Zabdiel Boylston of Boston, who had his attention
directed to the practice by Cotton Mather, the eminent divine.
During 1721 and 1722 286 persons were inoculated by Boylston and
others in Massachusetts, and six died. These fatal results
rendered the practice unpopular, and at one time the inoculation
hospital in Boston was closed by order of the Legislature. Toward
the end of the century an inoculating hospital was again opened
in that city.
Early in the eighteenth century inoculation was extensively
practiced by Dr. Adam Thomson of Maryland, who was instrumental
in spreading a knowledge of the practice throughout the Middle
States.
Despite inoculation, as we have already seen, during the
eighteenth century the mortality from small-pox increased. The
disadvantage of inoculation was that the person inoculated was
affected with a mild form of small-pox, which however, was
contagious, and led to a virulent form in uninoculated persons.
As universal inoculation was manifestly impracticable, any
half-way measure was decidedly disadvantageous, and it was not
until vaccination from cow-pox was instituted that the first
decided check on the ravages of small-pox was made.
Vaccination was almost solely due to the persistent efforts of
Dr.
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