Jan. 3d, 1766.] A healthy young man was inoculated in company with
four of his neighbours. On the sixth, presuming that none of them
would be ill, I went to London on business. Returning on the 7th in
the afternoon, I was met by a servant, who informed me that this man
had been taken ill on the 5th in the afternoon, had continued very bad
ever since, and now had something broke out, which was suspected to be
the small-pox, and that I was desired to visit him immediately: this I
complied with, and found him in bed, complaining much of pain in his
head, back, and loins, with great heat. Some small pustules were out on
his face, which I perceived to be the small-pox; this was at five in
the evening, and much about forty-eight hours from the first seizure.
The weather was at this time exceeding cold, and it froze very hard.
I ordered him out of bed immediately, to drink a glass of cold water,
and to get some assistance, and walk abroad in the air. Upon inquiry
I found he had passed without a stool the whole day. Five grains of
calomel in a pill were ordered to be taken immediately. He rested but
little this night, and next morning a great many more pustules were out
in the face, sufficient to shew a disposition to flux. As this pill
produced no manifest effect, I ordered sal. glaub. [dram]vi. dissolved
in water gruel to be taken immediately. The vehemence of the fever and
other symptoms were scarcely moderated by this eruption.
Notwithstanding the medicine and the severity of the weather, I desired
he would get on his cloaths, and go into the air as much as he could
possibly bear; and in the evening ordered him to be carried in a chaise
to the house provided for him in case he had been ill from inoculation.
I examined the incisions carefully, but there were not the least signs
of the infection having succeeded, either by discolouration, hardness,
or any alteration on the skin, nor could he recollect that they had
itched, or given him the least uneasiness.
In the evening he came to the house as ordered, but was so very feeble
and full of complaints, that it was with great difficulty he was got to
his room. Upon inquiry I found he had vomited up the salts soon after
taking them, and had only one costive stool; he had complied with my
orders about getting into the air several times in the day, though
with great difficulty. His complaints of thirst, pain in the head and
back, were at this time very great. I directed him to sit with his feet
in warm water for a short time, and, on going into bed, to take a few
spoonfuls of a laxative mixture, which was to be repeated till he had
stools.
9th. He had been delirious in the night, but rested a little towards
the morning; the number of pustules was now considerably increased.
This day he had three stools from his purging mixture, by which he was
relieved, and bore sitting up better.
10th. He passed the night easy, but without sleep. He was very
full in the face, but had a smaller number on the body and limbs.
No complaint, deserving notice, happened during the progress to
maturation. He sat up a part of every day to the eighth from the
eruption, when, being blind, and very sore, he kept in bed: they turned
on the eleventh, and he recovered perfectly.
It was remarkable in this case, that the inoculated parts never shewed
the least signs of infection; nor did a greater number of pustules
appear near them than might have been expected if nothing had been
done; nor is there to be seen the least mark where the inoculation was
performed, though in all other inoculated patients who have had the
disease, even in the slightest manner, there constantly remains a scar.
It appeared, on inquiry, that this man had been, for a considerable
time before, in a constant intercourse with families in the small-pox;
and there seems not to be the least doubt but his was the natural
disease.