vent to that place, and inoculated the in- 
ant. Observing a number of poor peopie in 
the neighbourhood, I determined to inform 
them of the advantages of this new practice, 
to’ which they were perfect strangers ; and, 
re various arguments, especially by an offer 
of gratuitous mocniation at their own houses, 
found it not very difficult to prevail. 
_ *« Every ptoselyte which I gained facili- 
fated the conversion of others; and my ef- 
forts were powerlully seconded by the enco- 
Miumes javished on this practice by those 
who experienced its geod effects ; but above 
ieby the benign appearanee of the'disease. 
Hence, fastead of secking" for subjects'to be 
Qneculaled, ina short time Thad numerous 
applications 7 abd ‘was earmeStly sclicited to 
diilise the benefits of this happy discovery in 
every direction! 
' « Could f have employed my whole time 
in the prosecution of this pleasing task, by 
which‘so much good may be done with so 
Tittle treuble, and at so little expence, the 
number which I might have inoculated is 
incalculable. But many impediments lay in 
my way. ‘The piaces were distant,from my 
residence, and from each other; and, in ad- 
dition to waavoidable avocations, a consider- 
fable pari of the day was occupied ia explain- 
ing the nature of the practice to those who 
Tequested information, and collecting matter 
to supply the increasing demand.” 
Mr. Ring, in his zeal to preserve the 
immaculate purity of the vaccine virus, 
speaks of some of the original experi- 
eo With more asperity than we ought 
to expect from'‘a reformer. 
.. “ The virus generated by similar mal-prac- 
tice has already been attended with ill conse- 
‘quences; already spread consternation in 
Great Britain and other parts of the world ; 
and proved fatal in more places than one, It 
has disseminated a destructive pestilence far 
‘and wide under a fictitious name, and at- 
tacked unawares those ‘who were totally un- 
tepared for its reception. ‘Tliis ought to 
have been @ warning ‘to all men; and par- 
ticularly tothe parties immediately concerned 
mits dissemination. : ° 
« Such a practice, equally repugnant to 
‘every principle of reason, jusiice, and hu- 
“manity, is a monster wiich ought’ to, be 
F trangied in the birth. It contains, how- 
ever, within itself ihe seeds of its own’ dis- 
‘Solution. —By lessening public confidence, 
Tessening the number of patients, and les- 
‘sening the demand for a lucrative domine- 
dity, it will at length work its own ‘downfall. 
© If those who ask for the small-pox at 
“one house, receive the cow-pox, and those 
Who ask for the cow-pox dt the other receive 
the small-pox, they will in ‘timé lose all pa+ 
fence; and exclaim with Mercutio; *\A pox 
mn both your houses.’ 4 
» * How accurately is this rage of making 
Hie, useless, and wanton experiments, de- 
RING’s TREATISE ON THC Cow-rox. 
747 
lineated by the masterly pen of Dr. Gregory, 
in his Address to the Manager of the Royal 
Infirmary at Edinburgh !” 
The experiments here alluded to were 
neither idie, useless, nor wanton; they 
established some very important points 
which at that ‘time were disputed, and 
the very reason for avoiding 2 repetition 
ot them, is derived from the decisive in- 
formation which they then afforded, and 
which could only have been acquired by 
such means. 
Mr. Ring scorns to compliment the 
good sense and liberality of the British public 
at the expence cf truth: he speaks his 
opinion plainly and forcibly with regard 
to the reception which the new inocu- 
lation has met with in this island. 
“¢ [lately received from: Dr. Moore, who 
left England'last year, a pamphlet published 
by Dr. Anderson, Physician-General at Ma- 
dyas, from which it appears that vaccination 
is welcomed there with the warmest enthu- 
siasm; and that the governors, and, medical 
officers of the British establishments in India, 
vie with each other in their zealous exertions 
to premoie the practice. 
«© This is very different from the reception 
it met with in our frigid climate, where it 
first occasioned a very long and generat cold. 
fit; then a very short and partiel hot fit, 
which terminated in. a erilical sweat of afew 
guineus. 
«* How unlike the profuse and salutary 
perspiratiom of certain individuals, on the 
rumour of am invasion! and the. sacrifices 
they offer-ai the shrine of patriotism, and on 
the allar of humanity, when their own dear 
persons and property are in danger ! 
<* Parliament, which gave its mite to one 
of the greatest benefactors of mankind, iz 
consequence of his humble petition, and ac- 
knowledged the importance of the practice 
in the most unqualified terms, has done no- 
thing to put that practice into execution.— 
But parliament has nothing to fear from the 
small-pox.” 
In this disheartening sentiment, we 
entirely concur with this zealous friend 
of vaccination; we agree with him that 
the reception of this discovery has been 
marked with a singular degree of cold- 
ness and indifference; that barren pa- 
tronage has 'taken the place of .active cf- 
ficient co-operation; and that the exam- 
ples cf a contrary line of conduct, though 
individually numerous and respectable, 
include so small a proportion of the lead- 
ing and influencing part of the commu. 
nity, as to shew that the mere preservation 
of human life is not regarded as an ob- 
ject of public concern. Abundance of _ 
praise has been lavished on the liberality, 
