. t ^95 ] 
by inoculation without mercury, i in 8o or loO} 
by inoculation with mercury, i in 800 or 1000. 
The ufe of mercury, in the fmal! pox, wis 
firil hinted by the learned Boerhaave, wlio died in 
17385 this intimation was improved, and mercury 
introduced into pra<ftice, by phylicians, in the Englifli 
American colonies, about 1745. 
Several American phylicians claim the fecond 
glory to Boerhaave. Dr. Thomas of Virginia, and 
Dr. Murifon of Long Ifland, in the province of 
New York, may jufUy have merited that honour, 
who have fuccefsfully pradifed by the ufe of mer- 
cury, perhaps before any other, either in Europe or 
America. 
During the late war, the fmall pox was brought 
into divers towns, in this and the other colonies, by 
the return of our foldiers (employed in his ma- 
jefty’s fervice, in the pay of the New England co- 
lonies) for winter quarters, and by feamen employed 
in our navigation to the Britifh iflands in the Weft 
Indies, where the fmall pox was univerlally preva- 
lent, which produced an univerfal concern among 
the inhabitants, led the fame fhould become ge- 
neral, and fpread through this and the other colonies 
in New England. Whereupon application was made 
to the legiflature of this colony, for liberty to inocu- 
late for the fmall-pox, by the officers of our pro- 
vincial troops and others, which was accordingly 
granted ; as likewife that hofpitals for that purpofe might 
be eredled, in fuch towns of the colony as fhould fee 
caufe to permit the fame. However, indead of re- 
gulating fuch hofpitals as fhould be eredted for that 
purpofe, by well- adapted laws, to prevent any com- 
C c 2 munication 
