178 UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO STUDIES 



to his great care in the preliminary upbuilding of his patients' health, 

 and the minute attention to all matters of hygiene during the illness. 

 I can find no record of any fatal result under his care. Widespread 

 as this new method became in England and other countries, in France 

 it met with the greatest opposition and neglect. The clergy saw in it 

 only defiance of the will of God, and set it down as " criminal, murderous, 

 and tainted with magic," while the medical profession contemned the 

 innovation with blind disdain. In spite of the efforts of LaCoste, 

 Chirac, and La Condamine, the cause of inoculation made no headway. 

 Voltaire wrote "This method has had the same success here (Geneva) 

 as in England. The turn of the French comes very late, but it will 

 come." 



In 1756 the Duke of Orleans determined to have his two children, 

 the Due de Chartres and Mile, de Montpensier, inoculated, despite the 

 opposition of the court, and was persuaded by Senac to call Tronchin 

 to Paris, since his skill assured the success of the operation. (Grimm 

 says that Senac did this to vent his spite against the Medical Faculty 

 of Paris, with whom he was on unfriendly terms.) The operation was 

 done on March 25, and for three weeks all Paris waited breathlessly 

 for the result. Rumors of every kind were afloat; handbills and 

 lampoons of the most venomous nature were circulated; but on April 

 10, the Gazette officially announced the successful issue of the case, 

 whereupon, with the fickleness of courtly zeal, the utmost enthusiasm 

 and laudation replaced the former vituperation. Tronchin became 

 the idol of the day. Crowds blocked his carriage to get a sight of him. 

 He was received in private by the King and Dauphin, and dined with 

 the Queen at a state banquet. "Inoculation bonnets" became the 

 fashion, with ribbons embroidered with yellow dots to represent the 

 pustules of smallpox, while the street hawkers did a thriving trade in 

 selling "Tronchin smelling-salts, a sure preventive against contagious 

 diseases." 



Loaded with rewards and honors, Tronchin returned to Geneva 

 soon to be called to Italy, where he successfully inoculated the children 

 of the Duke of Parma, for which he was made a noble citizen of Parma. 

 His correspondence gives an interesting account of the ceremony, which 



