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munication with thefe hofpitals from abroad, or the 
fubjedts of inoculation leaving the fame, without 
licence from the attending phyfician, unhappily that 
matters was left, to be regulated at the difcretion of the 
overfeers of the feveral towns where inoculation 
fliould be pradtifed, which required the ftridteft laws, 
enforced by fevere penalties, without which it would 
be impoffible for the attending phyfician to reftrain 
his patients, when grown impatient with confine- 
ment and a reclufe life. 
From this defedl, fome perfons left the hofpitals, 
not being duly cleanfed, and unhappily communi- 
cated the fmall-pox to divers perfons, of which 
fome died; whereupon the law permitting inocu- 
lation was repealed, notwithftanding three hofpi- 
tals had been eredled in this colony, at no inconfider- 
able expence, and no further attempts were made, to 
regulate the pradtice of inoculation, by meafures well 
adapted for that purpofe. 
Whereupon perfons engaged in trade, feamen, 
and youth, living in fea-port towns, and places more 
expofed to frequent invafions of the fmall-pox, re- 
forted in great numbers to New York, in order to 
obtain inoculation. On this emigration of the inhabi- 
tants, and partly to prevent, but principally to fecure 
againfi, the fpreading of the contagion in the colony, 
the afiembly prohibited inoculation within the limits 
of this colony, on very fevere penalties ; and in cafe 
people went into any other government to obtain 
it, ordered them not to return again to the co- 
lony, without firfi: having remained out at leaf! 
twenty days after leaving the hofpital, or place of 
infedtion, upon the penalty of twenty pounds; and 
