The climate and diseases of America / by Johann David Schoff ; translated by James Read Chadwick.

  • Schöpf, Johann David, 1752-1800.
Date:
1875
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The climate and diseases of America / by Johann David Schoff ; translated by James Read Chadwick. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    people assert that they have not lost one out of three thousand or four thousand individuals whom they have inoculated. I was an eye- witness of the following event : More than three hundred prisoners who took the small-pox last winter were confined in a sugar-house with- out other beds than woolen blankets upon the hard floor, without other diet than the above-mentioned rations, without treatment other than a few cathartics ; yet all recovered in the most favorable man- ner. If there were no other advantages attending inoculation, the relief from the habitual dread of catching the disease would be reason enough for continuing its practice. There are very few people in Rhod-Eyland who have had the small- pox. In deference to the sentiments of the greater part of the old in- habitants, who dread inoculation quite as much as infection, and in part owing to the obstinacy of several influential families, the greatest efforts are constantly made to avert any possibility of contagion. To prevent . the dissemination of the poison, it has for many years been the custom to send those really affected, or supposed to be affected, with small-pox, to a small island that lies near Rhod-Eyland. In order to propitiate , the inhabitants, inoculation was repeatedly forbiddeir while the royal troops were there ; since we have left, every wagon that arrives from this city is anxiously searched. On the other hand, the inhabitants scarcely dare to leave the island, but if they must come here, they are forced to submit to inoculation, in order to escape infection. The treatment of the patients on the little island, which is consequently called Bladder-Eyland, is not the most careful. The island is only separated from the main land by a channel about fifty paces wide. No one ventures to cross as long as there are patients there. The means of subsistence are laid upon the shore, whei’e they are sought by the man who is appointed to look after the sick. A physician I’arely, if ever, crosses to the island, as he would not be allowed to visit any of his other patients subsequently, for fear lest he should transmit the con- tagion. Wlien he must cross in spite of the risk, he visits the island in a complete suit of oil-silk, which is quite enougli to excite alarm in the young or weak patients. As a rule, however, he inquires after the sufferers from this side of the channel, and prescribes at that distance.^ 1 Dr. Jenner vaccinated his first patient in 1796. This practice was introduced into Ameriea in the same year by Dr. James Jackson and Dr. Waterhouse.
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