introduction of the Vaccine Disease. 71 



XI. An Account of the Introduction of the Vaccine 

 Disease into the Isles of France and Reunion. In 

 a letter to the Y.BnoKfrom M. Laborde, M, D. 



Sir, 



YOU requested me to send to you, before my 

 departure from New- York, an account of the intro- 

 duction and of the success of Vaccination, in the Isles 

 of France and Reunion. I the more readily comply 

 widi your request, as this communication widi you 

 carries me, in imagination, to the city of Philadel- 

 phia, which I am sorry I was obliged to leave so soon. 



****** 



The dreadful effects of the Small- Pox (an epide- 

 mic foreign to the Isle of France, and introduced 

 there by avarice and crime) made me desirous to 

 hasten the moment when I might make my fellow- 

 citizens enjoy the advantages of a sure method of 

 freeing them- from this terrible scourge. I had been 

 a witness to the variolous epidemic which had, in 

 1792, swept off one fourth of the population, although 

 (inconsiderately, in my opinion, in the height of the 

 epidemic) great exertions were made to propagate it 

 by inoculation. The Isle of Reunion was perfectly 

 preserved, by cutting off all communication, instead 

 of attempting its preservation by inoculation, a step 

 which had been advised. 



As soon as I heard of the discovery of Jenner, the 

 experiments of Woodville, &c., I wrote to the latter j 



