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

have been able to have answered all
his queries, and would Likewise have
prevented al the mischief which I fear
has happened. do not state this to
cast any blame or DIR. Ward, but to
shew to others how necessary it is for
them, it they would hold any inter-
course with this institution, to attend
to the rules under which | have offered
to correspond with them.
can only state to the public. then.
at this sime, that the evidence which |
have received from Tarboro' is neither
full nor satisfactory to me, as to the ma
ture Of the disease produced by the
vaccine matter which | sent to DIR.
Ward. | am inclined, however, to be-
lieve, that the small pox c~ontagion did
really accompany the virus put up here,
and was transmitted to him by me-
My reasons for supposing this to be the
fact, apart from DR.. Wards statements,
are these:
lst. have been unavoidably engaged
in attending to persons diseased of the
small pox here, | daily visit, handle,
and administer medicine to them: and.
although | have always taken every
precaution that | knew was necessary
to prevent this c~ontagion adhsring to
my person, still it is possible that such
an accident might have occurred.
Cd, The genuine kline peck is il itself
so nearly allied to the small pox, that,
when this plague becomes epidemic in
any place, it intermixes with the vac
cine matter by a natural and unavoid-
able process, and in a manner that may
possibly elude the utmost care and
vigilance of any person to preventit
Sd. The same persons or subjects
from whom the vaccine matter must
be taken, (for it cannot be otherwise
procured than from persons who are fit
subjects for it, may be the bearers Of
the genuine kline peck and Of the true
small pox at the same time.
4th. The same indsntical kline peck
v~esicle, under such circumstances as we
are now unhappily involved in; that will
one day furnish the most pure and
genuine vaccine matter, is susceptible
of a change in its natural properties,
and within a few days afterwards will
furnish a different matter, capaSls Of
generating the most destructive small
pox.
There are but few practitioners of
vaccination who have any idea that, IN
the selection of the vaccine matter, they
may be exposed to SO much danger from
causes of this description; and no one
has yet pretended to account for them.
AS these causes Of detection in the
vaccine matter, however, (and others
will be hereafter enumerated,) are OF
serious import to the public, l have
stated them plainly, that all concern
ed may be put fully on their guard,
not only against my w mistake, but
against the mistakes ofothers, who may
possess ever greatsi skiilin this bust
ness than myself. | do not state these
difficulties to excite any foolish alarm
about them, but hope they will have
the effect at least to appeass the outra-
geous wrath that has been 80 unrsason-
ably excited against me.
But to conclude, if there is any per-
son who can account for the difficulties
which have presented themselves, and
the new combinations of disease which
have taken place. and threaten to ex-
tend their influence so far around us.
let him come forward to lend his aid,
and to settle these differences of opin-
ion, which now distract the learned as
as well as the unlearned, on the subject
of vaccination. lie who can accomplish
this task will merit a reward from man
kind ever greater thai he received who
first transferred the vaccine virus from
the COW to the human species.
JAMES SMITH,
y. 5. Agent of Vaccination
Vaccine Institution,
Baltimore, Jan. "a. 1929.