pO PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS, [aNNO 1714. 



As to the process of this matter, in respect of the idiosyncrasy ; the small- 

 pox begins to appear sooner in some than in others, in some with greater, in 

 others with less symptoms ; but with happy success in all. In this place the 

 efflorescence commonly begins at the end of the 7th day, which seems to favour 

 the doctrine of crises. It was observed, in a year when the common small-pox 

 was very mortal, that those by incision were also attended with greater symp- 

 toms. Of 50 persons, who had the incision made on them almost in the same 

 day, 4 were found in whom the eruption was too sudden, the tubercles more, 

 and symptoms worse. There was some suspicion, that these 4 had caught the 

 common small-pox before the incision was made. It is enough for our present 

 purpose, that there was not one but recovered after the incision : in those 4 the 

 small-pox came near the confluent kind. At other times, the inoculated are 

 distinct, few and scattered ; commonly 10 or 20 break out; here and there one 

 has but 2 or 3, few have 100: there are some in whom no pustule rises, but in 

 the places where the incision was made, which swell up into purulent tubercles; 

 yet these have never had the small-pox afterwards in their whole lives; though 

 they have cohabited with persons having it. 



It is to be noted, that a no small quantity of matter runs for several days 

 from the place of the incision. The pocks arising from this operation are dried 

 up in a short time, and fall oflT, partly in thin skins, and partly contrary to the 

 common sort, vanish by an insensible wasting. The matter is hardly a thick 

 pus, as in the common, but a thinner kind of sanies ; whence they rarely pit, 

 except at the place of the incision, where the cicatrices left are not to be worn 

 out by time, and whose matter comes near the nature of pus. If an apostem 

 breaks out on any (which infants are most subject to) yet there is nothing to be 

 feared, for it is safely healed by suppuration. If any other symptom happens, 

 it is easily cured by the common remedies. Observe, they scarcely ever make 

 use of the matter of the inoculated pox, for a new incision. If this inoculation 

 be made on persons who have before had the small-pox, they find no alteration, 

 and the places pricked presently dry up; except in an ill habit of body, where 

 possibly a slight inflammation and exulceration may happen for a few days. 



To this time, he says, I have known but one boy, on whom the operation 

 was performed, and yet he had not the small-pox, but without any mischief; 

 and some months after catching the common sort, he did very well. It is to be 

 observed, that the places of the incision did not swell. I suspect this child pre- 

 vented the insertion of the matter, for he struggled very much under the 

 operation, and there wanted help to hold him still. The matter to be inserted 

 will keep in the glass very well for 12 hours. I have never (he adds) observed 

 any mischievous accident from this incision hitherto; and although such re- 



