On Inoculation

It is inadvertently affirmed in the Christian countries of Europe that the English are fools and madmen. Fools, because they give their children the small-pox to prevent their catching it; and madmen, because they wantonly communicate a certain and dreadful distemper to their children, merely to prevent an uncertain evil. The English, on the other side, call the rest of the Europeans cowardly and unnatural. Cowardly, because they are afraid of putting their children to a little pain; unnatural, because they expose them to die one time or other of the small-pox. But that the reader may be able to judge whether the English or those who differ from them in opinion are in the right, here follows the history of the famed inoculation, which is mentioned with so much dread in France.

People in the Christian countries of Europe thoughtlessly claim that the English are fools and madmen. Fools, because they give their children smallpox to prevent them from catching it. Madmen, because they deliberately infect their children with a terrible disease merely to prevent a possible future illness. The English, on the other hand, call the rest of the Europeans cowardly and unnatural parents. Cowardly, because they are afraid to put their children through a little pain. Unnatural, because they leave their children at risk of dying from smallpox sooner or later. But who is right, the English or those who disagree with them? To help the reader judge, here is the history of the famous practice of inoculation, so feared in France.

The Circassian women have, from time immemorial, communicated the small-pox to their children when not above six months old by making an incision in the arm, and by putting into this incision a pustule, taken carefully from the body of another child. This pustule produces the same effect in the arm it is laid in as yeast in a piece of dough; it ferments, and diffuses through the whole mass of blood the qualities with which it is impregnated. The pustules of the child in whom the artificial small-pox has been thus inoculated are employed to communicate the same distemper to others. There is an almost perpetual circulation of it in Circassia; and when unhappily the small-pox has quite left the country, the inhabitants of it are in as great trouble and perplexity as other nations when their harvest has fallen short.

For as long as anyone can remember, Circassian women have given their children smallpox before they are six months old. They make a cut in the arm and place a pustule in the cut, carefully taken from another child’s body. The pustule acts in the arm just as yeast does in dough. It ferments and spreads its properties throughout the blood. The pustules of a child given smallpox through this inoculation are then used to give the same disease to others. Smallpox circulates almost constantly in Circassia. When, unfortunately, smallpox has completely disappeared from the country, the inhabitants are as distressed and bewildered as other nations when their harvest falls short.

The circumstance that introduced a custom in Circassia, which appears so singular to others, is nevertheless a cause common to all nations, I mean maternal tenderness and interest.

The custom introduced in Circassia seems so unusual to others. Yet the reason behind the custom is common to all nations: mothers' love and self-interest.

The Circassians are poor, and their daughters are beautiful, and indeed, it is in them they chiefly trade. They furnish with beauties the seraglios of the Turkish Sultan, of the Persian Sophy, and of all those who are wealthy enough to purchase and maintain such precious merchandise. These maidens are very honourably and virtuously instructed to fondle and caress men; are taught dances of a very polite and effeminate kind; and how to heighten by the most voluptuous artifices the pleasures of their disdainful masters for whom they are designed. These unhappy creatures repeat their lesson to their mothers, in the same manner as little girls among us repeat their catechism without understanding one word they say.

The Circassians are poor, and their daughters are beautiful. Indeed, their daughters are the main goods they trade. They supply beautiful girls to the harems of the Turkish Sultan and the Persian Sophy. They also supply all those wealthy enough to buy and keep such precious merchandise. These girls are taught, most honorably and virtuously, to fondle and caress men. They learn elegant, delicate dances. They also learn how to use the most sensual tricks to increase the pleasure of their future, scornful masters. These unhappy creatures repeat their lessons to their mothers, just as little girls among us recite their catechism. Neither understands a word of what they say.

Now it often happened that, after a father and mother had taken the utmost care of the education of their children, they were frustrated of all their hopes in an instant. The small-pox getting into the family, one daughter died of it, another lost an eye, a third had a great nose at her recovery, and the unhappy parents were completely ruined. Even, frequently, when the small-pox became epidemical, trade was suspended for several years, which thinned very considerably the seraglios of Persia and Turkey.

Parents often took the greatest care over their children’s education, only to see all their hopes dashed in an instant. Smallpox entered the family. One daughter died, another lost an eye, and a third recovered with a swollen nose. The unhappy parents were completely ruined. Often, too, when smallpox became an epidemic, trade stopped for several years. As a result, the harems of Persia and Turkey had far fewer women.

A trading nation is always watchful over its own interests, and grasps at every discovery that may be of advantage to its commerce. The Circassians observed that scarce one person in a thousand was ever attacked by a small-pox of a violent kind. That some, indeed, had this distemper very favourably three or four times, but never twice so as to prove fatal; in a word, that no one ever had it in a violent degree twice in his life. They observed farther, that when the small-pox is of the milder sort, and the pustules have only a tender, delicate skin to break through, they never leave the least scar in the face. From these natural observations they concluded, that in case an infant of six months or a year old should have a milder sort of small-pox, he would not die of it, would not be marked, nor be ever afflicted with it again.

A trading nation always watches over its own interests and seizes on every discovery that may benefit its trade. The Circassians observed that barely one person in a thousand ever suffered a severe case of smallpox. Some people did have mild cases three or four times, but never twice severely enough to be fatal. In short, no one ever had severe smallpox twice in a lifetime. The Circassians also observed that mild smallpox never left any scars on the face when the pustules had only thin, delicate skin to break through. From these observations, the Circassians concluded that an infant aged six months or a year would survive a mild case. The infant would have no scars and would never suffer from smallpox again.

In order, therefore, to preserve the life and beauty of their children, the only thing remaining was to give them the small-pox in their infant years. This they did by inoculating in the body of a child a pustule taken from the most regular and at the same time the most favourable sort of small-pox that could be procured.

So, to preserve their children’s lives and beauty, the only option left was to give them smallpox in infancy. They did this by inoculating a child with material from a smallpox pustule. They chose the most predictable and mildest form of smallpox they could find.

The experiment could not possibly fail. The Turks, who are people of good sense, soon adopted this custom, insomuch that at this time there is not a bassa in Constantinople but communicates the small-pox to his children of both sexes immediately upon their being weaned.

The experiment could not possibly fail. The Turks, who are sensible people, soon adopted this custom. As a result, every pasha in Constantinople now deliberately infects his children, both boys and girls, with smallpox immediately after they are weaned.

Some pretend that the Circassians borrowed this custom anciently from the Arabians; but we shall leave the clearing up of this point of history to some learned Benedictine, who will not fail to compile a great many folios on this subject, with the several proofs or authorities. All I have to say upon it is that, in the beginning of the reign of King George I., the Lady Wortley Montague, a woman of as fine a genius, and endued with as great a strength of mind, as any of her sex in the British Kingdoms, being with her husband, who was ambassador at the Porte, made no scruple to communicate the small-pox to an infant of which she was delivered in Constantinople. The chaplain represented to his lady, but to no purpose, that this was an unchristian operation, and therefore that it could succeed with none but infidels. However, it had the most happy effect upon the son of the Lady Wortley Montague, who, at her return to England, communicated the experiment to the Princess of Wales, now Queen of England. It must be confessed that this princess, abstracted from her crown and titles, was born to encourage the whole circle of arts, and to do good to mankind. She appears as an amiable philosopher on the throne, having never let slip one opportunity of improving the great talents she received from Nature, nor of exerting her beneficence. It is she who, being informed that a daughter of Milton was living, but in miserable circumstances, immediately sent her a considerable present. It is she who protects the learned Father Courayer. It is she who condescended to attempt a reconciliation between Dr. Clark and Mr. Leibnitz. The moment this princess heard of inoculation, she caused an experiment of it to be made on four criminals sentenced to die, and by that means preserved their lives doubly; for she not only saved them from the gallows, but by means of this artificial small-pox prevented their ever having that distemper in a natural way, with which they would very probably have been attacked one time or other, and might have died of in a more advanced age.

Some claim that the Circassians borrowed this custom from the Arabians long ago. But we shall leave this historical question to some learned Benedictine monk. He will surely compile many large volumes on the subject, complete with proofs and authorities. All I have to say is this. Early in King George I.’s reign, Lady Wortley Montague was in Constantinople with her husband, ambassador to the Porte. She had as much intelligence and strength of mind as any woman in the British Kingdoms. She had no hesitation about deliberately infecting an infant she had given birth to in Constantinople with smallpox. The chaplain warned her, without success, that the procedure was unchristian and could therefore work only on unbelievers. Nevertheless, the procedure had the happiest result for Lady Wortley Montague’s son. On returning to England, she told the Princess of Wales, now Queen of England, about the experiment. We must admit that, even without her crown and titles, this princess was born to encourage every art and benefit humanity. She appears on the throne as a kindly philosopher. She has never missed an opportunity to develop her great natural talents or use her generosity to help others. When she learned that a daughter of Milton was alive but living in poverty, she immediately sent her a substantial gift. She is the one who protects the learned Father Courayer. She is the one who graciously tried to reconcile Dr. Clark and Mr. Leibnitz. As soon as the princess heard of inoculation, she ordered it tested on four criminals sentenced to death. By doing so, she saved their lives twice over. She not only saved them from the gallows. Through this artificially induced smallpox, she also prevented them from ever catching the disease naturally. They would very probably have caught smallpox sooner or later, and might have died from it at an older age.

The princess being assured of the usefulness of this operation, caused her own children to be inoculated. A great part of the kingdom followed her example, and since that time ten thousand children, at least, of persons of condition owe in this manner their lives to her Majesty and to the Lady Wortley Montague; and as many of the fair sex are obliged to them for their beauty.

Convinced of the benefits of inoculation, the princess had her own children inoculated. Much of the kingdom followed her example. Since then, at least ten thousand children from prominent families have owed their lives to her Majesty and Lady Wortley Montague. Just as many women owe their beauty to these two women.

Upon a general calculation, threescore persons in every hundred have the small-pox. Of these threescore, twenty die of it in the most favourable season of life, and as many more wear the disagreeable remains of it in their faces so long as they live. Thus, a fifth part of mankind either die or are disfigured by this distemper. But it does not prove fatal to so much as one among those who are inoculated in Turkey or in England, unless the patient be infirm, or would have died had not the experiment been made upon him. Besides, no one is disfigured, no one has the small-pox a second time, if the inoculation was perfect. It is therefore certain, that had the lady of some French ambassador brought this secret from Constantinople to Paris, the nation would have been for ever obliged to her. Then the Duke de Villequier, father to the Duke d’Aumont, who enjoys the most vigorous constitution, and is the healthiest man in France, would not have been cut off in the flower of his age.

By a rough estimate, sixty people out of every hundred get smallpox. Of those sixty, twenty die from it in the prime of life. Another twenty carry its ugly scars on their faces for the rest of their lives. Thus, a fifth of humanity either dies or is disfigured by this disease. But among those inoculated in Turkey or England, not a single person dies unless already weak or ill, or unless they would have died even without the procedure. Besides, if the inoculation is successful, no one is disfigured and no one gets smallpox a second time. So it is certain that France would have been forever grateful to a French ambassador’s wife who brought this secret from Constantinople to Paris. Then the Duke de Villequier, father of the Duke d’Aumont, would not have died in the prime of life. His son has an exceptionally strong constitution and is the healthiest man in France.

The Prince of Soubise, happy in the finest flush of health, would not have been snatched away at five-and-twenty, nor the Dauphin, grandfather to Louis XV., have been laid in his grave in his fiftieth year. Twenty thousand persons whom the small-pox swept away at Paris in 1723 would have been alive at this time. But are not the French fond of life, and is beauty so inconsiderable an advantage as to be disregarded by the ladies? It must be confessed that we are an odd kind of people. Perhaps our nation will imitate ten years hence this practice of the English, if the clergy and the physicians will but give them leave to do it; or possibly our countrymen may introduce inoculation three months hence in France out of mere whim, in case the English should discontinue it through fickleness.

The Prince of Soubise, in the best of health, would not have been snatched away at twenty-five. Nor would the Dauphin, grandfather of Louis XV., have been buried in his fiftieth year. Twenty thousand people killed by smallpox in Paris in 1723 would still be alive today. But don’t the French love life? And is beauty so unimportant that women can afford to disregard it? We must admit that we are an odd people. Perhaps ten years from now our nation will adopt the English practice of inoculation, if clergy and doctors allow it. Or perhaps our countrymen may introduce inoculation in France three months from now on a mere whim. That is, if the English should give up inoculation out of fickleness.

I am informed that the Chinese have practised inoculation these hundred years, a circumstance that argues very much in its favour, since they are thought to be the wisest and best governed people in the world. The Chinese, indeed, do not communicate this distemper by inoculation, but at the nose, in the same manner as we take snuff. This is a more agreeable way, but then it produces the like effects; and proves at the same time that had inoculation been practised in France it would have saved the lives of thousands.

I am told that the Chinese have practised inoculation for a hundred years. This long practice speaks strongly in its favour, since they are considered the world’s wisest and best-governed people. The Chinese, however, do not introduce the disease through inoculation, but through the nose, just as we take snuff. This method is more pleasant, but it produces the same effects. It also proves that if inoculation had been practised in France, it would have saved thousands of lives.