¥ 
* 608 
cafes, indeed, are allowed by himflf (and 
he feems by vo means difpoied to concede 
any thing m favour of vaccination) to be 
in themfeives of fo doubtful a kind, that 
they could net have been brought fer- 
ward or relied upon as evidence, if they 
had not-been tupported by others, how- 
ever few, of a more decifive complexion. 
Of thoi few, moreover, it is impeihble 
not to remark, that admitting them in all 
their force, their evidence, when compared 
with the immenfe ma(s of facts directly 
oppofed to them, is extremely trifling in 
its amount; and in its narure, fuch as 
may jultiy awaken a {wfpicion of the ac- 
curacy of the ebfrvations on which it is 
founded. The beit, if not the only pro- 
per anfwer to them has a'ready been made, 
by thewing the oppofite refults of a feries 
of judicious experiments to prove the point 
at ifflue*. If every focicty which difpentes 
gratuitous incculation, and every indivi- 
dual, according to his opportunity, would 
follow this example, the permanency cof 
the fecurity, afforded by vaccivatien, if, 
contrary te aralogy ard experience, it he 
yet the fubject of coubt, would in process 
of time be fully afcertained. 
Admitting, however, in their fulle# ex- 
tent, the reality of the alleged cafes of 
fmali pox happening after vaccination, 
and their influeace upon our opinions an: 
condu&; in what degree do they affea 
the argument for the univeri{al adoption 
of this fpecies of inoculation? The quef- 
tion is not now, as formerly, between the 
practice of ineculatton at all, and fub 
mitting to the catualties of the natural 
fmall-pex. . It is prefumed that no per- 
fuafion can now be requilite to engage the 
utmolt endeavours of mankind for eradi- 
cating fo dreadiul a petlilence from the 
face of the earth. But although there is 
certainly a poffibiliry of accomplithing 
this purpofe by means of the variolous ino- 
culation itfe.f, yet experience has fhewn 
that, from the contagious pature of the 
difeate, it has hitherto contributed rather 
to {pread than to curtail the infeétion ; and, 
in the mean time, has only mitigated, nct 
removed, the evils and danger attend- 
ing it to individuals. The comparative 
advantages of the cow-pox ineculation, 
on the contrary, are in no degree leflened, 
if it fhould be found to be only equal to 
the variolous in point of fecunty ;—that 
in this refpe& it fhould be fuperior, could 
never be fuppefed. Now it has long been 
known that the incculation of {mall_pox 
ittelf occationally fails to prote& the 
* See ** A Statement of Evidence,” &c. 
by the phylicians of the Vaccine Pock infti- 
tutions 2 
Mr. Addington on Faccination. 
[Jan. i, 
conflitetion from the fubfequent attack 
of the dilfeafe; and what is ftill more re- 
markable, fome well-authenticated cafés — 
are on record, in which the natural dit. 
eafe has been‘fuffered twice by the fame 
perfon. The explanation of thefe extra; 
ordinary occurrences has not yet been dif. 
covered ; but no one has ever imagined 
that they afforded an argument againit 
the beneficial praGice ef incculation al- 
together. Neither will it now be con- 
tended by any impartial perfon, at adl 
appriled of its fupe:ior advantages, that 
vaccination, which has albeady, perhaps, 
effeSted more forthe prefervaticn ot human 
lite, than any other medical difcovery 
hitherto promulgated, fhould, on grounds 
like thefe, be abandoned. Whatever may 
be the peculiar circumftances which lie at 
the foundation of the anomalous cates, 
row brought forward as objections, 
eventually, we may hope, by means of 
increaiing vigilance and circumfpeétion, 
they may be brought to light, and their 
eoeration, as far as poflible, countera@ed. 
Thefe are the points to which our efforts 
cught at preient to be direéted ; and in 
my opinion, difregardmg all vague and 
idle rumour, the offspring of prejudice 
ard mifinformation, thofe who, on ferious 
and authentic documerts, bring forward 
fuch cafes and obfervations as are at va- 
riante with the great bulk of the evi- 
dence on the fudje&, contribute more to 
the final and perte& eftablifhmenrof the 
practice, and confequently merit mors ap-. 
pliufe, than fuch as, from the fettled con- 
viction of its efficacy in their own minds, 
fcem defrous of fuppreffing ail apparently 
contraveniag teftimony. 
Additions] reafons are every day pre~ 
fented to our attention, for recommending 
a very carefuland exa& procedure in the ec: n- 
duct of vaccine inoculation. Insumerabie 
are the errors that have already been com- 
mitted by perions both in and out of the 
prefeflion, whe have taken it up without 
fuficrent acquaintance with the proper 
appearances and progrefs of the diteafe. 
Not only has the reputation of the prac- 
tice been thus impugned, but lives have 
been almoft wantonly {facrificed to the falie 
fecurity which has thus, ignorantly or 
heedlefsly, beenengendered. A few weeks 
ago, only, I witnefied the melancholy 
death, by confluent fmail pox, ef a re- 
markably fine young woman, who, with 
many of her neighbours, in a {mall village — 
in Hertfordfhire, had been impofed upon 
from.an operation having been performedon 
their arms, which, upon enquiry, had not, 
except in the eeciaration of the impoftor 
himéelf, 
‘> 
