Sect. III.] Theory and Practice of Physic. 353 



lated in England, this mode of communicating the 

 small-pox was introduced at Boston, in Massachu- 

 setts. Dr. Cotton Mather, one of the minister; of 

 that town, having observed, in a volume of the 

 Philosophical Transactions, printed in Ix>ndon, some 

 communications from Constantinople and Smyrna, 

 giving a favourable account of tiie practice, and the 

 small-pox beginning, about the same time, to spread 

 in the town, he recommended to the physicians of 

 his acquaintance to make trial of inoculation. They 

 all declined it except Dr. Boylston. He began with 

 his own children and servants. But the degree of 

 odium which he drew u})on himself by this measure 

 is scarcely credible. The i)hysicians in general 

 highly disapproved his conduct. Dr. Douglas*, one 

 of their number, who had received a regular me- 

 dical education in Scotland, his native country, 

 stood foremost in the ranks of opposition. He 

 wrote, declaimed, and employed all his inlluence 

 against the intrepid innovator. The medical gen- 

 tlemen were joined by the populace, who were so 

 much inflamed against what they esteemed a spe- 

 cies of murder, that Dr. Boylston was in danger of 

 his lifef, and Dr. Mather was scarcely less an ob- 



* Dr. William Douglas is said to have been a man of learning 

 and talents. He published some small medical pieces, and ct»r- 

 responded with Dr. Colden of New York, who, in one ot'hxs 

 medical communications, speaks of him in terms of high respect. 

 He was also the author of the work entitled, A Su/iimarj/ of ihc 

 British Settlements in America, 2 vols, 8vo, London, 1/55. — He 

 was, however, conceited and arrogant, and behaved w ith great 

 disingenuousness in his opposition to Boylston. 



t Dr. Boylston's house was attacked with so much \ iolence, 

 tliat he and his family did not consider themseh es sale in it. He 

 was assaulted in the streets, loaded with e\ery spwcics of abuse, 

 'J A i 



