VACCINATION AGAINST SMALLPOX 223 



women and children. Some on the eleventh were inocu- 

 lated with the matter Mr. Shrapnell (surgeon to the regi- 

 ment) had from you, the others with matter taken from 

 these. The progress of the puncture was accurately ob- 

 served, and its appearance seemed to differ from the small- 

 pox in having less inflammation around its basis on the 

 first days that is, from the third to the seventh; but after 

 this the inflammation increased, extending on the tenth 

 or eleventh day to a circle of an inch and a half from its 

 centre, and threatening very sore arms; but this I am 

 happy to say was not the case; for, by applying mercurial 

 ointment to the inflamed part, which was repeated daily 

 until the inflammation went off, the arm got well without 

 any further application or trouble. The constitutional symp- 

 toms which appeared on the eighth or ninth day after 

 inoculation scarcely deserved the name of disease, as they 

 were so slight as to be scarcely perceptible, except that I 

 could connect a slight headache and languor, with a stiff- 

 ness and rather painful sensation in the axilla. This latter 

 symptom was the most striking it remained from twelve to 

 forty-eight hours. In no case did I observe the smallest pustule, 

 or even discolouration of the skin, like an incipient pus- 

 tule, except about the part where the virus has been applied. 



" After all these symptoms had subsided and the arms 

 were well, I inoculated four of this number with variolous 

 matter, taken from a patient in another regiment. In 

 each of these it was inserted several times under the cuti- 

 cle, producing slight inflammation on the second or third 

 day, and always disappearing before the fifth or sixth, 

 except in one who had the cow-pox in Gloucestershire be- 

 fore he joined us, and who also received it at this time 

 by inoculation. In this man the puncture inflamed and 

 his arm was much sorer than from the insertion of the 

 cow-pox virus ; but there was no pain in the axilla, nor could 

 any constitutional affection be observed. 



" I have only to add that I am now fully satisfied of 

 the efficacy of the cow-pox in preventing the appearance 

 of the smallpox, and that it is a most happy and salutary 

 substitute for it I remain, etc., 



" M. J. TlERNY.' 



