The Way of Proceeding in the Small Pox Inoculated in New England. Communicated by Henry Newman, Esq; Of the Middle Temple

VI. The way of proceeding in the Small Pox inoculated in New England. Communicated by Henry Newman, Esq; of the Middle Temple. 1. We make usually a Couple of Incisions in the Arms where we make our Issues, but somewhat larger than for them, sometimes in one Arm, and one Leg. 2. Into these we put bits of Lint, (the patient at the same time turning his Face another way, and guarding his Nostrils) which have been dipt in some of the Variolous Matter taken in a Vial, from the Pustules of one that has the Small Pox of the more laudable Sort, now turning upon him, and so we cover them with a Plaister of Diachylon. 3. Yet we find the Variolous Matter fetched from those, that have the inoculated Small Pox, altogether as agreeable and effectual as any other. And so we do what is taken from them that have the Confluent Sort. 4. Within Four and Twenty Hours, we throw away the Lint, and the Sores are dressed once or twice every Four and Twenty Hours, with warmed Cabbage Leaves. 5. The Patient continues to do all Things, as at other times, only he exposes not himself unto the Injuries of the Weather, if that be at all Tempestuous. 6. About the Seventh Day the Patient feels the usual Symptoms of the Small Pox coming upon him; and he is now managed as in an ordinary Putrid Fever. If he cannot hold up, he goes to Bed; if his Head Head ach too much, we put the common Poultice to his Peet, if he be very Sick at the Stomach, we give him a gentle Vomit, yea, we commonly do these Things almost of Course, whether we find the Patient want them or no. And we reckon the sooner we do these Things, the better. If the Fever be too high, in some Constitutions, we Bleed a little: And finally, to hasten the Eruption, we put on a Couple of Blisters. 7. On or about the Third Day from the Decumbiture the Eruption begins. The Number of the Pustules is not alike in all, in some they are a very few, in others they amount to an Hundred, yea, in many they amount unto several Hundreds; frequently unto more than what the Accounts from the Levant say is usual there. 8. The Eruption being made, all Illness vanishes; except perhaps a little of the Vapours in those that are troubled with them; there is nothing more to do, but to keep Warm, drink proper Teas, eat Gruel, Milk Pottage, Panada, Bread, Butter, and almost anything equally Simple and Innocent. 9. Ordinarily the Patient sits up every Day, and entertains his Friends, yea, ventures upon a Glass of Wine with them. If he be too Intent upon hard Reading and Study, we take him off. 10. Sometimes, tho' the Patient be on other Accounts easy enough, yet he can't Sleep for divers Nights together. In this Case we do not give him Anodynes or Opiates, because we find, That they who have taken these Things in the Small Pox are generally pestered with miserable Biles after their being recovered. So we let them alone; their Sleep will come of it self, as their Strength is coming on. 11. On the Seventh Day the Pustules usually come to their Maturity; and soon after this they go away, as as those of the Small Pox in the Distinct Sort use to do. 12. The Patient gets abroad quickly, and is most sensibly Stronger, and in better Health than he was before. The Transplantation has been given to Women in Child-bed, Eight or Nine Days after their Delivery; and they have got earlier out of their Childbed, and in better Circumstances, than ever in their Lives. Those that have had ugly Ulcers long running upon them, have had them healed on, and by this Transplantation. Some very feeble, crazy, Consumptive People, have upon this Transplantation, grown hearty and got rid of their former Maladies. 13. The Sores of the Incision do seem to dry a little in Three or Four Days of the Feverish Preparation for Eruption. After this there is a plentiful Discharge at them. The discharge may continue a little while after the Patient is quite well on other Accounts; But the Sores will soon enough dry up of themselves; but the later, the better, as we think. If they happen to be inflamed, or otherwise Troublesome, we presently help them in the ways we do any Ordinary Sores. VII. A Letter from Dr. Nettleton, Physician at Halifax in Yorkshire, to Dr. Whitaker, concerning the Inoculation of the Small Pox. SIR, HAVING too often found with no small Grief and Trouble, how little the Assistance of Art cou'd avail in many Cases of the Small Pox, I was induced to try the Method of Incision or Inoculation, which came so well recommended by several Physicians