PHYSICAL AND LITERARY. 397 



would efFed:ually put to filence the warmeft 

 advocates for inoculation, and overturn alto- 

 gether the pradice. A proper anfwer was 

 made to it j and perhaps I fhould have 

 thought no more of it, had I not been in- 

 formed fometime after, that, in a fociety of 

 ingenious Gentlemen, who made matters of 

 this kind the fubjefts of their debates and in- 

 quiry, the fame objedion was taken notice 

 of, and feemed to make an impreffion. 

 Pains were taken to undeceive them alfo. 



The objection, to give it in the words of 

 my friend's Letter, is this : " The fmall- 

 *' pox, in the ordinary way, is defigned by 

 *' nature as a drain to clear the conftitution 

 " offome grofs humours, which, if not car- 

 " ried off in this way, would bring on other 

 " dangerous difeafes ; and for moft part end 

 *' in death, before perfons arrive at middle 

 " age. Now, fay the Objedors, the fup- 

 *' puration where the fmall-pox is inoculated, 

 " is fo inconfiderable, that it cannot be fup- 

 " pofed fufficient to clear the body of thofc 

 ^' humours which are the parent of other 

 " deflrudive diftempers. Befides, fay they, 

 " this theory is juftified by fads and expe-- 

 ff rience. Upon in(^uiry, it is found, that 



" in 



