178

SMALL-POX.

small-pox himself attend others under that malady ? Plowdeplorable is the situation of females who arrive at matureage without having had the small-pox. A woman with childseldom survives this disease. And if an infant happens tobe seized with the small-pox upon the mother's breast, whohas not had the disease herself, the scene must be distressing,[f she continues to suckle the child, it is at the peril of herown life ; and if she weans it, in all probability it will perish.How often is the affectionate mother forced to leave her house,and abandon her children, at the very time when her care ismost necessary. Yet should parental affection get the betterof her fears, the consequences would often prove fatal. Ihave known the affectionate mother and her sucking infantlaid ^i the same grave, both untimely victims to this dread-ful malady. But these are scenes too shocking even to men-tion. Let parents who run away with their children to avoidthe small-pox, or who refuse to inoculate them in infancy,consider to what deplorable situations they may be reducedby this mistaken tenderness.

As the small-pox has now become a constitutional diseasein most parts of the known world, no other choice remainsbut to render the malady as mild as possible. This is theonly manner of extirpation now left in our power. Andthough it may seem paradoxical, the artificial method ofcommunicating the disease, could it be rendered universal,would amount to nearly the same thing as rooting it out.It is a matter of small consequence whether a disease beentirely extirpated or rendered so mild as neither to destroylife nor hurt the constitution ; but that this may be done byinoculation does not now admit of a doubt. The numbers whodie under inoculation hardly deserve to be named. In thenatural way, one in four or five generally dies ; but by inocu-lation not one of a thousand. Nay, some can boast of havinginoculated ten thousand without the loss of a single patient.

I have often wished to see some plan established for ren-dering this salutary practice universal, but am afraid I shallnever be so happy. The difficulties indeed are many, yetthe thing is by no means impracticable. The aim is great, —no less than saving the lives of one-fourth part of mankind.What ought not to be attempted in order to accomplish sodesirable an end ?

The first step towards rendering the practice universalmust be to remove the religious prejudices against it. This,