35i5 Medicine. [Chap. IV,. 



ject of popular indignation. But the ;;^reater pro- 

 .portion of tlie clergy of Boston embarked in sup^ 

 port of the measure; they preached and wrote* in 

 favour of it, until, at length, their influence, greatly 

 confirmed by the success attending Dr. Boylston*s 

 practice, gradually overcame the opposition; and 

 near three hundred persons were soon after inocu- 

 lated in Boston and the neighbouring towns f. 



A degree of the same prejudice and opposition, 

 which raged with so much violence in Boston, con- 

 tinued to be manifested not only there, but also in 

 many other places, for a considerable time after- 

 wards. But the practice gradually gained ground, 

 and became general in New-England; in a few 

 years it was adopted in New- York and Philadel- 

 phia; and in the year 1738 had reached Charleston, 

 in South-Carolina. 



Till near the close of the century now under con- 

 sideration, the inoculation of the small-pox con- 



and execrated as n murderer. Indeed, many sober pious people 

 were deliberately of opinion, when he commenced the practice of 

 inoculation, that, if any of his patients should die, he ought to b« 

 capitally punished. A bill was brought into the legislature for 

 prohibiting the practice, under severe penalties, and actually passed 

 the house of representatives 3 but ^some doubts existing in the 

 council, its progress was arrested, and it never became a law. — • 

 See Wwwh'm^ou ?, History nf Massachusetts, vol. ii, p. 247, &^c. 



* The Nticspapers teemed with pieces on both sides of -this 

 interesting controversy ; and especially with some of a xery viru- 

 lent character, from the opponents of inoculation. The Courant, 

 a newspaper edited at tliat time by a brother of Dr. Benjamin 

 Franklin, took a decided part with Douglas and his coadjutors^ 

 The young philosopher was tben an apprentice in tlie office, and 

 employed his opening talents in favour of the same deluded party. 

 JV/kS'. Letter of the Rev. Dr. Eliot to the Author. 



t Hutchinson's Histvri/ of Muasckchusctts, vol, ii« 



