Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1845-10-23

POPULAR PREJUDlcEs-We are apt TO suppose,
from the of popular prejudice, which is daily
encountered by those who would promulg useful in
tellgence, that not improving In this respect
The error for such it is, arises from the fact of
assuming too short periods of tme through which to
apply the rule by going somewhat further back our
progress is shown IN bold relief.
The well known proceedings at Boston, in regard
to the smallpox, in l72l furnishes good illustra-
ton, in point:
This disease had been very destructive there, and
no preventive of 1t was then known Learning, from
Europe, that by diet and then incubation the fury of
the disease could be much abated say the historians
of the day, Dr. Zabdiel Boylston, of Boston, in the
year above resolved to try it, and began in his own
family. 'Many bgoted people were struck with hor-
ror they considered it as trusting to the arts of man
rather than to Providence and declared that if any,
on whom the experiment tried, should die, Bowl
ston ought to be treated murderer The pOpu-
lace enraged, that the family hardly safe
in their house. and the doctor insulted as he
passed the streets.
MANY of the faculty joined the wild opposition
several pieces, treating the practice with contempt,
were published IN the newspapers; and the magis-
trates of the town viewed the experiment attended
with the most dangerous consequences. clergy
man of Roxbury, having been privately inoculaed,
in DR.. Mathers house, in Boston, and ii becoming
known, ncendiary, in the night, threw charged
hand-grenade into the chamber occupied by the gen.
tleman but fortunately the fire extinguished in
passing through the window. The opposition so
great that bill passed the House of Representatives,
prohibiting all persons from incubation: but the
Council had to reject it, In spite of the clam
or, Boylston persevered and finally prevailed over the
prejudces that opposed him.
During this contest, there meeting of the Sc
ect men and some physicians for consultation upon
the subject and the result of this conference is reat
ed by another pen. 1t was as follows
"That it appears, by numerous instances, that In
ocuation has produced the death of many persons
after the operation and brought distempers up
many others, which, in the end have proved deadly
to them-that the natural tendency of infusing such
malignant filth into the of blood, is to corrupt
and purify it, and if there be not a sufficient dis
charge of that malgnity, by the place of incsion
elsewhere, it lays foundation fT many dangerou:
diseases-that the continuing the operation among
US, is likely to prove of the most dangerous conse
tquerces."
Had our worthy and conscientious ancestors at tina
time seen steamboat rail road locomotive ''abou
in their parts,'' we know not how much horror theI
might have felt at the idea of such evidence of trus
ing the arts of man. to accomplish what nov
| is beyond reach, through the agencies o
these recent applications Of science to the arts Blu
our national character whether for good for evil
has been greatly developed since that day of print
tive soberness and staid demeanor.-BoSton Times.