ſay, that they are only a ſevere, and perhaps a juſt Invective, againſt the Clergy and others, for meddling in this Branch of the Phyſicians Practice: Upon which Encroachment, ſome of the Faculty invoke the Vengeance of the Civil Magiſtrate; and threaten the Offenders, as Poiſoners and Spreaders of Infection, with Priſons and Gibbet's: And if the Laws in being are ſomewhat deficient, modeſtly call, as ſome others have done, upon the Legiſlature for new Ones. This general Conſideration is ſufficient to invalidate the Credit of any Thing that is ſaid by a Perſon ſo ſtrongly intereſted: But ſo great is the Force of Truth, that it has extorted enough from this partial Complainant to juſtify the Practice, which he ſo bitterly inveighs againſt. For firſt he owns, that the whole Practice of Inoculation was manag'd by unskillful Perſons; and that many who dy'd or ſuffer'd much under Inoculation, if they had had better Management, might have had better Fate. That the Practitioners neglected as trivial both the Advantages of a ſuitable Seaſon, and a well prepared Body; That they Inoculated all Ages and Conſtitutions from the Beginning; That they Inoculated Women with Child, and Hyſterical people: And after all, They practis'd it at firſt with indifferent good Succeſs: That it had been practis'd, ſince the Middle of June to the Date of his Letter, Dec. 20. upon above two hundred Subjects with various Succceſs. He tells you in his ſecond Letter, That they had at that Time the Experience of two or three Hundred Inoculated: And after all this, in all his three Letters, he gives you only two Letters of the Name of one Inoculated Perſon who dy'd, Mrs. D _… l. He ſays at Random, that others dy'd of it, whom Time may bring to Light. Were the Bodies of thoſe Inoculated Perſons hid under Dunghills? Had they not Chriſtian Burial? It is wondrous ſtrange, that in a Place, where the Practitioners in Phyſick and the Magiſtrates both were againſt Inoculation, he could not come at the Knowledge of a Mortal Caſe but one, the Inoculated Mrs. D _… l, who is trump'd up upon all Occaſions: He ſays, many of the Inoculated ſuffer much, Page 2. What then? A Perſon that has the Small Pox, even in the gentleſt Sort, muſt ſuffer, And at laſt, Page 10, he ingenuouſly acknowledges, That the Small Pox (acquir'd by Inoculation) is frequently more favourable than in the common Way, and not altogether ſo mortal.

Secondly, That not one of the Inoculated during the Space of five or ſix Months has had the Small Pox in the natural Way, ſo far as we know; that is, of about three hundred People Inoculated, ſome of which, no doubt, had only thoſe Eruptions, which they will not allow to be the genuine Small Pox; In a Time, when the whole Town and Country was an Hoſpital of People ſick of the Diſtemper, and few Perſons exempt from its Rage, for the Space of five or ſix Months, not ſo much as one had the Small Pox, for ought they knew: I ſay, if ſuch a Caſe had happen'd, it is not probable it could have been conceal'd; and that this Acknowledgment from one, who is ſo zealous an Enemy to the Practice, is a ſtronger Proof of the Efficacy of it, for the Purpoſe intended, than all the Ifs and May-be's of this or any other Letter-Writer.

It had been fair in this Gentleman to have given in the Numbers that dy'd of the natural Sort of Small Pox, during that Seaſon; or to have ſtated the Caſe fairly between two or three Hundred ſick of the natural Sort, and as many of the Inoculated Kind, both under the Care and Direction of unskillful and unexperienc'd People: And then, perhaps, as in the Inoculated Kind, he could inſtance, by Name, only One that dy'd; In the other Sort he would have been puzzled to find the Names of thoſe who eſcap'd.

But to this he will ſay, that the Inoculated Small Pox propagated the Mortality of the natural Sort. There is a full Anſwer given to this Objection of ſpreading Infection before. I think it is hard to exclude Men from the Means of ſecuring themſelves from a great Peſtilence, upon a meer Suggeſtion: The Influence of the natural Small Pox upon Mankind, in any Place, in a Circle of Years, may be affirm'd to be uniform with ſtrong Probability; and if the Air of any Place, in a contagious Seaſon, is ſuch, as renders the Diſtemper very mortal, it is a ſtrong Motive for People to take the Advantage of a good Seaſon, and ſecure themſelves in Time from a Plague, which is ſo likely to deſtroy them: And if Prudence only were to be conſulted, it would perhaps be much more the Duty of the Legiſlature to order, than to forbid this Practice. And no doubt, according to the Acknowledgment of the Enemies of this Practice, they would, by this Method, diminiſh the Mortality, and encreaſe the Number of their People; and the Magiſtrate is forc'd often upon more arbitrary Proceedings in any Peſtilence: But as that would ſeem too great an Encroachment upon the natural Rights of Mankind, I ſhould not approve of it. But on the other Hand, it would be a moſt Tyrannical Encroachment upon the ſame Rights, to debar Mankind from the lawful Means of ſecuring themſelves from the Fear and Danger of ſo terrible a Plague.

As for the particular Faetor, that, according to the Letter, attends the Sores of the Inoculated; it is much of a Piece with the Story of the Kentiſh Long - Tayls: It ſhews him to be an utter Stranger to the whole Practice; and makes one doubt, whether he ever ſaw a Caſe of Inoculation quite through. And the Pointing at the Inoculated in the Streets, is as great an Inſtance of Barbarity, as the other is of Ignorance.

There is a Letter in Town from the Revd. Mr. Mather at Boſton of a later Date, which has ſeveral remarkable Paſſages in it. The Diſtemper (meaning the Small Pox) has lately viſited and ranſacked the City of Boſton; and in little more than half a Year, of about five thouſand Perſons, that have undergone it, near nine hundred have died.

But how many Lives might have been ſav'd, if our unhappy Phyſicians had not poiſon'd and bewitch'd our People with a blind Rage, that has appear'd, very like a Satanick Poſſeſſion, againſt the Method of Relief and Safety in the way of the Small Pox Inoculated? I prevail'd with one Phyſician (and for it, I have had bloody Attempts made upon my Life by ſome of our Energumens) to introduce the Practice; and the Experiment has been made upon almoſt three hundred Subjects in our Neighbourhood, young and old, from one Year to ſeventy; weak and ſtrong, Male and Female, white and black; in Midſummer, in Autumn and Winter: And it ſucceeds to Admiration.

I cannot learn that any one has died of it, tho' the Experiment has been made under various and marvellous Diſadvantages. Five or ſix have died upon it or after it; but from other Accidents.

He mentions afterward that Cats had it; and takes notice of the ſame thing in Doctor Leigh's Hiſtory of Lancaſhire; and ſubjoins,

That it was generally complain'd that Pigeon-houſes of the City continu'd unfruitful; and the Pigeons did not lay or hatch, as they us'd to do, all the while that the Small Pox was in its Epidemical Progreſs: And it is very ſtrongly affirmed, that our Dunghill Fowl felt much of the like upon them.

At laſt concludes; with the great Benefit they have found by Bliſters early apply'd and continu'd in the natural Small Pox, and is ſorry it was ſo late before they fell into this Way; but it has conſtantly proſper'd: I know not, ſays he, that it has once miſcarried ſince we came into it. I refer the Reader to his Letter annex'd.

It appears by this Letter, that ſomewhat more than one out of five, and leſs than one out of ſix died of the Diſtemper. And likewiſe, by the Effects mention'd upon Animals, that the general Contagion was owing to a bad Diſpoſition of the Air; and not chargeable upon Inoculation.

And laſtly, notwithſtanding the unfavourable Conſtitution of the Air, the Inoculated did well.

I doubt not but the impartial Reader is now ſatisfy'd that this Practice of Inoculation may be ſtill beneficial to Mankind, notwithſtanding any thing that the Doctor has adduc'd to the contrary, either by way of Argument or Fact. And that by the ſame zealous Partiality, it had been eaſy to have cruſh'd any, the moſt uſeful Practice in Medicine in the Beginning. It is pretty remarkable, that in a Neighbouring Nation, where Agues are the beſt Branch of the Phyſicians Practice, the Uſe of the Bark has been, and is ſtill in a great Meaſure, ſuppreſs'd by Methods not much unlike what are us'd againſt Inoculation; and indeed every one of the Doctor's Arguments would have concluded more ſtrongly againſt the Uſe of the Cortex, than againſt this Practice. I will ſuppoſe any Stickler againſt the Bark to have reaſon'd thus in the Doctor's Strain. A Drug that has been only us'd among Slaves, an illiterate unthinking People, who have the Advantage of a warm Climate, and a Spare Dyet, is not fit to be immediately diſpens'd to the Engliſh, whoſe Blood, ſpeaking of it as National, is the Product of the Richeſt Dyet: Is it not plain by the Diſeaſes that it often leaves behind it, that it ſpoils the Conſtitution? Witneſs the Jaundice, Tumours of the Legs, and other Cachexies that are often ſubſequent upon it. Beſides none but Empirics can give a Medicine of which they are not ſure of the Doſe; Is it not plain that it will not anſwer the Deſign of preventing the Diſeaſe for the future? For notwithſtanding the Uſe of this Drug, the Patient ſuffers many a Relapſe. Beſides there are not only one or two, but innumerable Inſtances of People who have died after the Uſe of it; and others, who have had a diſeaſed Conſtitution all the reſt of their Lives. The Diſpenſers of this Medicine diſagree widely among themſelves, both as to the Manner of its Operation and the Doſe; Some give it in Tincture; ſome in Subſtance; ſome in greater, ſome in leſſer Quantities, &c. In fine, there are three Letters from a Friend in New England, which inform me that many who have taken the Bark have ſuffer'd very much; and Mrs. D _… l, who had taken great Quantities of it, actually died, &c. Tho' I have not my ſelf made Uſe of this Medicine, nor ſeen much of the Effects of it; I am well aſſur'd, that not a fourth part of the Diſeaſes it pretends to cure, are Genuine Agues: Before I had ſeen the Practice of this Medicine, I affirmed, that is was impoſſible, it would cure an Ague; but I am willing to retract that Opinion, being convinc'd by an Experiment, that it does ſo ſometimes. It were eaſy to carry this Parallel reaſoning thro' the whole Letter, not only with equal, but more Strength in moſt Places.

The Doctor, in appearing with ſo great Zeal againſt this Practice, is not the Repreſentative of the whole Faculty. For there are many of them who from their Diſintereſtedneſs and Innate Love to Mankind, are willing, that an Experiment ſhould go on, which, in Proportion to the Extenſiveneſs of the Practice, muſt neceſſarily diminiſh the Mortality of the Small Pox in general: This is a candid, as well as decent Way of proceeding. At the ſame Time, I only blame the Author of the Letter, and thoſe who take part with him, for their too early and ſtrong Prejudices; being unwilling to Cenſure their Intentions, which I hope, are for the Good of Mankind, as well as my own.

But there is ſtill a ſtronger Dr. Maſſey's Sermon, Page 6. Objection againſt this Practice; That it is unlawful, and firſt introduc'd by the Devil, who Ingrafted Job of the Confluent Sort of Small Pox.

From uſeful Diſcoveries, there can always be drawn important Conſequences. Firſt, Hence learn we, that the Small Pox is an ancient Diſeaſe; for if it was convey'd to Job by ſome ſuch Way as Inoculation, the Matter muſt have been taken from ſome Body Infected with the Diſtemper. Secondly, That Sydenham was not the firſt that began the cool Regimen; for Job fat down upon the Aſhes in the open Air; his Friends ſaw him afar off. Thirdly, That his Friends were tardy, above three Weeks before they came to ſee him; for in the Genuine Confluent Kind of Small Pox, it will be that Time before they can bear ſcraping with a Potſherd. Fourthly, Beloved, this confluent Sort of Small Pox were more gentle, to be ſure, than the common natural Ones; for he ſeems neither to have had Delirium, ſore Throat, nor Shortneſs of Breath; he talk'd diſtinctly and good Senſe.

Now here a Queſtion ariſeth, Whether an honeſt Man can do that which the Devil has done? I anſwer in the Affirmative; there are three things mention'd; of the Devil's Aſſembling himſelf (as in this Place) with the Sons of God; Believing, and Quoting of Scripture. All theſe Things a good Man may not only do, but is bound to do.

I readily agree with this Reverend Divine, that if Inoculating the Small Pox be an unlawful Action, it cannot be juſtify'd by the Good which may enſue from it; but that it is unlawful, muſt be prov'd, either by ſome natural or poſitive Law: That this Reverend Gentleman has brought no ſuch Proof, either from natural or reveal'd Religion, will appear plain upon a very ſhort Review of his Diſcourſe.

Page 13.] He ſays he will attempt to prove, That Diſeaſes are utterly unlawful to be inflicted by any who profeſs themſelves Chriſtians: He terms it very right; for it is an Attempt to Prove, and no more. By reſtraining the Prohibition to Chriſtians, one would think, there was ſome poſitive Command in the Goſpel againſt it; but he has brought none, which, by the moſt forc'd Conſtruction, can prove Inoculation to be prohibited by the Chriſtian Diſpenſation. I know of no Immorality that is forbid to a Chriſtian, the Practice of which is allow'd to an Infidel. Indeed Morality is more clearly taught and more ſtrongly enforc'd by Rewards and Puniſhments amongſt us; but it does not change its Nature amongſt the reſt of Mankind. He does not wonder, that the Practice of Inoculation ſhould obtain, where the Doctrine of Fatality is believ'd; but the Misfortune is, that the Matter of Fact is quite otherwiſe: For if he had carefully perus'd Dr. Wagſtaffe's Diſcourſe, which he ſo much commends, that would have inform'd him, That no Body pretends to give us an Inſtance of an Inoculated Turk. And why? Becauſe their Belief of a Fatality makes them neglect very much the ordinary Helps of Medicine for preſerving their Lives.

Page 14.] The Inſtances which he gives of Almighty God's having given a miraculous Power to Mankind to inflict Diſeaſes for their Puniſhment, does not prove, that He has not given them an ordinary one for their Benefit.

And his ſaying, [Pag.15] That no Man was ever yet condemn'd to an immediate Sickneſs, for Want of ſufficient Authority; is, without any Proof. Diſeaſes are External, and In ••… ; the Magiſtrate very often inflicts both: That Criminals are lawfully puniſh'd with the Mutilation of their Body, I ſuppoſe he will allow to be common. Is not that inflicting a Diſeaſe with a Witneſs? And are there not many Executions perform'd by Poiſon, which is inflicting an Internal mortal Diſeaſe? And here his own Argument turns upon him; for if Diſeaſes are ſent for the Puniſhment of our Sins, then it would ſeem to follow, that the Magiſtrate, who has a Power from God to puniſh our Crimes, has likewiſe a Power to inflict Diſeaſes, for Sins that are manifeſt to him and all the World. The greater Power of inflicting Death, certainly includes the leſſer in the Choice of the Means: If, for Example, there ſhould be a Law made to puniſh the Inoculators with the Inoculation of ſome Diſeaſe, I fancy this Reverend Divine would not think it ſinful or unreaſonable.

Page 16.] He ſpends a long Paragraph, to prove what no Body ever deny'd; That a Man cannot lawfully do all that is in his Power to do: And another as evident, That the Means, as well as the Intention, muſt be lawful; but theſe are only general Propoſitions; The Subſumption, that inflicting Diſeaſes for a good Purpoſe is unlawful, is only ſuppos'd, not prov'd.

Page 18.] He doubts whether the Life of Man be a Good or not. If the Life of Man is no Good, then, indeed, to act for the Preſervation of it, is not to act for any good End; and conſequently, not only this Practice, but all others in Medicine, and many other charitable Actions, muſt be given up. The reſt of the Argument of this Paragraph, is grounded upon the Inſufficiency of this Method for the Purpoſe intended. The Doctor might have remember'd, from his Expoſition of his Text, Job had the Small Pox by Inoculation from the Devil, even of a favourable Sort; that he recover'd of them, and never had them again. But in this he muſt forgive me, if I put him in Mind, that he is out of his Sphere; and that notwithſtanding his Profeſſions to the contrary, he lays aſide the Divine, and takes upon him the Phyſician. The Queſtion here is, Whether giving a Diſeaſe with a good Intention, be in it ſelf an unlawful Action.

Page 20.] Another Argument is, That a Law which forbids the Evil, forbids alſo every thing that has a Tendency to it; therefore all cauſeleſs and voluntary Mutilations are forbid: And yet, notwithſtanding this Law againſt Mutilation, more expreſs than any againſt Inoculation, Surgeons cut off Peoples Limbs. Here the Intention hallows the Action, which is in itſelf expreſly forbid; and which is more, I believe no Surgeon will affirm, that in all Caſes, where Limbs are cut off, there is a direct Impoſſibility to ſave the Patient's Life otherwiſe; or that the Operation is always ſucceſsful. A Surgeon who cuts a Perſon for the Stone, even if his Patient dies of the Operation, does not think he has committed a mortal Sin, in inflicting a mortal Diſeaſe; and yet the Patient perhaps might have liv'd many Years, and not dy'd of the Diſtemper at laſt. The Difference of the two Caſes, the one being for Cure, the other for Prevention, does not change the State of the Queſtion; which, in general Terms, is this, Whether Mankind have a Lawful Power of inflicting Diſeaſes for good Purpoſes? A Perſon who has not had the Small Pox, may be very juſtly conſider'd, as having the Seeds of a mortal Diſtemper within him; and the Dread of it is ſurely a Suffering, that will juſtify the Lawfulneſs of uſing Means, which have the greateſt Probability of ſaving him from a Danger, which, for ought he knows, may be nearer and greater, than that of a Stone in the Bladder. Anxiety and Bodily Pain, don't differ ſo much, as to make an Action lawful in one Caſe, ſinful in the other.

Page 21.] But it ſeems it is a Tempting of Providence. And there is no great Difference between the Devil's Propoſal to our Saviour, to caſt himſelf down headlong, and that of Inoculation. It is wonderful, into what Abſurdities, Zeal for an Opinion, will drive a Man, even to aſſert that there is no Difference between a Man's running into a Danger abſolutely unneceſſary, and from which nothing but a direct Miracle can ſave him; and a Venturing on a ſmall Hazard to avoid a much greater. The Caſe put it as diſadvantagiouſly as poſſible, more reſembles that of a Perſon who leaps out of a Window for fear of Fire, and ſurely that can never be reckon'd a Miſtruſt of Providence, even if he did it before he was much in Danger; for no body can ſay that God Almighty may not ſave a Man from Fire in the ordinary Courſe of his Providence; And if a Perſon, who being prompted by his too early Fears had taken this Courſe, and loſt his Life by the Fall; no body will arraign him of Self-murder: He might have done an imprudent, but not a ſinful Action. The Parents who ſuffer their Children to converſe with their infected Relations; which differs in no Moral Point from the Caſe of Inoculation, would think it very hard to be treated as Homicides or Murderers of their Children, when the very Action proceeds from, the contrary Principle, extreme Tenderneſs.

Pag. 22.] In the former Page, it was a preſumptuous Truſt; in this, it is an intire Miſtruſt of Providence. He is ſure to have the Inoculators ſome way or other.

Pag. 23.] They cannot pray for a Bleſſing upon their Endeavours; becauſe Prayer ſuppoſes the Uſe of lawful Means.

I believe the contrary is true, for as a Perſon, who is Inoculated, puts himſelf more immediately into the Hands of God, if he has any Senſe of Religion, cannot avoid praying for a Bleſſing upon the Means, which, to be ſure, he thinks lawful, and has not yet been prov'd to be otherwiſe.

Page 24.] His Argument to prove that Inoculation tends to promote Vice and Immortality is the moſt extraordinary of all. This it does, by taking off the Dread of the Small Pox, and conſequently the Reſtraints of Sobriety that Mankind lie under upon that Account. This Reverend Gentleman has very juſtly found fault with one Maxim, to do Evil that Good may come of it: But he has eſtabliſh'd one, juſt as dangerous in the room of it, not to do Good leaſt Evil come of it. For if the Diminiſhing the Fear of Dying of Diſeaſes catch'd by Irregularity, is an Evil, then an able Phyſician is a common Nuiſance. We have reaſon to be thankful, that there are a ſufficient Number left, who cannot be charg'd with being Encouragers of Vice and Immorality, upon this Score. This Principle in its full Extent would deſtroy all Works of Charity and Mercy; for the Hope of Forgiveneſs is an Encouragment to do Injuries; and the Hope of being reliev'd in Want is a Diſcouragement to Induſtry.

I am touch'd with the devout Reflections upon Providence, that are all along ſpread thro' his Sermon, to which I ſubſcribe with all my Heart; but I cannot ſo much commend the Diſtorting thoſe great and ſolemn Truths of our Holy Religion to mantain little Party Intereſts and faſhionable Opinions. The Text that is quoted Pag. 22. that the very Hairs of our Head are numbred; I take to be a ſtronger Argument againſt Periwigs and Shaving; than all that the Sermon contains againſt Inoculation: Our Hairs of our Beards were given us for an Ornament by Providence, and it is known, that many have catch'd great Colds with mortal DiſEaſes enſuing upon them by Shaving. Is not a Man anſwerable for all the bad Effects that follow upon an unwarrantable Action that contradicts the very Intention of Providence?

The Peroration Page 29, is equal to any Piece of the whole Performance, Let the Atheiſt and the Scoffer, the Heathen and the Unbeliever diſclaim a Dependance upon Providence: Let them Inoculate and be Inoculated, &c. I think this clinches the whole Matter; and this Reverend Gentleman has furniſh'd us with a new, ſenſible and religious Teſt, an Atheiſt or Infidel can be found out, as a Witch, by the Marks upon his Body: And that, as it has been intimated already, that the Devil was the firſt Inoculator; I think, it is not impoſſible that the next zealous Preacher upon this Subject may prove the Cicatrices of Inoculation to be the Mark of the Beaſt. Thus it appears, that the Doctors Poſition, of the Unlawfulneſs of inflicting Diſeaſes for good Purpoſes, is groundleſs, and contrary to the common Uſages of Mankind.

I have been oblig'd to be the more particular in anſwering this Sermon, becauſe the Charge in it againſt the Inoculators, is hea •••… than that in the Letter, in as much as immorality is a greater Fault than bad Practice in Phyſick.

From all that I have ſaid, I will draw this one Concluſion; that there does not appear as yet any Objection of Weight enough to ſtop the Progreſs of the Practice of Inoculation. But if upon future Trials, it ſhould be found that the Inconveniencies do overballance the Advantages of it; I ſhall then be as ready to condemn, as I am now to juſtify it.

I Here think fit to declare, that whatever Pamphlets, Advertiſements, or Queries are, or ſhall hereafter be publiſh'd in News Papers or otherwiſe, as ſome have lately been with unknown or fictitious Names of Perſons Inoculated; and falſe in Fact, maliciouſly intended to Diſcredit this Practice and impoſe upon the Publick; I will not take any Notice of them, except the Author wi •… own his Name, and bring ſufficient Vouchers for what he advances.