the progress of inoculation through Great Britain, are not flattering to the philosophic character of the nation.

'Twas first rumoured, as a practice followed by some poor old Turkish and Arabian women. A lady of quality then introduced it into the Royal family, and among the higher circles in England; and now it will be shewn, that it finally acquired popularity by the artifices of an empiric. For Daniel Sutton, with his secret nostrums, propagated inoculation more in half a dozen years, than both the faculties of Medicine and Surgery, with the aid of the church, and the example of the Court, had been able to do in half a century. This man was the son of Robert Sutton, a surgeon at Debenham in Suffolk, and he and his brother assisted their father in his business. But after a time, both

the sons left their father's house *, and Daniel was content to serve as assistant to a surgeon at Oxford. In the year 1763, he rejoined his father, and proposed to him to make some alterations in his plan of inoculation. These were condemned by the father as highly dangerous: yet Daniel was so confident as to make the experiment, and he found them successful. On this the father and son quarrelled, and the latter set off for Ingatestone in Essex; where he set up as an empirical inoculator. He pretended to have discovered an infallible secret, and brought himself into public notice by the old and still successful trick of " puffing hand bills and boasting advertisements." Yet in truth, his pretensions, though extravagant, were not without foundation; and in a short time, such multitudes crouded to Ingatestone to be inoculated, that the town and neighbouring villages were filled with the patients.

In addition to the common place artifices, a hireling clergyman was procured to sound forth his wonderful talents from the pulpit t. This

* History of Inoculation, Woodville.

A sermon preached at Ingatestone, Essex, Oct. 12, 1766, in defence of Inoculation. To which is added, an Appendix on the present state of Inoculation, by the Rev. Robert Houlton.

was an improvement on the clumsy device of a German quack, who, in strolling through country villages with Scaramouch at his back, had an urchin running before, to baul out, "Here comes the famous Doctor Fritchius, "the greatest physician in the whole world." The Doctor followed with a grave deportment, and now and then owned to the gazing spectators," that what the little boy said was cer

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tainly true." And doubtless, it was equally true with the assertions made by the Reverend Robert Houlton, that Mr. Sutton could, by his inestimable medicine, infallibly prevent too great a burden of pustules; and that he and his assistants had inoculated 20,000 persons without fairly losing one.

An empiric never hesitates at making positive declarations, and is never at a loss for pretexts to cover failures. Should an infant at the accession of the variolous fever be carried off by convulsion, he denies, with effrontery, that the Small Pox was the cause, and invents another upon the spot. Should the confluent Small Pox and death ensue, he soon detects that his instructions were not strictly complied with, that some important error was committed in regimen; or that the patient was too much, or too little exposed to the air. In fine, the fault may be in the parents, in the nurses, or

in the inoculated; but is never allowed to fall fairly upon the inoculator.

It is much to be regretted that Daniel Sutton should have stooped to employ such unworthy devices; for his plan of treatment was greatly superior to that of any former practitioner: and had he followed the correct rules of open professional conduct, his name would have been recorded with honourable distinction.

It was soon acknowledged that his success, though exaggerated, was great; and considerable scientific skill were exerted, both by physicians and chemists, to analyse his medicines, and to find out the whole of his plan. Information was even obtained from his patients *, and as he communicated his treatment to many distant practitioners, on condition of sharing their profits, the secret could not be kept. All the essential points were discovered by many, and were included by Baron Dimsdale, in his essay "On the present method of inoculating

* An essay towards an investigation of the present successful and most general approved method of Inoculation, by B. Chandler, surgeon, Canterbury. An enquiry by Dr. George Baker; and two Letters from Dr. Glass to Dr. Baker, on the same subject.

Manuel Secret et Analyse des Remedes de Mr. Sutton, &c. par M. De Villiers, Docteur Regent, &c. à Paris, 1774.

*

"the Small Pox." No doubt can now remain on this subject, as Daniel Sutton in his old age redeemed the pledge given by Houlton, and fairly published the Suttonian system of inoculation. Although this was not done until no farther benefit could accrue from concealment ; still it was an act creditable to Mr. Sutton, and is almost without example among the advertisers of secret nostrums.

It appears both by the analyses and by the confession, that the Suttons in strictness invented nothing; but judiciously combined remedies which had been found out independently by others. Sydenham had discovered the utility of exposing Small Pox patients to the cool air, and of allowing them to drink cold water; but he did not venture to deviate so much from ordinary rules as to prescribe purgatives; he on the contrary was profuse in exhibiting opiates.

Subsequent physicians had ascertained that great benefit arose from opening medicines, and particularly from mercurial purges: but in conformity to old theories, they at the same time confined their patients to bed, covered them

* The Inoculator, or the Suttonian system of Inoculation, &c. by D. Sutton, surgeon, &c.