Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1822-01-30

Rot from the beginning of these mis-
s,.,nnes the current opinions, not only
'g,hs people here. but of many of our
s..t musicians, have been much dis
.',c,ed oy certain new and unexpected
So5iAcations of disease, which seem to
I've besn introduced here along with
.bsss caIamitous events.
Nany persons who had been former
/, .obiects ofthe natural small pox, or
r!Io had been inoculated for it, as we'll
=. others who had been vaccinated with
.Js greatest care, have all alike again
SseSme sufferers from this apparently
osw eoDtagisn, The disease produced
Nv il in persons whe had been previous
~ vsccinated or inoculated has invaria-
Slv appeared in a more mitigated form
tbanwhsn it has attacked those who had
nor usedt precautions. 1t has been
called here, as we'll as In Europe, where
Il has lately excited considerable atten-
tisp, the yarioloid disease-it is not east
l~yd distinguished from the small pox, and
perhaps it may be truly entitled 30 the
suUsllstion Of this contagious plague.
of those who had been previously
ysccipated here some have suffered very
severely from their varioloid eruption
bat have not perceived any good rea-
,On. on this account, to doubt the efhea-
ey Of vaccination as a sufficient and in
y.luabls remedy against the small pox.
There are some physicians of great
sminence here, nevertheless, who seem
to have lost their confidence intirely in
vaccination, and among these | am sor-
~ to snumerate my distinguished
frelds, Drs. Davidge and Potter, pro
fes,ors of surgery and anatomy and the
theory and practice of medicine, In the
University Of Maryland.
The first mentioned of these profess
sOs has not only declared the kline peck
to be Of no use, but he has again recon-
mended and is now practising the old
incubation for the small pox. DR.. Pot
ter acknowledges the prophylactic pow,
sr Of vaccination, but he is Of opinion
that We have not yet attained any me
thOd of determining with certainty
whether those who are vSccinatsd do
really obtain security thereby from the
small pox, or not, until they are exposed
to itacOntagion by incubation or other
wise.
DR., Benjamin Waterhouse, of Boston,
"ths Jenner of America" has given it
as Ills opinion chat not more than n
mthirty five of the vaccine crusts will
produce the genuine kline pock, upo"
which alone our dependence should oe
placed as an eysr-during shield against
the small pox."
But Jennsr himself, the illustrious
diieOverer Of vaccination, has more Sc
rlously detained the kline peck than any
other author | have read on this sub
lect. lie states that a single serious
olOtch upon the body, existing during
The progress of the vaccine visicle on
ue arm, may occasion such irregularity
and deviation from correctness, that
'accinatiOn, under such circumstances,
cannot De depended on. "Slight abra-
sIcnS OF the skin behind the ears, and
upon many ether parts where the cuti-
eien thin, he adds, will produce the
anne effect Now, if any such difficult
uss and nice distinctions as these did
really exist, we should certainly be o.
.ohSed to abandon vaccination very soon,
~tae chief part of u population
would ere long be found to be mt SUB
JScI' TOR the small pox. But it Is more
man fortunate for mankind that the Of
e'Sey OF the kline peck, asa prsventa-
u'sot the small pox, does not depend
Upon the skill or opinion of any man, or
saOl men, 1t has come to US from
Iu' Eleer Of eUery good gift, sufficient
" peFtact for the end that is to be &C
EOlaplished by it, viz: To secure as
!to". che smaN pof. But if we would
sO'a'n this security without having TO
SSrs' any exceptions to the general
W. Is essentially necessary that not
I!atsw individuals here and there
sulu use the kline peck, but tho peo-
generally should SUB set themselves
'"eeiaatlon at = seasonable age, and
universally as the nature of this re-
ny will admit of, without injury or
SVaVenience to society.
"eesAer the disease which has bean
NSoTeed into the village of Tarboro'
amliy the true small pox or not, |
uo' prepared to declare with any
avs degree of certainty. The d.
'0A which sent with thu matter
tr. Is Is too frequently the case, en-
IVY nepIectaa LIE H. Md I'D