A Letter from Mr. Evan Davis to Mr. John Eames, F. R. S. concerning Some Children Inoculated with the Small-Pox, at Haverford-West in Pembrokeshire

12 Miles distant from his House, that they were greatly amazed with the Appearance of an extraordinary Brightness in the Zenith, resembling Flame, which continued for about 5 Minutes, and then the imaginary Guns were fired twenty or thirty times, which so disturb'd the Atmosphere, that the Birds lost the Use of their Wings, and fell to the Ground in great Disorder. This Noise was heard about fifty Miles each Way, from the bright Appearance aforesaid.—Thus far the Captain. I heard the Noise (as most People did) but saw not the Brightness at Patapsko, being about 60 Miles from the Captain's House. I was told that the Shock, occasioned by the Noise, threw down Pewter that was set to dry against the Side of a House. As this in some manner resembled an Earthquake (which has scarce ever before disturb'd our Northern World) I should be glad to know your Opinion of such Explosions. From your humble Servant, Richard Lewis. IX. A Letter from Mr. Evan Davis to Mr. John Eames, F. R. S. concerning some Children inoculated with the Small-Pox, at Haverford-West in Pembrokeshire. SIR, HAD I known in the Beginning of last Spring that an Account of the Success of Inoculation in the Small-Pox, practis'd here about that time, would be agreeable to you, as you signify in your last, I would would not have delayed so long to communicate it. If the Account had then been taken with a View of sending it abroad, it would probably have been more full and particular in some Circumstances relating to the several Stages and Appearances of that Distemper in the Cases of those who were inoculated with it, than could now be recollected at this Distance of time; yet I hope nothing material has been omitted, that may be necessary for forming a Judgment on those Cases which you have here related. The Measles interfering with the inoculated Small-Pox, and prolonging the time between the Inoculation and the Eruption of this latter so much beyond what otherwise was usual, as you will observe below it did in every one of the Instances mentioned, had, I thought, something in it that was peculiar and uncommon, and therefore what might deserve your Notice. This was the second Opportunity that has been taken to practise this Method of Inoculation in this Town and Neighbourhood. It was first introduced here about ten Years ago, by the ingenious and learned Dr. Perrott Williams, who then lived in this Town, and had practis'd Physick for several Years in this Country with eminent Success; but is since removed to London. He had then his own Children inoculated among some of the first on whom the Experiment was made, and (if I forget not) sent an Account of that Matter about that time to your Society, which was afterwards published by Dr. Jurin. Our Inoculators are two Surgeons of good Note and repute in this Town (who also keep Apothecaries Shops) and are the only Persons that I hear of in these Parts who are come into that Practice. Upon my requesting questing it, I received from them this last Week the Account following. Some little time before last Christmas the Small-Pox appear'd in this Town, chiefly of the confluent kind: Some had it with Purple-Spots, and other violent Symptoms, whereof several died. Towards the Spring, the Measles became more Epidemical, and also more fatal, than the Small-Pox. Some of the Subjects that had been visited but a little time before with the Small-Pox, and upon their Recovery had their Bodies purged, yet died of the violent Cough which attended and succeeded the Measles, which afterwards seized them. The Measles continued to rage 'till almost all the Subjects in this Place were visited with them, the Small-Pox continuing also during the whole time, yet making but a slow Progress; and to this time it has not left us. About the End of February last, Mr. Francis Meyer inoculated his own Son, near three Years old, from a Child of about the same Age, who had the distinct Sort of Small-Pox, but the Pustules small. He made a slight Incision on both Legs, which took only in one: After four Days a Pustule appeared on the Part wounded, but did not much inflame it, nor make much Progress. On the 7th Day the Child grew feverish, and on the 8th, or towards the 9th Day (instead of the intended Small-Pox) the Measles appear'd all over his Body, attended with a Cough; at which time the feverish Disorder abated, 'till the 11th or 12th Day: Then he grew feverish again, and towards the 14th Day the Small-Pox appeared, a small distinct Sort, and few in Number. After the Eruption was full, he grew hearty, and so continued, not being visited visited with a second Fever. After this Mr. Meyler inoculated two other Children from his own Son, by applying the Matter, after a slight Incision, to both the Legs of each of them, but it did not succeed. About the same time he inoculated two other Children, a little Way out of Town, from a Neighbour's Child, but neither of them were infected. Its not succeeding he knows not what to impute to; whether to the Slightness of the Incision, or to the want of a Sufficiency of Matter to infect with, or to the want of a Disposition in the Subjects to be infected. About the latter End of March last Mr. Richard Wright inoculated a Daughter of Tho. Kymer, Esq; of this Town, between 3 and 4 Years of Age, from another Child of about the same Age, who had a distinct kind. The Matter was applied to one of her Arms, the Incision being made pretty deep. The Inflammation thereof began about the 4th or 5th Day, and afterwards appeared considerably great. She proceeded until the 7th Day in a very hearty and brisk State, at which time she began to grow heavy, sick, and very feverish. Then an Eruption of the Small-Pox was expected; but her Fever increased, and the next Day there were Eruptions seen all over her Body, which proved to be the regular Measles. She was treated accordingly, and grew well, excepting a pretty severe Cough she had, and this Cough continued through the whole Course of the following Small-Pox. About the 12th Day she sicken'd again, and about the 14th the Small-Pox appeared, the distinct fort, and very favourable; they came out, fill'd, and dry'd away very kindly, and were attended with very little of a second Fever. She went through the Distemper stemper with a great deal of Cheerfulness: She was purged afterwards, and seemed very well; but in a little time after, a Boil came on the lower Part of the Shoulder-Blade of the same Arm wherein she was inoculated, which was brought to suppurate, and was healed in a common Manner. From this Subject last mentioned Mr. Wright inoculated two Daughters and a Son of Nicholas Roch, Esq; at his Scat, about five Miles distant from this Town. These three Children were aged from 3 to 8 Years. The Incision was made in one Arm of each Child; it produced the same Effect on every one of them as it did on Miss Kymer; viz. the Measles on the 7th or 8th Day, and the Small-Pox of the distinct sort on the 14th Day. They went all three very well through every Stage of the Distemper; the secondary Fever was but slight. One of these had them somewhat thick, and the other two had a pretty many of the Pox appearing over them likewise; but they thoroughly recover'd all of them, and have all since continued in a good State of Health. Thus, Sir, you have this Affair related by the Inoculators above named, in a faithful, and impartial Manner. You may be assured, though perhaps not so largely as you might expect, for the Reason before alleged: But if there should be Occasion for explaining themselves in any Particular, they will readily do it when desired. I know of nothing I have to add before I conclude, unless it be my good Wishes, that wherever this Practice takes, it may be attended with the same Safety and Success that it has hitherto met with here; which seems to me to recommend it as an happy Expedient that Providence has kindly directed to, in order to guard against the Injuries and Dangers of one of the most dreadful and destructive Diseases incident to Mankind. I have just Cause, I conceive, to incline me to think very favourably of this Method, from what I have myself observed of its Advantages. In the Beginning of this Year I lost one Child out of five I had, by the Small-Pox in the natural Way; and I have seen what great Sickness and Misery the other four suffered, who all of them had the confluent sort, in Comparison with what the Inoculated underwent. One Boy of mine particularly, between 7 and 8 Years of Age, had it so violently, that his Life first, then his Limbs, Senses, and Intellects were endangered by it; and he is not yet fully recovered from the Effects of it to his former good Health and Strength, though he had it in Dec. and Jan. last, among those who first fell into it, when it came this last time to this Place. Aug. 18, 1732. P. S. Concerning the four Children above mentioned, on whom the Operation did not succeed, but remained uninfected after the variolous Matter was applied in the usual Way to them. They have all of them since escaped the Measles, though most other Children about them had 'em, and none of them have yet had the Small-Pox, though it still continues in the Town. There are not many now that are sick of it, but it is of the bad confluent kind, attended with Purple-Spots, and watery Bladders that are mix'd with the Purples. It is observed, that most of these who have of late been visited with it, have died thereof. This probably will incline some to use Inoculation again, and to make that Practice, under Providence, their Refuge. I am, Sir, Yours, Evan Davis. Oct. 25, 1732.