230 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNKO 1 765. 



A. D. 1764, at the above date, the sinall-pox was prevalent in the town of 

 Boston ; by the last accounts, 3000 had recovered from inoculation, in the new 

 method, by the use of mercury, and 5 only had died, viz. children under 5 

 years ; so that it appears that death without inoculation is 1 in 7 or 8 ; by inocu- 

 lation without mercury, 1 in 80 or 100; by inoculation with mercury, i in 

 800 or 1000. The use of mercury, in the small-pox, was first hinted by the 

 learned Boerhaave, who died in 1738; this intimation was improved, and mer- 

 cury introduced into practice by physicians in the English American colonies, 

 about 1745. Several American physicians claim the 2d glory to Boerhaave, 

 Dr. Thomas of Virginia, and Dr. Murison of Long Island, in the province of 

 New York, may justly have merited that honour, who have successfully prac- 

 tised by the use of mercury, perhaps before any other, eitlier in Europe or 

 America. 



During the late war, the small-pox was brought into divers towns, in this and 

 the other colonies, by the return of our soldiers (employed in his majesty's ser- 

 vice, in the pay of the New England colonies) for winter quarters, and by sea- 

 men employed in our navigation to the British islands in the West Indies, where 

 the small-pox was universally prevalent, which produced a universal concern 

 among the inhabitants, lest the same should become general, and spread through 

 this and the other colonies in New England. On which, application was made 

 to the legislature of this colony, for liberty to inoculate for the small-pox, by 

 the officers of our provincial troops and others, which was accordingly granted; 

 as also that hospitals for that purpose might be erected in such towns of the 

 colony as should see cause to permit the same. However, instead of regulating 

 such hospitals as should be erected for that purpose, by well-adapted laws, to 

 prevent any communication with these hospitals from abroad, or the subjects of 

 inoculation leaving the same without licence from the attending physician, un- 

 happily that matter was left to be regulated at the discretion of the overseers of 

 the several towns where inoculation should be practised, which required the 

 strictest laws, enforced by severe penalties, without which it would be impossible 

 for the attending physician to restrain his patients, when grown impatient with 

 confinement and a recluse life. From this defect, some persons left the hos- 

 pitals, not being duly cleansed, and unhappily communicated the small-pox to 

 divers persons, of which some died; on which, the law permitting inoculation 

 was repealed, notwithstanding three hospitals had been erected in this colony, at 

 no inconsiderable expence, and no further attempts were made to regulate the 

 practice of inoculation, by measures well adapted for that purpose. 



On which, persons engaged in trade, seamen, and youth, living in sea-port 

 towns, and places more exposed to frequent invasions of the small pox, resorted 

 in great numbers to New York, to obtain inoculation. On this emigration of 



