%)s.cr. III.] Theo?y and Practice cf Physic. ^ 353 



ful consequences inflicted on sucli as escaped witli 

 their Jives. 



The practice of ijiocnlation has reduced this 

 frigiitful malady to sucli a degree of mildness and 

 S2iiety that it no longer excites the terrour of the 

 community*. The date of this interesting disco- 

 very is lost in the obscurity of tradition and imme- 

 morial usage. Traces of it may be found among 

 the traditions of many former ages in Great Britain, 

 particularly in Wales and the Ilighhmds of Scot- 

 land ; in Italy, France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, 

 and some other parts of Europe; in Alrica and 

 Asia, particularly in Hindostan and China f , 



* See Additional Notes. (E E.) 



f It is a remarkable fact, that, in all tlie countries above men- 

 tioned, there is satisfactory evidence of inoculati(jn for the small- 

 pox having been practised by the common people, for many years 

 before its introduction by the physicians of Great Britain ; and, in 

 «ome of themj as far back as tradition can be tiaced. It is also a 

 still more remarkable fact, that in JVaks/m the Highlands of ScvN 

 land, among the ignorant peasantry of Gennauj/, in the interior of 

 Africa, and in severai parts of tlie Asiatic continent, distant a3 

 they are from each other, differing widely as they do, in manners, 

 customs, laws, and religion, the art of communicating tliis dis- 

 ease by inoculation was designated by the singular phrase of buying 

 the small-pox ; because it was superbtitiously imagined tb.at, uiocu- 

 lation would not produce the proper effect, unless the person from 

 whom the variolous matter was taken received a piece of money, 

 or some article in exchange for it.— See Dr. Woodville's History 

 Cf Inoculation. ^'Rovf shall we account for so many different and 

 distant nations agreeing in so remarkable a phrase to ecipress ino- 

 culation, and agreeing also to connect with it such as'ii>eri>titiouj 

 ceremony ? How shall we account, fnrtlier, for this art being con- 

 fined chiefly to the common people, or the less civilised pjrt of 

 mankind, while tlie learned were ignorant of it ? May it not be 

 admitted as one proof of tlie ^reat antiquity of the practice, that 

 precisely that portion of the community, whose habits, in every 



Vol. I. 2 ^ 



