THE ABUSES and SCANDALS Of some late Pamphlets In Favour of Inoculation OF THE SMALL POX Modestly obviated, AND Inoculation further consider'd in a Letter to A-S-M.D. & F.R.S. In LONDON Things good or ill by Circumstances be; In you it's Virtue, what is Vice in me. More haughty and severe in's Place, Than Gregory or Boniface: For all Men live and judge amiss, Whose Talents jump not just with his. Hudibras. BOSTON: Printed and fold by J. Franklin, at his Printing-House in Queen-Street, over against Mr. Sheaf's School, 1722. The INTRODUCTION. NOTWITHSTANDING the most vile Personal Abuses, and unprecedented Calum- nies lately spewed out, it was resolved, to drop the Affair, that Contention might cease, and leave the habitual Scriblers Masters of the Field of Scandal, they having already ( after little or no Opposition ) given up their Titles to correct Stile, Just- ness of Thought, and Force of Argument. But finding them still opposing the Endeavours used to caution the Town and Country against their rash and thoughtless Procedure in a medical Experiment of Consequence, they continuing on their bare Word only, to affirm it well vouched, prudently managed, of uninterrupted Success, and that the Ministers Pretensions to Physick is as good as that of the ablest Practitioners in the Land: To pre- vent the Publick here and elsewhere being thus impo- sed upon, and to maintain the Practitioners in their Rights and Priviledges, against the Invasion of some vain self-conceited Men, is the Design of the following Pages. The weak Artifice they use to drown all Argument from the other Side, is the Clamour of Enemies to the Ministry of this Country, tho' these Men they princi- pally aim at are well known to be their constant Hear- ers, and generous Contributors towards their Support. If a Stranger to the Affair were to read their Writings, he could not think otherways than that all the Ministers of Boston are Inoculators, all at Variance with the Practitioners in Physick ; in short, that they all are guil- ty of those Things alledg'd against a few. To vindicate the Ministry of Boston from these Insinuations ; all the Town knows, that several of them have declared against Inoculation till further Light in the Practice, and many of them do not in the least meddle ; we have here among our Ministers Viros Eruditione, Probitate est Rerum usu Spectabiles; that is, not only inoffensive in their Life and Conversation, but also of shining active Virtues. There are in Boston Sixteen Settled Ministers ; and of them, Six only are transiently said to have by Subscrip- tion insured the Inoculated, whereof some, finding Con- tentions The INTRODUCTION. tentions to spread among their Flocks, out of a Christi- nan Spirit of Meekness, forbear giving further Occasions for Animosities ; only Two or Three of the whole Num- ber have exceeded their Bounds,and wrote practically on a medical Subject, for which they were by the Practitio- ners called in Question, not pretending to meddle with their Life and Conversation or Ministry ; presuming at least that a Parson out of his Office may be fallible. Most of their vile Calumnys I impute rather to an unguarded Passion, than to their Ignorance of the World and good Manners, or a Propensity and Inclination to be malicious. The old venerable Dr I. M. deservedly esteemed by all in this Country, his Name and Character with me shall be sacred, no Provocation can oblige me to show him any disrespect ; but the Son, a Degener a Patre, the Hero in this Farce of Calumny, is used with a Philosophical Freedom. The University of Glasgow in Great Britain, from the Respect they bear to New-En- gland, used him kindly, tho' to them nec de facie quidem notus, and gratify'd his Vanity with a D.D.; he in re- quital calls a Native of Great Britain ( besides many vile Names ) a meer Stranger, abuses their Country, ridicules their Family Names, makes their Church Discipline ludicrous, as if they were guilty of stooping to take Cognizance of little trivial Matters. Perhaps he may oblige this his Alma Mater to disown him for a Son, as it seems the Royal Society have already done, by omit- ting his Name in their yearly Lists. In the following Letter, 1. Some harsh sounding Words in the Letter concerning Inoculation to A. S. &c. which have been misrepresented and given some Offence, are explained. 2. The late Calumnys of some Inocula- tors, particularly in a little Book called, a Vindication cf the Ministers, are modestly considered. 3. The Idea of a good Voucher in Natural History not consistent with the Constitution of our principal Instrument of Inocula- tion, on whose Word all did at first depend. 4. The Mi- nisters Pretensions and Qualifications for the Practice of Physick enquired into. 5. Some Additional loose Re- marks on the Practice of Inoculation of the Small Pox in this Country. The A Letter, &c. SIR, OUR former Intimacy in our Travels and Study abroad is all the Apology I shall make for addressing you with this Let- ter, which contains an Affair local, tem- porary, and relating only to private Per- sons. The Design of the last to you pub- lished in this Place, was, that Inoculation might be sus- pended from being carried into the Country Towns, be- fore any Method or Contrivance was endeavour'd, to make it more easy to the Patient and safe to the Neigh- bourhood, from the Hopes we had that the Severity of the Season in a natural and ordinary Way sight check its further Progress, or the after Season might be more con- venient for the Practice, or till their cautious Procedure in England might be some Guide to us here. It con- tain'd, you may remember, a few harsh sounding Words, not pronounced absolutely, but as pathetically flowing from the Solutions advanced to some unnatural Argu- ments used on the other Side. As Guilt is apt to fly into a Man's Face, so it was here ; it put them in a Passion, which is commonly said to be inconsistent with Reason, makes them drop all Argument ( we will not en- ter into the Controversy says the Vindicator Page 11.) and fall on with Calumny, Scurrility, flat Scolding and Billings- gate, ( a certain Evidence of the Goodness of their Cause, or at least of their Ability to maintain it) and sacrifice the Characters of several good Meu, who endeavouring the ( 2 ) the good of their Country did publickly advise two or three Ministers against being too impetuous, without Method or Contrivance, to push Headlong a novel and dubious Practice of Consequence in Physick ; this, with a Clamour, they call rendring the Ministry vain and ri- diculous. I. To obviate the Misrepresentation of some harsh sound- ing Words, in the Letter concerning Inoculation to A.S. &c. Because it is reckoned very unfair and unbecoming a Gentleman, to assign Names to Anonymous Books (where the Author has not the Vanity to think that his Name can be any Recommendation to the Book, or does not value himself on the Performance ) no Man's Name was wrote at Length, excepting Mr. Colman's ( his Name be- ing prefixed to his little Book, ) and that only in this Passage, Mr. Colman's Fever in the flesh ; that he might have the Honour of this new Species of Fever, which has hitherto been overlooked by the eminent ancient and modern Physicians. The Words judicious Magistrates and Ministers are borrow'd from Dr. I. M's Reasons for Ino- culation, and not by way of Ridicule : For as Society is maintain'd by the Reverence of the Religion of the Coun- try, and the Respect due to the Authority of their Laws, to derogate from either is the Abhorrence of all good Men. The Experiment was called a Humour, (Fancy or Tryal) because we are not arrived to that Degree of cer- tainty therein, that may be requisite to denominate it an establish'd Practice. In the introduction, the Advice to change Subjects, that the older Man may write Inoculation Cases of Conscience, and the younger Man the Theory of a Phantom he does not understand, is not meant of the Drs. M-rs, but of the Authors of some Observations, and Cases of Consci- ence. As Tacitus was very exact in describing the Cha- racters of his Personages, supposing many Actions of Con- sequence to proceed more from their Temperament, than from rational Deductions : so there the principal Instru- ment (as the Vindicator calls him) was transiently cha- racterized in his Natural Philosophy Capacity, as is hereafter more fully illustrated, without any Reflections on his Life or Ministry. Is it not a Sort of Impiety to assert ( 3 ) assert that a Man dyes in the use of the Means, if he dye in the voluntary Use of a Practice which by infecting the Neighbourhood, certainly occasions the Death of ma- ny, and is not without Risque to himself? To compare the Difficulties they meet with in their Promoting of the spreading of Infection, to those our Saviour met with in the Propagation of the Gospel is not this an Abuse of the Scripture ? These Assertions whether Lay or Clergy may be contradicted, for in this Country we allow of no Infallibility from the youngest Clerk to the Pope himself. To throw the Odium of Party on some Gentlemen who abhor the vile Name of Faction, is de- servedly called the night of Assurance. The Vindicator of the Ministers calls a Letter pub- lished in Mr. Campbells News Paper, July 24. 1721, a saucy Libel. I fancy he is beside himself ; for there is no Minister there so much as hinted at, excepting the Re- verend Dr. C. M. who is there used with Respect and good Manners, viz. ' A certain learned Gentleman of ' this Place, who upon the first Appearance of the Small ' Pox here, out of a pious and charitable Design of do- ' ing Good, apply'd to the Practitioners of the Place, &c.' Or perhaps, because that Letter advises the People to be cautious in the Use of an Experiment novel and dubi- ous, it is called a saucy Libel ; Is it possible a rational Man should be so impatient of Contradiction. II. The late Calumnies of some Inoculators, particularly of a little Book called, A Vindication of the Ministers, are modestly considered. A Devoto disparages Religion by his unseasonable and indiscreet Introduction of Scrip- ture, Church, Ministers, &c : By culling, transposing, small alterations of words, &c. the most honest and seri- ous Piece, may be made appear Atheistical, Blasphemous, and Treasonable : This is the mean disingenuous Artifice used by some of late. The words which sound harsh are obvious to every Man, but Solid Argument and Mat- ter of Fact, do not come within the Compass of every Persons Capacity and Knowledge : This last part, tho' the main Point, they neglect, and turn the Controversy on Calumny, of which they are very prodigal, and are not to be answered in Specie, without breach of good Man- ners ( 4 ) ners. Ministers ought to show Men their Errors with the greatest temper and Humanity ; but the reverse of this, to the great Grief of some of their own People, has too much appeared on this occasion. A Roman Catho- lick writer says, It is no mortal Sin to Calumniate safely to preserve ones Honour ; another says, We may lawful- ly Slander any Person, by charging him with Crimes that are utterly false, if against his Testimony we cannot other- ways defend our selves. This is a Popish Practice and not to be encouraged. The late Pamphlet called, A Vindication of the Mini- sters, is advisedly said to be wrote by sundry Hands; for it is not possible to Imagine that one Person of any Degree of good Memory and sound Judgment could so often contradict himself and Matter of Fact ; sometimes with one hand throwing the most fulsome Flatteries on himself and Brethren, not animadverting to that noted saying, He that commends himself, never purchases our Ap- plause and with the other Hand the foulest Dirt, hit or miss, acted by this Principle, Calumniare audacter, &c. To illustrate this. He says, "we cannot but admire, the ' Moderation and consummate Patience of our Pastors, a- ' midst these outragious & provoking Abuses and Scan- ' dals. — The Meekness of our Ministers, under these ' abuses, imitating their glorious Master, who remained ' as dumb under the Shearers. — We are of Opinion ' that Persons may differ in their Sentiments, about this ' Practice, withour declaring themselves open Enemies ' to one another, and neglect Christian ann civil Con- ' versation", How well does this taltey with their fol- lowing Scurrilities. "Our Practitioners and late Libel- ' lers. Virulent endeavours of wicked men. Impious ' and Satanick Custom. Daringly profane. Impudence ' brazen and flagitious. Hellish Servitude. Impious ' Buffoons: Profane Sons of Corah. Children of the old ' Serpent". and many other Billingsgate Terms of Art. The Vindicator says, "Dr. Mather disdains to draw ' his generous Pen for his own Vindication, who changes ' not his Temper for all their invidious Calumnies"; for the Truth of this I refer to a little Pamphlet called Remarks, &c. in which he meekly says, " The Author (daringly ( 5 ) ( daringly presuming on a Family Name) of the Letter ' to A.S. &c. has not the least Spark of Grace in his ' Heart. No Fear of GOD before his Eyes. Impudent ' and malicious Lyes. The Church ought to deliver him ' over to Satan, for he deserves the highest Censure. ' Deserves to be Scourg'd out of the Country. The Go- ' vernment ought to banish him. He should be pillor'd. ' and afterwards Ston'd by the People", with several more low Expressions of an angry brutal Passion in the Manuscript, which the Printer was ashamed to publish ; and all this because the Nature and Thread of the Au- thors Discourse obliged him, to represent Dr. C. M. as rash in his proceedings of Inoculation, and fallible in his Natural Philosophy- What could he have said more against one that should write vile things of our Charter and Government, of our Religion and Platform, most noto- riosily vicious and wicked, a Traitor and Blasphemer? Are there no Degrees in this Man's Censure? Are these his Philosophical Arguments and mild Christian Re- bukes ? A Man's Life and Conversation within the ken of his Neighbour's Eye, these he might (and would) have faulted, if he had had any handle ; but a Man's Grace, the Fear of God in his heart, are only open to the Omniscient. In another Place the Vindicator of the Ministers says Strangers or Abjects, which inhances their Folly, and makes thir Impudence the more brazen and flagitious. Travelling removes National and Country Prejudices, add enlarges the narrow selfish Soul ; but to use by way of Odium the word STRANGER, and couple it with ABJECT, shows this our Travellers vile, low, abject Spirit, and that his Travel is lost. Was he so used when in England ? O Shame ! Was his Father 01 Grandfather so used when they came to settle their abode in this Country ? Can any good Man thus throw dirt on his Fathers Memo- ry ? None but a Terræfilius. Our Governours and other King's Officers from home, are they to be branded with the Appellation STRANGER? O impudence, brazen and flagitious! III. The Idea of a good voucher in Natural History, not consistent with the Constitution of our principal Instrument of ( 6 ) of Inoculation, on whose word all at first depend. For this I might refer to a Folio called Magnalia, to be found with John Williams and his Brother Tobacconists, here and elsewhere. A good Voucher ought to be Sin- cere, candid, of solid Judgment, and not Credulous. Let us then suppose, for Argument's Sake, I. .A Man of a Vale- tudinary Friendship, sometimes the greatest Profession of kindness, and therefore to be suspected ; at other Times on the least disgust, the highest Malice and rancour, and therefore to be avoided. 2. A Man void of candour, who promotes a Medical Experiment, without the knowledge of, or taking any notice of him from whom he had the Communication ; who uses with his Pen in the most indiscreet unmannerly way, a Friend of mine, whose M.D. is as good and more regularly acqui- red than his own D.D., one not inferior to himself in Birth, Fortune, Education, and the good Opinion of his Neighbours ; who calls a Man that has resided se- veral Years in this Country, and constantly paid Taxes and other Rates, a new Comer,a meer Stranger. 3. A Man of Whim, Credulity, and Vanity, who in his Letter to Dr. Woodward, Nov. 18. 1712, ( vide Phil. Transact. Vol. 29. ) has a particular Fancy, that the wild Pidgeons, when they leave New-England at certain Seasons, repair to some undiscover'd Satellite, accompanying the Earth at a near Distance. Tho' unacquainted with the first Principles of the Mathematicks, sends Home a Solution of Two the most abstruse Proplems or Desiderata in Mathematicks, viz. the SQUARING OF THE CIR- CLE, which is only to be expressed by Approximati- on, or an infinite Æquation, whose Nature is known, but whose Value cannot be reduc'd to any determined Lines or Numbers ; the other is the LONGITUDE at Sea, the Discovery of which for many Years has been endeavoured by the best Mathematicians, encouraged by large Præmiums; and is generally thought will continue a Secret, till some Comet or other Cælestial Body ap- pear within our System, and perform his Revolutions in a N. and S. Line, or some great Circle not much declining from a Meridian, at present we find the Latitude by the Suns Revolution in a Circle not much declining from the ( 7 ) the Æquinoctial, or E. & W. Line; or till an Automaton (Clock- work) can be contrived, which shall for some considerable Time move æqually or æquably, without being affected by the Weather or external Motion ; or till we find some Contrivance, notwithstanding the Motion of the Ship, to take the Altitudes of the fixed Stars, and the Eclipses of Jupiter's Moons. A Man guilty of such Absurdities, is no good Voucher for an Experiment of Consequence. IV. The Ministers Pretensions and Qualifications for the Practice of Physick enquired into. Some of ours here, like the Roman Catholick Clergy of old, would have the People believe, that they are the only proper Judges in all Cases of Literature. The Author of Some Observa- tions, &c. says 'And we at last find too by sad Expe- ' rience, that they understood as well the managing the ' Distemper ( Small Pox ) then ( 43 Years ago) as we do ' now.' I could not possibly conceive the Natural Cause of this Thought or Assertion, till a little Piece called a Vindication, &c. was lately published, wherein he explains himself thus,(p. 10) ' Mr. Thomas Thatcher, a Minister, Forty Three Years ago, wrote a Sheet of Di- rections ( which was certainly useful in the then Infan- cy of our Colony ) and perhaps since that Time no Mi- nister has wrote on that Subject, till this Book of Ob- servations did appear, which is to make Amends for Forty three Years lost Time in improving, and qualifies the Author to be such a one, as he says, the best Phy- sicians in the Land need not be ashamed to advise withal. In some Circumstances a Layman ( it's said ) may per- form several of the Offices of a Clergyman, where learn- ed and suitably qualify'd Clerks are not to be found : and so some sarcastick Writers tell us, that in the Infan- cy of this and some other Colonies, their Teachers, be- sides civil Polity and Physick, also exercised some meaner and mechanick Callings. But now our Colony is of Age, and for several Years past our Ministers have not been allowed to act in civil Affairs, as Judges, Justices, Re- presentatives, &c. there being choice of Men sufficient- ly qualify'd to fill these Places: For the same Reason, the ( 8 ) the Ministers (I mean those who have the Oversight of a Flock ) in this great Town, should cease pretending to Physick, there being Practitioners sufficient in Number and Qualifications to supply the Place. Further, we find in great Towns, where there is Variety and Multi- tude of Business, that the Practitioners may be the be- ter qualified for their particular Professions ; Physick it self is divided into distinct Branches, as Physicians, Sur- geons, Apothecarys, Chymists, & each keeping within his Bounds. How then can we suppose, a Man of a Vocation, which requires all his Time conscientiously to discharge the same, should pretend to a Business of so great Extent ? Hypocrates, the Prince of Physicians, is, his Epitola ad Democritum, modestly says, Ego enim ad sinem Medicina. non perveni Etamfi jam Jenex fim, Er ego sane mihi videor, majorem reprebenfionem quam bonorem artis me asseqtum esse. To be more or lei's Book learned, is not a sufficient qualification for a Physician ; there must be Instiutio a puero ; the candid Sydenham says, Hac ars baud rectius perdisenda est, quern ah ipsius artis excercitio et ufu. A very eminent modern Physician says, That many Gen- tlemen of universal Reading, and old Women by long Nursing, know as much of Physick as to kill themselves and Neighbours when sick, by the preposterous indis- creet Use of some noted Medicines. The Reformed Churches of France, in their 19th Ca- non of Discipline say, Mo Minister, together with the holy Ministry shall be Practitioner in Law or Physick, un- less in Time of Trouble and Persecution, and when he cannot exercise his Calling in his Church, and cannot be maintained by it: And those who shall thus employ them- selves in Law or Physick, or any worldly distracting Bu- siness, shall be exhorted wholly to forbear it, and total- ly to devote themselves to the Duties of their Calling as Ministers, and to study the Scriptures, All Collegues and Synods are admonished to proceed according to the Canon of our Discipline, against the refractory, and such as be wilfully disobedient. V. Some ( 9 ) V. Some additional loose Remarks on the Practice of Inoculation in this Place. Our Vindicator stands his ground to the last drop of Assurance : What the ingeni- ous Mr. Butler says of his Knight, may well be apply'd here, ' Tis strange how some Mens Tempers suit ( Like Bawd and Brandy ) with Dispute; Who for their own Opinions stand fast, Only to haw them claw'd and canvast. Their Methods and procedure are acknowledged rash by many of their own Inoculation Friends ; this Man continues to affirm it a regular Procedure by setting the Matter in a false Light. Is it not Fact, that Dr. C. M. after dispersing his circular Letters, before the Practitioners could have time to meet, consult, and make a Return ; privately sets B-n to work, without acquainting the Townsmen and Practitioners ? About this Time the In- fection had got into several Houses, so that Watches could not conveniently he obtained for them all ; but the Justices and Select-Men did not neglect the Preserva- tion of the Town (as this Man would insinuate) and al- low Infection to spread at any Rate. vog. The Dead for some considerable time thereafter were not allow'd to be carry'd out till late in the Night, when People were retired. Upon the Noise of Inoculation being attempt- ed, the Justices and Select-Men appointed a Meeting of all the Practitioners, who unanimously gave their Opinion against it till further Light, which was accordingly pub- lished by the Select-Men, and the Practice is forbidden; but by the Instigation of this Man and his Accompli- ces, they proceed in Contempt of the Magistrates, and in Contradiction to the Practitioners. Is this a regular Procedure ? If a Dr. C. M. in any other Country should meet with the Vindication, &c. finding him in express Words as- serting the uninterupted & and remarkable Success of this Method; —- the constant Success of this Experiment, &c. he would directly publish, that not one ever dy'd of Ino- culation these forty One Years, always producing the most favorable Sort ; - a Practice well vouched, &c. what fatal ( 10 ) fatal Errors may not Impartiality kad a credulous Man into ? Such an Account as this may do with some of their Correspondents abroad, till contradicted by better Hands ; but here it is ridiculous and silly, we all know that several have dy'd of the Practice, and that many have suffered much. How trifling is it for us, who have had the Experi- ence of Two or Three Hundred Inoculated, to appeal to a Man who only conjectures it may be of Use, and has not had the Opportunities of adducing more than Two Instances and these of Children, whose Age might con- tribute to their having them favourable either Way ; I mean Dr. Harris's Dissertation on the Inoculation of the Small Pox ; the Justness of the Abstract from it, I pass over, not having seen the Original. From it we learn no more concerning Inoculation, than, v. g. may be learnt from Dr. Lower's (the more eminent Man ) Account of Transfusion, addressed to the Honourable Mr. Boyle, published by the Royal Society, and with more Earnestness recommended, and consequently equally or better vouched, after this Man's weak way of reasoning. Notwithstanding of this Dissertation, Timonius, Pylari- nus, and many more Accounts of the Affair that have not come to our Hands ; we find them so cautious at home, that it was some Time thereafter before any Try- als were made, and these by Permission of the Govern- ment on the Bodies of Persons dead in Law. He advi- ses Exactness in Regimen, which is absolutely requisite, to know the Advantage of any new Experiment ; we to our Shame boast and glory in our not using any. The Consequences he does not so much as hint at, which are Difficulties to be discussed. However, Bu Harris abstracted has this good Effect, it proves a tem- porary Cordial to some of the Inoculated. Since my last to you, the Small Pox has made little or no progress in the Country ; Our News papers tell us, that in some Towns it is entirely ceased, in others much abated. Who then but Madmen, would have advised Inoculation in the severest Season to those who are like forever to escape the Small Pox ? In this Town se- veral Hundreds have escaped, and it is probable many more ( 11 ) more might have escaped (as was the Case Nineteen Years ago) if Inoculation had not rendred the Infection so universal and intense. Last Small Pox the Month of the greatest Mortality ( December, a severe Winter Month) did not exceed 80 Persons ; at this Time the Month of the greatest Mortality ( October, a favourable Autumn Month ) exceeded Four Hundred burials, which is more than all that dyed of the Small Pox Nineteen Years ago. For the three Months of September, October and November last, in which Inoculation prevailed, the Town was a meer Hospital, and we bury'd Seven Hun- dred and Sixty Persons. The last Small Pox spread gradually in the extent of ten or a dozen Months, and vast Numbers escape ; Inoculation of the Small Pox this Time set us all in a Flame, and in half the Time leaves few People exempt from its rage. With what Face can any Man call Our Methods of Inoculation a regular pro- cedure ? I heartily wish Success to this and all other Means design'd to alleviate the Epidemick Distempers incident to Mankind ; whether casually discovered, or ingeni- ously contrived by the Sons of Æsculapius: But rash- ness and headstrong irregular procedure I shall for ever exclaim against, especially that detestable Wickedness of spreading Infection. That I may not incur the Censure of Scribling, I pro- mise to neglect and despise, all that may come from the other Side by way of bare Affirmation, Bombast, Calumny, Doggrel Dialogues, &c. but if Solid Reasoning, well vou- ched Matter of Fact, and such like appear against any thing asserted, or conjectured by the Practitioners in op- position to the rash procedure of the Inoculators ; I doubt not but they will take it Kindly and Friendly. I am, SIR, Yours, &c Boston, New-England, Feb. 15th, 1721, 22.. POSTSCRIPT To Abuses, &c. obviated. BEING a Short and Modest Answer to Matters of Fact maliciously misrepresented in a late Doggrel DIALOGUE. BURLESQUE is a kind of continued iro- ny representing the lowest object Per- sons as Heroes, and on the contrary de- pressing Characters of Distinction. How kindly then should the Reverend Ministers and Mr. Boylston nam'd at length in a late Dialogue, take it of these inconsiderate Authors, who in this their doggrel Performance make them the Heroes of the Farce ? They mull impute it to their Ignorance of the Nature of a burlesque Satyr. Publick Ridiculing the Dialect of the Northern Parts of Great Britain, by comparing it to a silly Jargon of their own contriving, is no Reflection on the Person they seem to write against ; he writes and speaks as the Town generally do : But it is an Aspersion on part of our Mother Country. Publick Reflections on on a Country are not to be answered by publick or private counter Re- flections on the Authors Country ; it would be base, un- mannerly and unbecoming a Gentleman : The Love and respect I bear to this Country renders me incapable of so vile a thought. The Characters of Countries are Edge-Tools not to be play'd withal, they who in a publick notorious manner are guilty of such Things, are generally for ever and at any Rate the Objects of the highest Resentments of every native of the Country so abused and vilify'd. A Calumny ( 2 ) Calumny and Scurrility foreign to Matters of Fact, are undervalued ; they only reflect on their Authors, and generally take off the Edge and Force of their Perfor- mance. Your Physick is not good. Who would take of your Physick ? I am sure I would not, and such like childish weak low Passages, require no Answer, What was formerly obviated in some late Papers is generally passed over. In short, the whole should have been neg- lected, if Matter of Fact were not in an egregious Man- ner belyed, they well knowing that Men dont care to turn back to the late temporary Books to find the Truth of Cases now forgot. Without giving the Characters of the reputed Authors, or making Animadversions of any kind, I shall confine my self to Matter of Fact, and in as few words as possible. I shall not depreciate the general word Academicus, not by using of it reflect on Harvard College, I wish it may flourish and prosper; but instead thereof, to the particu- lar things advanced in the Dialogue I shall prefix these imaginary Letters, D. C. M. and then subjoin nothing but Matter of Fact in answer to them. D. C. M. ' It was it's being by your selves (and many " others ) reckon'd a Case or Matter of Conscience, that " made us write, else perhaps we would never have " troubled you. Does this excuse your writing practically on a Medi- cal Subject ; or alleviate the vilest Scurrilities that ever before appear'd in Print. D.C.M. " It's a design of destroying the Religion of " the Country, by employing some of the Physicians as " Tools to their accursed purpose. A groundless Clamour. We know of no such Design ; Our Practitioners you have found by experience, are not to be used as Tools. D.C.M. " Dr. Mather did not send Circular Letters to " all the Practitioners in Town, there were some ( less " noted ) he had no thoughts of. He desired a second " Person might communicate them to the Owner of the " Originals. It is accordingly said only the noted Practitioners. If he had been candid, he would-have sent directly to the owner ( 3 ) owner of these Comunications, or rather would have dis- coursed the matter Personally with him, as in former Times he has done on more trivial Occasions. D.C.M. "Dr. Mather Circular Letter says, I move " it be warily proceeded in. - Let the Body be wise- " ly prepar'd. - Let there be a Consultation.- " Whoever begins it, let him have the countenance of " his Brethren, This Conclusion of his Circular Letter is unluckily brought upon the Stage; His Actions have bely'd his Words. I appeal to the Town, was there a previous Consultation, before it was attempted? and when a Consultation was appointed by the Justices and Select Men, did not this Man particularly, in contradiction to the unanimous Opinion of the Practitioners, push it on more violently than before? Had B-n the concur- rence of his Brethren? Do they always prepare the Bodies of their Patients? D.C.M. " A Divine who perhaps has read more in " Physick, than any of you. What Volumes of Physick and the Mathematicks he may have swallow'd down, without chewing, I cannot say ; but I know so much of his Constitution, he is na- turally troubled with indigestion. D.C.M. " You said formerly, he was a Learned Man " of Pious and Charitable Designs ; now you say he is " a Man of Whim, Credulity and Vanity ; these are in- " consistent. I knock under, I acknowledge my former mistake, as do many more in this Town. D.C.M. " To say the People were cautious, is the " same as to say the prudent were cautious at first in " the practice; because the General includes all parti- " culars. We all know that the People of Boston in general were at first against Inoculation, therefore Dr. Mather was against it ; would be a false way of Reasoning, a meer School-boy Quibble. Before Timonus wrote, several in Constantinople, had been Inoculated,therefore the Word People in both Cases are of the same kind of Universality. D.C.M. " I own it is said the Turks do not much A "come ( 4 ) " come into it, instead of the Turks do not yet come " into it. I cannot tell how it happened so in the Press, " it is only the Word much for yet. This Error ( if of the Press ) is of such Consequence, as to have required a publick Correction in some Week- ly Paper. D.C.M. "Funesti is Translated ill Consequence instead " of Mortal, becanse he does not pretend to a precise " Translation, but only an Abstract. The word mortal the true precise Translation, is shor- ter than the designedly false Translation ill Consequence, and therefore would, even according to this way of rea- soning, better suited an Abstract. D.C.M. " He does not omit Timonius saying it was " practiced when half the Infected dyed. It is true ; but he omits Pylarinus's ( the latest Au- thor ) Words to the same purpose. D.C.M. " His omitting some passages in Timonius " which seem to insinuate that Inoculation is not al- " ways favourable, is because he was writing an abstract " not not a long Original. His abstracting a short Abstract ( we lately see it here Reprinted, is it a long Original ? ) and omitting passa- ges of Consequence, will not bear this Excuse, thus any Man may make de quolibet, quidlibet. D.C.M. " Timonius does not say that Inoculation was " the Means of the Deaths of these two valetudinary " Children. The Words of Dr. Woodward's Abstract of Timonius are, Nor do I think it proper to be attempted on Persons like to dye. ( Let our Inoculators reconcile this with the Solutions they design to give us of the inoculated Deaths in this Place, and their own regular Procedure.) Some more quick Sighted imagined these two Children were as useless Shades, sent to Charon by any Means that could be made use of, Does not this intimate, that Inocula- tion was this very Means. D. C. M. " The Reason why the Owner would not " reprint these Pieces of Inoculation, was ( since no other " Copy could come into the Country,) that he might pass " undetected. This ( 5 ) This supposes we have no Communication with Lon- don, or that the Owner was about to leave the Country before he did see himself detected ; on the contrary, Mr. Campbell tells us he had a Copy Five Months ago, and the owner is a settled Inhabitant in the Place. D. C. M. " If your reprinting of it were wicked, Dr. " Halley and the Royal Society are guilty of Wickedness. If the Author ever perused the Philosophical Transacti- ons, he may find there many things never designed by them for Practice, ( v. g. Dr. Lower's Transfusion of the Blood ) constantly published by Way of Amusement. We find in Fact in this very Case, that Timonius has been by them published Seven Years, and no Thoughts of bringing it into Pradice, until some Months ago that Dr. Maitland proposed it might be try'd on condemned Criminals. But to encourage a headlong Procedure, in a Practice novel and dubious to us at this Juncture, esp- cially when the Owner of the Communication was not in himself convinced of its evident Utility and Safety ; I think it Wickedness. D. C. M. " You lye in saying the Winter Season is " the only Season recommended by the Constantinople " Inoculators. Pylarinus ( the latest Author ) his own Words are, Tempus secundum Operaticem hibernum desideratur, et non nisi tali tempore ipsa insitionem instituebat. The Ope- ratrix required, and perform'd it only in the Winter Sea- son. It's true, he conjectures the Spring may do, not ha- ving it seems used that Season. D. C. M. " If you say some Africans who told they " had been Inoculated, have now had the Small Pox in " the common Way, you may say any thing. I appeal to the Town, if some Negroes, who in Con- fidence of having had the Small Pox formerly by Inocu- lation, did attend the Sick, were not taken ill of the Small Pox and dy'd ; the last Instance I think was not long ago at Marblehead. D. C. M. " A silly Story or Conversation between two " Blacks and two of the Promoters. Where are these " Books ? You certainly see double. O Iron! Vide Some Account, &c. p. 9. Mr. Colman p. 15. says, The ( 26 ) The pleasing and informing Discourse I had with a Poor Negro, D. C. M. " The first Communication of it to the " Learned in England, was from Dr. Timonius about Six " or Seven Years ago, and not Twenty Years known in " England. Thou wast lying for a Wager. I can adduce Persons in this Town who when in En- gland more than Seven Years ago, heard of it there. I appeal home to Multitudes, particularly to Bellinis's ( who has been dead many Years ) Letter to Pitcairn, concerning this Practice when it first spread in Italy. D. C. M. "It is Matter of Fact, that last Summer it " was approved of in England, and practised with Suc- " cess there, because we had it so in one of the London " Prints. He uses the Argument of the silly Country Fellow. It must be true, because I see it in Print. Was it in the Ga- xette ? We all know, that any flying Report, if surpri- zing, is immediately, printed in London, by some of the common News-Writers. How does the Words inoculated Incognito ( the last News we had of this Practice) suit, with an approved Practice ; but this our busy Inocula- tor was sufficiently aware of ; he candidly and advised- ly left out incognito when he sent this News to the Press. It's true all Europe may be inoculated by this Time for any thing we know, but this Story related only to some Months ago. D. C. M " Spell Philosophy, and construe Hades. I suppose he Designs to be witty upon Couranto. Cou- ranto can answer for himself. D. C. M. " Dr. C Mather scorns to lose Time to med- " dle with you: He scorns to answer what is wrote " against him. This Assertion is not consistent with his innate Itch of Writing. Most in Town are convinced, partly from his own Confession, and other good Evidences, that he has had a Hand in the late Calumnys. D.C.M. " You don't like the whining Preaching of Mr.C-n and C-r. We all know they, don't whine: If he did not like them, he is under no obligation to be their constant hearer. ( 7 ) hearer. Their names suffer by being breath'd upon by this infecting malignant Mouth ; they abhor such vile Ungentlemanly usage. D. C. M. " Fus et Nesos, should have been corrected " in the Press, fas et Nefas. The Publick are obliged to you for this Sublime Piece of Criticism. D.C.M. " Every Body but the Author ( who here be- " trays his Ignorance in the Chronology of Physick ) " knows that Dr. Sydenham's writings were published " more than Forty Three Years ago. This Man is void of Shame. Dr, Sydenbam's Letter to Dr. Brady de morbis Epidemicis ab A. 1675 to 1680 is dated 30th Dec. 1679. His Letter to Dr. Cole, de Vario- lis confluentibus et affectione Hysterica bears date 17th Nov. 1681. His Piece de Febre putrida Variolis confluentibus Superveniente was finished 29th Sept. 1686. D.C.M. " The Evidences of the Ill Consequences, &c, " of Inoculation are only that, They heard a Man say, " that somebody told him, that he heard a Report. Vide News Letter, 24th July 1721.M. Dal' Honde's Deposition is from his own Personal Knowledge. D.C.M. " In England it is a very common thing to " carry Children into the infected Chambers, on purpose " to give them the Small Pox. Some few do, but it is not a Practice justify'd there ; grown Persons are never thus exposed, neither Women with Child. D.C.M. " Thou art a Murderer (if felonious) because " you have privately declar'd so often in Favour of it ; " and positively said you could pass no positive Judg- " ment on the Practice. He never said so much privately in favour of it, as he can- didly published p. 20. viz. "That Inoculation is frequently more favourable, and not altogether so mortal ; not one of the Inocu- lated, so far as we know, in the Space of Five or Six Months has had the Small Pox in the natural Way". When a Man is not positive of a Pracice, it is natural and consistent for him to be cautious in the rash and indiscreet Use of it. D. C. M. " You ridicule the Magistrates and Ministers Inocu- " lators. This is obviated in Abuses & c. obviated, p. 4. 'D.C.M. " Infection was never communicated by their run- " ning Incisions. I appeal to the Town, D.C.M. ( 8 ) D. C. M. " Thou art thankful to God for the late Deaths of " the Inoculated. It is only said, That the late Deaths of several lnoculated, has put a Stop to their career in spreading Infection, is acknowledged a merciful and remarkable Providence at that time, in the se- verest Season, when many Country Towns were like to have been perswaded into the Pracice, to the depopulating the Pro- vince. D. C. M. " Of several who have dy'd while under Inocula- "tion, not one truly dy'd of it. I appeal to the Town in an absolute Sense ; and to them- selves, how they can reconcile their inoculating People as they say, otherways a dying with their not being guilty of a rash Pro- cedure: Who but Madmen would unadvisedly discredit the Practice by using it on such Subjects? D. C. M. " It has bee so universally Successful, that none but " such as are ignorant and malicious, as you are, have question'd it. That is, most of our Justices, Select-Men, &c. and Twenty to One all over New-England, are ignorant, malicious, and every thing else said of you in the friendly Debate. D.C.M. " You learnedly propose, That Inoculation may be " ordered by Act of Parliament as a Succedaneum, to the Small "Pox, to purify the Blood from the remaining Fœeculency. This is a Sample of his Candor in Quotations. P. 14. it is said that an Act of Parliament can only ( in my Opinion ) allow of such a Practice; and p. 20, If there be any ill Consequences, & if they may be managed by carrying off the remaining Fœeculen- y by some Medicinal Course, as Salivation, &c. it may be an adequate Succedaneum to the Small Pox. As to what relates to Oyl of Tobacco, &c. I refer to Redi and others who have wrote on Poysons. D. C. M. " Consider Dr. Harris abstracted as a Voncher. Vide Abuses &c. obviated p. 10. D. C. M. " I insinuate (p. 21.) that the Select Men are Patrons " of the Abuses on the Ministers and sacred Scriptures. This is using the Guardians of the Town very ill. This is outragious Malice. D.C.M. " Ubi duo Medici, ibi tres Athei. That is in broad English, three Halfs of our Physicians are wicked Men ; this is a learned Blunder, tho' not the greatest. of many in this low, mean Book, not worth while to repeat and quibble about. May D.C.M. when he writes or causes to write, forbear Scur- rilities ; they are a Scandal to his Profession, and hurt his Argument. Let him keep close to Matter of Fact ; railing is not reasoning in this Country. N. B. Dr. C. M-r says, in express Words, of the Doggrel Dialogue, That the Authors of it are such as a Conscience of Truth stirred up in THIS WAY ( that is with the vilest naional and personal Scurrilities) to vindicate it. FINIS.