406 
pox is thé most loathsome and fatal 
disease that afflicts the human race, 
it might have been supposed that, 
when inoculation was firstintroduced 
into this country, it would have been 
adopted with general consent; but 
unfortunately it was but partially 
encouraged ; in consequence of 
which, it increased the fatality of 
the small pox, by increasing infec- 
tion ; insomuch that, during the 42 
years after the introduction of inocu- 
Jation, the deaths in London by the 
small pox were upwards of - 1700 
more than in the 42 preceding 
years..-At length, however, the 
discovery of the cow pock by Dr. 
Jenner has put it into our power 
completely to exterminate the small 
pox ; and, from its safety and secu- 
rity, it was natural to conclude, 
that all parents would feel an ar- 
dour to save their children, by 
gratefully accepting a_ blessing, 
which would for ever protect them 
fromthe worst species of pestilence. 
‘¢ That this sentiment did very ge- 
nerally prevail, was obvious from 
the decrease of deaths in the metro- 
polis ; for, from the average number 
of 2500, it gradually fell to 1200, 
to 1000, and in 1804 to little above 
500 in the year by the small pox. 
‘* To the honour of the medical 
profession, this new discovery, 
which was calculated to annihilate 
their greatest pecuniary source of e- 
molument, was very generally en- 
‘couraged by them. Unfortunately, 
however, for these kingdoms, two 
professional gentlemen in this city, 
the only physicians I beleve in the 
world, not only opposed _vaccina- 
tion, but widely circulated unfound- 
ed assertions against it, and even ad- 
vertised gratuitous inoculation for 
the small pox. These occurrenees 
teok place eurly in 1805 ; and the 
3 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1806. 
deaths by the small pox hence rapidl ¥ 
increased, and a greater number of 
infants perished in 40 days, than 
during the whole preceding year; 
insomuch that for many successive 
months there died one infant by the 
small pox in every two hours, in- 
cluding both night and day. Lament- 
able is it toadd, that the governors 
of the hospital for inoculation adop- 
ted the same practice; and in one 
year this infectious pestilence was 
communicated to 2300 persons, and 
in the vicinity of the most populous 
city in Europe; thus generating a 
pestilence, the extent and fatality of 
which cannot be ascertained; for 
this pestilence, whilst apparently 
dormant, retains its active malignan- 
cy foraseries of years. 
*¢ At the moment of adopting this 
baneful practice, the governors cir- 
culated the following resolution of 
a general court, * That vaccination 
might, under divine Providence, 
have prevented the calamity of the 
increased fatality of the small pox.’ 
After this avowal of a truth, they 
recommended the inoculation of the 
small pox, in consequence ‘ of the 
prejudices and ill-founded objec- 
tions against inoculation.’ These are 
their own words and mode of rea- 
soning ; and every person would be 
indulgent to prejudices that do not 
militate against the safety and hap- 
piness of the community. Like the 
amiable Fontenelle, 1 would say, 
‘if both my hands were filled with 
truths,’ under such circumstances, 
‘ fT would open but one at a time.’ 
But this does not apply to preju- 
dices, the indulgence of which is 
productive of public injury ; for, if 
reason were always subservient tu 
prejudice, neither improvement nor 
reformation would ever have enlight- 
ened the werld. When Censtantine’ 
the 
