A prospect of exterminating the small pox : part II, being a continuation of a narrative of facts concerning the progress of the new inoculation in America : together with Practical observations on the local appearance, symptoms, and mode oftreating the variola vaccina, or kine pock : including some letters to the author, from distinguished characters, on the subject of this benign remedy : now passing with a rapid step through all ranks of society in Europe and America / by Benjamin Waterhouse, M.D.

  • Waterhouse, Benjamin, 1754-1846.
Date:
1802 [i.e. 1803?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A prospect of exterminating the small pox : part II, being a continuation of a narrative of facts concerning the progress of the new inoculation in America : together with Practical observations on the local appearance, symptoms, and mode oftreating the variola vaccina, or kine pock : including some letters to the author, from distinguished characters, on the subject of this benign remedy : now passing with a rapid step through all ranks of society in Europe and America / by Benjamin Waterhouse, M.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    pie and easy is that passage now, compared with what it was, when trre first ship entered it ; when it was not merely steer- ing by a known fixed object, but sounding every inch of the way, amidst islands, rocks, reefs, eddies and shoals, in order to determine the safe channel. In like manner, if in our first at- tempts to ascertain the safe passage, we sometimes got aground, or run ashore, we never failed to mark the ground for the be- nefit of those who came after us. We have buoyed the chan- nel as well as we were able, and noted the bearings of every dangerous rock, point, reef or shoal. It should be remember- ed too, that we had not a leading wind, nor a flowing tide. Since that time we have endeavored to make an accurate chart of the coast ; taking care to note the variations of the compass, the predominant winds, and the prevailing cur- rents. Our last labour is to collect materials for erecting a light-house to guide those adventurers, who attempt the same rout in the dark. The Massachusetts Medical Society, impressed with concern for the evil tendency of the many idle and false reports respecting the spurious cases at Marblehead, appointed a committee, censisting of their President, Vice President, and myself, to inquire into facts on the spot, and make report. But their commission was very imperfectly executed, as but one of the three thought fit to attend to it. Dr. D. of Marblehead gave me a very particular account of his inoculation from the matter taken from the arm of his son, and appeared to be thoroughly convinced that all his cases but one, were spurious. He concludes his candid narrative in these words : On the whole, from what I have seen, it is my de- cided opinion that the inoculation for the kine-pock, if properly performed, is a certain preventative of the small-pox. The principal thing to be attended to in this operation, is to take