6l6 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1722. 



unhealthiness of the subject, ns practised in New England, there will die 1 in 

 60 — That of persons inoculated with the same caution in the choice of the 

 subjects, as has been used by the several operators one with another, here in 

 England, (if we allow in the 2 disputed cases abovementioned, that the persons 

 died of the inoculated small pox) there will die 1 in 91. 



But if those 2 persons be allowed to have died of other accidents or diseases, 

 then we shall have reason to think, as far as any judgment can be made from 

 our own experience here in England, that none at all will die of inoculation, 

 provided that proper caution be used; as we are informed is the case in Turkey : 

 where out of many thousands, that, in the space of about 40 years past, have 

 been inoculated in and about Constantinople, by one Greek woman, who still 

 continues that practice, notwithstanding her extreme old age, not so much as 

 ] person has miscarried, as I am assured by the ingenious Dr. le Due, a native 

 of Constantinople, who was himself inoculated there under the care of his 

 father, an eminent physician in that city. 



P. S. Since this paper was drawn up and communicated to the R. S. the fol- 

 lowing account of the success of inoculation in and about Boston, in New 

 England, was procured at my desire, by Dr. Nesbitt, from Capt. John Osborne, 

 who resided in that town and neighbourhood during the whole time of that 

 practice. I think proper to insert it here, as it confirms the extract given above 

 from Mr. Mather's relation, and is a more particular account of the matter of 

 fact, than any that I have yet seen. 



In May, 1721, the small-pox was brought into the town of Boston; in June 

 it began to spread pretty much ; and in the month of July it was got into most 

 parts of the town, and a considerable number of people died of it. At this 

 time inoculation was first put in practice by Dr. Boyleston, who then performed 

 it on his own child and a negro-servant, who both did well : notwithstanding 

 which, this attempt gave great uneasiness to the neighbours. However the 

 practice went on, to the number of about 40 persons, one of which was a 

 woman of about 40 or 45 years of age, who got well over the small-pox, but 

 had been before troubled with hysteric fits, of which she died some little time 

 after. When about JO persons had passed under the operation, myself and 

 wife, who had hitherto been at a place called Koxbury, a mile from Boston, 

 went into town and received the small-pox by inoculation. We had it with all 

 the gentleness and moderation that was possible, neither of us having 100 

 pustules, or being sensible of any fever worth mentioning : so that we did not 

 find it necessary to keep our beds for it. 



In August the small-pox in the natural way proved more mortal, and inocu- 

 lation made a greater progress, the people continuing to come into the practice 



