Mr. Maitland's account of inoculating the small pox ... : To which is added, a postscript confirming the success of this practice, from Mr. Massey the apothecary's pamphlet on the subject. And a word to the Reverend Mr. Massey on his vindication of his sermon.

  • Charles Maitland
Date:
1723
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Mr. Maitland's account of inoculating the small pox ... : To which is added, a postscript confirming the success of this practice, from Mr. Massey the apothecary's pamphlet on the subject. And a word to the Reverend Mr. Massey on his vindication of his sermon. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    49/68 page 45
    pjcration, does not think he has committed a mortal Sin, in inflifting a mortal Difeafe s and yet the Patient perhaps might have liv'd many Years, and not dy'd of the Diftemper at laft. The Difference of the two Cafes, the one being for Cure, the other for Prevention, does not change the State of the Queftion ji which, in general Terms, is this. Whether Mankind have a Lawful Power of infliding Difeafes for good Purpofes > A Perfon who has not had the Small may be very juftly confider d, as having the Seeds of a mortal Diftemper within him j and the Dread of it is furely a Suffering, that will juftify the Lawfulnefs of uftng M cans, which have the greateft Probability of faving him from a Danger, which, for ought he knows, may be nearer and greater, than that of a Stone in the Bladder. Anxiety and Bodily Pain, don't differ fo much, as to make an Adion lawful in one Cafe, finful in the other. Page 21.] But it feems it is a Tempting of Trovidence, And there is no great Diffe¬ rence between the T)evil*sTrapofal to our Saviour^ to caft himfelf down headlong^ and that Inoculation. It is wonderful, into what Abfurdities, Zeal for an Opinion, will drive a Man, even to affert that there is no Difference between a Maifs running into a Danger abfolutely unneceffary, and from which nothing but a dired Miracle can favc him 5 and a Venturing on a fmall Hazard to avoid
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3