The National Register. — London, England, 1812-08-09 00:00:00

AITG. 9. ~- rejoice at the failure, supposing it to be real, of a remedy f ro m which so much universal good was expected? Already had the press teemed with their Vain boasts, and caricature! revealed their pretensions to, and want of wit, when they found themselves once more foiled, and became the objects of that ridicule which they wished to heap on their antago nists. Like blind assailants, they wielded the scourge so un skilfully as to be the only persons injured by the use of it.— The following arc the chief features of this interesting Re Fort After stating that the number vaccinated this year rather exceeds that of the year 1810, and that the demand for lymph has been often so great, that it could not he immediately suppled, the Report declares that since the cotnmencement of this establishment, not a single in stance of the accession of small-pox, after vaccination, has occurred to any of the vaccinating surgeons of the nine stations : That in consequence of an order from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, vaccination has been practised in the navy to a great event ; and although it has not been universally adopted, the morta lity from the small-pox, ainorg stamen, is already greatly diminished. That in the army, the practice of vaccination has been long esta blished, by an order from the Commander in Chief, and its effects hive been decidedly beneficial ; for almost the only persons among the troops who have lately been afacted with small-pox, have been either recruits, who had received the infection previous to their enlistment, or soldiers who had not been vaccinated, on the supposition ot their having had the varioleua disease. Thus, with a few Pxceptions, a &ender formerly so fatal to the troops, is now considered as nearly extinguished in the army. By information transmitted to the Board from their numerous cor respondents in all parts of the country, it appears that vaccination is almost every where gaining ground, throughout the British dominions, though its progress is very different in different places ; and it is found that the number of deaths from the small-pox is uniformly decreasing, in proportion as vaccination becomes more general, and the inocula tion of the smallpox declines. The disappearance of the. small-pox from the Island of Ceylon, was noticed in the Report of last year ; and the Koa:d has now the rleasurc of stating. from sources of authentic and satisfactory information, that, in consequence of vaccination, this dreadful disease has in no hastarce lately occurred in the Island of Anglesey, in the City of Newcastle• upon-Tyne, in the To% n of Petworth, or in the adjoining district. At present, by the best estimate, it appears that nearly two-thirds of the children annually born in the metropolis, arc vaccinated either by charitable institutions or private practitioners ; and that the num ber of deaths by small-pox hes proportionably decreased. Previous to the discovery of vaccination. the average number of deaths by small pox, within the bills of mortality, was 2,000 annually ; whereas in the last year, only 751 petsons have died of that disease, although the increase of population within the last ten years has been 1330:39e The increase ot population threughout Great Britain, in the same period of time, has been 12609,000 ; and to these ang,mentaticais the practice of vaccination has probably much contributed. The Reports from the Cow Pock Institution in Dublin arc of the most favourable nature, and furnish sufficient reason to believe, that since the introduction of the vaccine preventive, the mortality from small pox has considerably declined in that city. The accounts from' Scotland, particularly those from the faculty at Glasgow, which have been transmitted to the Beard, furnish evideece of the general and rapid increase of vaccination in the northern part of the island, and give the most satisfactory proofs cf the success and effi cacy of the practice. Notwithstanding the incontrovertible evidence of the very great arlvantages of vaccination, it is much to be lamented that there are still some medical practitioners, though the number of them is com paratively small, who obstinate)? persist in disseminating, by inocu lation, the contagion of the small-pex, and who srrenously encourage and support, especially among the lower orders of the pen .le, the prejudices against the new practice; rumours are indusrriour.ly spread abroad, of deforming and loathsome thseases produced by this prac tice; and numerous mist atements of cases are published, of the occur rence of small-pox after vaccination. 'That in some eases the small pox has alfaaten persons who have been most carefully vacciiiered, is sufficiently established ; nor ought we to be serwised at this,w heti we that that the inoculation for the small-pox somatimes fit's, and _at several cases may be produced, in which persons have been all:eo ed with the natural disease more than once in the course of live The eurnber of instances of small-pox, after vaccination, 'however, is very r .nall; and we may f a irly presume, that in prepertion as improve wents are made in the practice, such occur:era:ea will be still more rare. The Board have infinite satisfaction in atatine the twn frolowing important and decisive facts, in proof of the effKacv and safety of var:einattim, viz. that in the cases which have come know. ledge, the small-pox, after v4,:ciitation, with a very I<vi exceptiotiv, 274 been a mild disease ; and that out of the mar,/ hundred t housand persons viscinate , l i not a single wen ti.stance Na . - .. 9. AVG. g• THE NATIO ;al .e. rejoice at the failure, supposing it to be real, of a reined; he from which so much universal good was expected? Alread . had the press teemed with their vain boasts, and caricature 44t le revealed their pretensions to, and want of wit, when the re e found themsel ves once more foiled, and became the object d- of that ridicule which they wished to heap on their antagr e. ;lists. Like blind assailants, the y wielded the scourge so ur or skilfully owing be the only persons injured by the use of it.— The follg arc the chief features of this interesting - RI to Fort: — le After stating that the number vaccinated this year rather excee e, that of the year 1810, and that the demand for lymph has been often Id great, that it could not he immteliately suppled, the Report declar that since the commencement of this establishment, not a single i e, ;ranee of the accession of small-pox, after vaccination, has occurr to to any of the vaccinating su r g eons of the nine stations : That in consequence of an order from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, vaccination has been practised in the navy to a gr.( Ti event ; and although it has not been universally adopted, the mon tit lily from the small-pox, atnorg seamen, is already greatly diminishe That in the army, the practice of vaccination has been long eo to hlished, by an order from the Commander in Chief, and its etre, hive been decidedly beneficial ; for almost the only persons among i troops who have lately olocted with small-pox, have been eit I v, recruits, who had received the infection previous to their enlistme its or soldiers who had not been vaccinated, on the supposition ot th in having had the varioltua disease. Thus, with a few exception; lit &ender formerly so fatal to the troops, is now considered as nea extinguished in the army. to By information transmitted to the Board from their numerous c to respondents in all parts of the country, it appetrs that vaccinatiot e. almost every where gaining ground, throughout the British dominio though its progress is very different in differ e n t p laces ; and it is lot it that the number of deaths from the small-pox is uniformly decreasi in proportion as vaccination becomes more general, and the inoct Lion of the small-pox declines. The disappearance of the small-pox from the Island of Ceylon,' noticed in the Report of last year ; and the Koard has now the eleas of stating, from sources of authentic and satisfactory information, 11 of , in consequence of vaccination, this dreadful disease has in no irasu at lately occurred in the Island of Anglesey, in the City of Newcas iv upon-Tyne, in the Town of Petworth, or in the adjoining district. e. At present, by the best estimate, it appears that nearly two-th ill of the children annually born in the metropolis, arc vaccinated cif le by charitable institutions or private practitioners ; and that the 111 sir bar of deaths by small-pox hes proportionably decreased. Prev 'N. to the discovery of vaccination, the average number of deaths by sir if, pox, within the bills of mortality, was 2,0 00 annually ; w h ere:, the last year, only 751 petsons have died of that disease , a lthou g h he increase of population within the last ten years has been 133,' id The increase ot population throughout Great Britain, in the s et period of time, has been 12609,000 ; and to these ang,menratkois el practice of vaccination has probably much contributed. n- The Reports from the Cow Pock Institution in Dublin are ol il most favourable nature, and furnish sufficient reason to believe, since the introduction of the vaccine preventive, the mortality I 1,- small pox has considerably declined in diet city. The accounts from Scotland, particularly those from th e facul Glasgow, which have been transmitted to the Beard, furnish evict its of the general and rapid increase of vaccination in the northern pa 411 the island, and give the most aatistactory proof; 4 the success and cacy of the practice. Notwithstanding the incontrovertible evidence of the very 1 advantages of vaccination, it is much to be lamented that ther still some medical practitioners, though the number of them is ( paratively small, st who obstinate)? persist in disseminating, by in lation, the contagion of the small-pox, and who srrenously even' it, and support, especially among the lower orders of the pen plc, lit prejudices against the new practice; rumours are industriously sT he abroad, of deforming and loathsome thseases produced by this i lice; and numerous mistatements of cases are published, of the ot e- rence of small-pox after vaccination. Thet in some caws the st lv pox ha, dinkteti persons who have been most carefully vaccitiAtc at sufficiently establi s hed ; nor ought we to be sernrised at this , w he consider that the inoculation for the small-pox som.eimes f.,& li, that several cases may , be produced, in which persons have been a el. ed u with the natural disease more than once in the course of lire i'i'r umber of instances of small-pox, after vaccination, h o wever, is s:nall ; and we may fairly presume, that in prepertion as imp io, 'Tents are made in the practice, such occurrences will be still he rare. ad . The Board have infinite satisfaction in atatine the two fr o lc Important and decisive facts, i n proof of the etll42acy ;told sate err vaccination, viz. that in the cases which have come to t!loi r k is- ledge, the small-pox, after vaccination, w til a very kw excepi en lles been a mild disease ; and that out of the mar y hui fh° l2 And Persons viscinatel, not a single wen authenticated W - . 'TIE NATIONAL REGISTER. has been communicated to them,tf the occurrence of a fat 4 small -pox atter vaccination. They cannot conclude their Report without adverting the mischief:: which are daily arising from the diffusion of the fatal contagion of , mall-pcx in the community, in consequence of variolous inoculations among tl• lower classes of the people, which constantly , keeps up this contagion ; ani where it saves a single life, exposes numbers to a most dangerous disc se. The constant renewal of the contagion of small-pox in this capital, which they so deeply lament, is strikingly contras . .ed with the advantages enjoyed by several of the other cipitals of Europe, its consequence of the universal adoption of vaccination by medical prac titioners, seconded by the authority .of government. The cities of Vienna and Milan, in which the mortality from small pyx was tor cued y m^-re considerable in proportion to their population th;in in London, have been for some time freed altogether front. this destruc tive pest ; the fir-t for five, and the latter for eight y eats, according to the statement of Drs. Dc Cairo and Sacco : And in the City of Ge neva, th- small-pox has been nearly extirpated. In Swdzerland in general, hut more particularly in Geneva, the x*.ension of tire bless ings connected with vaccination, has in a. great degree ..:epenr-iut on the warm and active cooziperation of the cler:ey, who e assiduous ill recommending the practice to their parishioners fa u n the pulpit, as well as promoting it by every other exertion their power. The Board has great pleasure in siting, that the nowey granted by? Parliamcm doting the last Session, has been sultic , ent to oetray the exp noes of the year 1811 ; and they are of opknion, that the same sum will he adequate to the expenditure of the current yc,ir. By crder of the Board, Register. FR. NIII,NIAN, Fresldent. JOHN BUNN, TfIE CONVICT. TO TIM EDITOR OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER. SlR—Allow MC to express my satisfacion at the insettiort in your last paper, of a letter signed Candour, yimticating the morals of an Unfortunate being, who. though just,y •) et take's , by the laws of his country for one offence, was not so de praved, and so dead to feeling, as to have committed the heinous crime which, it seems, has.been imputed to him. No, Sir, there is still honour and decency left among thie% es; and the man who would not disdain to seize the purse, or use the name of others, for interested purposes, would shrink with horror from seducing the wife, or the inexperienced (laughter of a friend. In the former case, arguments are not. wanting to palliate to his own conscience the enormity of tho offence of which he has been guilty. The pressure of want, the clamours of irritated creditors, the sufferings and cries of a starving family, and the proud neglect of the world, which beholds, without relieving, his misery, as they were his in, citements to theft or forgery, form the unc:ion which lip lays to his soul. " Had I not been the most miserabte ot` men," he tells his own heart, " 1 shotud not have been guilty. Ilad I not been denied that assistance which homanitv I shoeld not have been reduced to force it out of the hled that ought spontaneously to have opened fir my relief What I. have taken was a trifle to him who lost it, and will he e as ily replaced." Su( h are the reasonings with which he prepares himself for the rash act, or soothes temore after it has been committed. But, in the other ca , e. whit what a , ti-untents can he palliate his crime in his own eyes ? (*an he urge hi:: want? Vilett neres.sity can compel hint to play the hypo crite; and, under the mask of i'riehdship, to blast the pe.tp, of families? Does he deiive any relief. any advantage t: ohs, such an act? Does it citable hint to carry inirne comfo4t9, an afflicted wife, and distiessed children? It covers Into, with public infamy; it brings desolation to the bosom of his fit mils; it heaps on him dom;s:h: bar; ..litor to wedded happiness, and makes him a husbaiid ioa own wife—a father despised by his own chi!dren. Can he. lull ietnorse, with the flattering hie.a, that the tryury he I I; s ;. caused is tolling, and can e:oily be , epured *No; he is conscious, that neithr -- lie has soiled.- He 1. I er gold nor rime ran IC t 4 re th pnrity, :as en;! afte.l ,;.gilt on i4m.cilt,-c; :... 493