Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-05-18
From the .4Aaay DAILY .4dper,ise,.

delivered ,efore the Medical Society of the State of
New York, February, 1880, by Il. Romeyn Beck,
President of the Society To say that it is able
would be superfiuous-its author is too well known
to require our appreciation. The subject OF the Ad-
dress IS the Smallpox, its history, and the possibility
OF Its extinction
lie says that IT generally conceded that this
disease was unknown to the ancient Greeks and Ro-
mans the first medical of it is given by the
a rabians Rhozes, physician al Bagdad, in the be-
ginning OF the tenth century, of the Oldest wr
ters on the disease. whose works are now ex,ant
He, however quotes earlier authors, from which it
would appear that was introduced into Egypt by the
armies of Omar, the successor OF NJ ahomet
1t is supposed that this disease was BROUGHT into
SPAN about the eighth century by the saracens and
thus propagated over Europe. 1t first brought
to this country Immediately after it's discovery by CO.
lumbus. st Domingo, containing, by compuiatjon
million of natives, in few years deprived ofthe
whole number by the combined effects of the sword
and this dreadful epidemic. Mexico. lost in a very
short time upwards ofthree millions of inhabitants
and in several instances, whole tribes of Indians in
both Americas appear to nave been early eytinouish
ed by 1t ravages In 1907, il DESTROYED, in Iceland
10000 persons, being han fourth of its IN
habitants. In 1888 Greenland was almost depop-
ulated by it.
The practice of incubation had it's origin in east
ern countries, and was introduced into Constantine
pie when 1t was IN use not only in Asiatic countries
but IN Barbary. In l7l4, DR.. Timonia a Greek ply
sIcan, educated at Oxford, but residing at Constan-
tinopie first communicated account of the prsc-
tice to the Royal Society of London, and from this
hnoWiedgS Oh us advantages came to be spread
throughout Europe.
The nt; ;'4aa who more particularly attracted he
attention ofthe British public to it, was ,.'dY Ma
ry Wortiey Montague, the wife of the English al,
DaSsador at Constannople. While there in NV
she caused her son to be inoculated and he had the
disease mildly When she RETURNED to England
IN iI22, she had her daughter noculated and this
was the first in that country it was successful
afterwards, six criminals under senteuce of death
were offered the alternative of suffering according
nf Sr1h,o
they embraced the latter wore inocuated bv Mr.
hialthiand 1.-THE physician of Lady Montague and
all passed iavorably through the disease
In America. the practice first introduced by |
DR. Boyls on, Of Boston, OF his own child In sir
months, he nocuIated 244 persons but of these six
Wed. w hen the death of an inocuated patient &C.
CURED IN England, there much ferrneDt In
bocuIatloi was denounced by the press and from the
pulpit But on investigation il appearing that of those
VINO mad the natural small pox, there died one in five
or SIX and of those who were iDocula.ed only one in
MY the iermen subsidized, and The practice of inocul
atng was extended. Subsequently improvements
IN the mode OF communicating the infection and of
treating the disease made inoouated small pox fatal
only IN about one case in two hundred
The loss olives in Great Britain and Ireland from,
! 10 to 1900, exceeded 35 600 annually
In l798, DR.. Jenner made the discovery Of the
Dement'S OF vaccine matter in checking the influence
Of small po& and DR.. Beck gives some instances of
JUS happy effects. During the 2 years preceding
The Practice of vaccination 500 died Of tho small
poX IN Copenhagen alone whereas, since its intro
1uctIon l8O2) down to 18O8, the deaths from it.
throughout the whole Danish dorDiniong ,,a-o III
1916. WV o"J
Formerly 10000 died annually in the Prussian do
n'pions' OF small pox. In 1917, only 1910.
IN baVaTia, IN II years succeeding the promulra-
ion of severe laws requiring vaccination onjv &c
leashs happened from small pox, and 1G2 600 were
D'ann6nd GU dtdn,ond-A few weeks ago "sport-
ng cnarsGtet looted in at the Hygeia Hotel, Just
TO sec If he could fall in with any subjects but End
'g none and understanding from the respectable
proprietor MIR. Parks, that he could not be accom-