When it is considered that the small-pox is one of the chief causes of depopulation ... / [John Coakley Lettsom].

  • John Coakley Lettsom
Date:
1779]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: When it is considered that the small-pox is one of the chief causes of depopulation ... / [John Coakley Lettsom]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    t > * ' ? „ ^ r r . v ’ * * ^ ‘' . * r r . , . , r ; r , Y ' • «• w HEN it is confidered that the Small-Pox is one of the chief caufes of depopulation, and that, in London'alone, one hundred and feven thoufand one hundred * f • - 4 and fifty perfons have been carried off by it within the laft fifty years; Inoculation feems to have been providentially introduced, to difarm the Natural Difeafe of its malignant power—to promote the encreafe of mankind, fecure the prefervation of individuals, and leffen the fum of human mifery. When it is further confidered, that fcarcely one in five hundred die in the Inoculated Small- * f f .< . Pox, we cannot but lament over the lofs of thofe one hundred and feven thoufand one hundred *■* » % *y ‘ and fifty viflims, molt of whom might have been redeemed from the grave, and, by the probable encreafe of their offspring, have made an immenfe addition to the ftrength of the ffate* The means of countera&ing the ravages of this fatal diftemper by Inoculation, have been very generally embraced by the higher claffes of people in this nation ; but, to a very ufeful, and the moft numerous part of the community, the advantages refulting from it, have hitherto in great meafure been loft, either from the confined circumftances of the poor, or from their prejudices againft fo extraordinary an innovation in praflice. T ♦ • • ’ - - ■ •- • ‘ ' * v . • «. . ,, * * • ■ ’ * • A V. % -** At length, however, • examples of the dreadful effefis of the Natural, and the wanderful fuccefs of the Artificial Difeafe, have overcome thefe ill-founded prejudices, and nothing feemed wanting, to enable the poor to reap the benefit of this pra&ice, but an eftablilhment fuited to their condition and circumffances. In London alone upwards of ten thoufand children annually die under feven years of age, a great part of whom fall vi£lims to the Natural Small-Pox ; but, till very lately, the poor had no means of avoiding this difeafe by Inoculation, as no inftitution f<?r that purpofe exiffed here till the year 1775, when the Society for General Inoculation of the Poor was fir If eftablilhed.. To. humane and benevolent minds, it muff have afforded a high degree of pleafure, to fee fuch ample means extended for faving the offspring of the poor ; and that their avidity to embrace this falutary pra&ice was exceeded only by the fuccefs of it: for hitherto not a fingle unfavourable event
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