The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-05-16

The great succcss which attended inoe alation
for the SsHaH-t ox induced many to believe that
similar advantage might be expected from il in
the Measies. The very prevalent opinion Of its
and the lungs being the chief seat Of danger in
this disease, seemed rather to strengthen the o.
plnion. DR.. Home. of Edinburgh, however, was
the FIRST who actually made the experiment.
He met with some difficulty from the measles
not forming matter, and his not being able to col
lect sufficient quantity Of broken cIticle at the
time OF desquaination, to produce the disease.
then applied. }" he observes, " directly to the
tnaeaSine 0f ell etiden1ie diseases, The tgsodL"
He chose the blood when the eruption began to
decline in patients who had considerable de-
gree offever. He also ordered it to be taken
from the most superficial cutaneous veins where
the eruption was thickest.
While the blood came slowly from slight in
eision, 1t was received upon cotton, and on an
mc,sion being made on each arm Of the person to
ne Inoculated, the cotton, AZ possible az
ter It had received the blood, was applied over
these incisions. and kept upon them, with con-
siderable degree ofpressure. He also used the
Precaution of allowing the incisions of those to
be ihoculated to bleed for some time before the
cotton was applied, chat the fresh blood might
not wash away, or too much dilute the morrill,
| lous matter. a'he cotton WINS permitted to re-
main on the part for tht1c days. How far ell
these precautions are necessary to the sue.
L u.
Dr. Homo iroculated ten or twelve patients in
this way, in whom the operations succeeded G.
| quail to his hopes. The eruptire fever generally
commenced six days after inoculation, and the
:yn,ptonss Of tie complaint pere .,iider than fhey
generally are in the casual n,ra,ies. The fevey
was 1ess seolre, RE cough either iide, or wholly
! absent, The Inflammation Of fhe eyes uas fri-
fling they watered, however, as much, as
| sneezing was as frequent as in the casual mea-
sies nor did bad consequences follow any case
OF noccalated measles: no affection Of the 5reast
yenraising after it. The chief difference be-
tween the casual and innculated measles seemed
| to be, the absence of any pulmonic affection at
all periods of the latter.
DR.. Home now regarded it rs ascertained, that
! the natural measles are received BY the lungs.
and that on this circumstance depends the dan.
ger OF the disease. He wished however to as.
certain the symptoms of the complaint when evil
| IDENTIFY received by the lungs. He therefore.
put piece of cotton, which had remained in the
nose ofthe patient under measles, into that of a
healthy child, making him breathe through the
injected cotton. The experiment., although re.
peated, did not succeed in inducing the tiiseas
Nor 1t is evident, If successful, would this exper
ment have decided the question whether or not
the casual measles are received by the lungs.
Dr. Home s experiments have not met with the
attention they deserve. If a more extensive ex-
perience prove capable of producing the effects
ascribed to it, it will certainly be an improve.
ment OF considerable Importance.