Ihastennowtooneofthemostsingularstrugglesofmedicalscienceduringmoderntimes。EarlyinthelastcenturyBoyerpresentedinoculationasapreventiveofsmallpoxinFrance，andthoughtfulphysiciansinEngland，inspiredbyLadyMontaguandMaitland，followedhisexample。Ultra-conservativesinmedicinetookfrightatonceonbothsidesoftheChannel，andtheologywassoonfindingprofoundreasonsagainstthenewpractice。TheFrenchtheologiansoftheSorbonnesolemnlycondemnedit；theEnglishtheologiansweremostloudlyrepresentedbytheRev。
EdwardMassey，whoin1772preachedandpublishedasermonentitledTheDangerousandSinfulPracticeofInoculation。InthishedeclaredthatJob’sdistemperwasprobablyconfluentsmallpox；thathehadbeeninoculateddoubtlessbythedevil；
thatdiseasesaresentbyProvidenceforthepunishmentofsin；
andthattheproposedattempttopreventthemis“adiabolicaloperation。”NotlessvigorouswasthesermonoftheRev。Mr。
Delafaye，entitledInoculationanIndefensiblePractice。Thisstrugglewentonforthirtyyears。Itisapleasuretonotesomechurchmen——andamongthemMadox，BishopofWorcester——givingbattleonthesideofrightreason；butaslateas1753wehaveanotedrectoratCanterburydenouncinginoculationfromhispulpitintheprimatialcity，andmanyofhisbrethrenfollowinghisexample。
ThesameoppositionwasvigorousinProtestantScotland。Alargebodyofministersjoinedindenouncingthenewpracticeas“flyinginthefaceofProvidence。”and“endeavouringtobaffleaDivinejudgment。”
Onourownsideoftheocean，also，thisquestionhadtobefoughtout。Abouttheyear1721Dr。ZabdielBoylston，aphysicianinBoston，madeanexperimentininoculation，oneofhisfirstsubjectsbeinghisownson。Heatonceencounteredbitterhostility，sothattheselectmenofthecityforbadehimtorepeattheexperiment。ForemostamonghisopponentswasDr。
Douglas，aScotchphysician，supportedbythemedicalprofessionandthenewspapers。Theviolenceoftheopposingpartyknewnobounds；theyinsistedthatinoculationwas“poisoning。”andtheyurgedtheauthoritiestotryDr。Boylstonformurder。Havingthussettledhiscaseforthisworld，theyproceededtosettleitforthenext，insistingthat“foramantoinfectafamilyinthemorningwithsmallpoxandtopraytoGodintheeveningagainstthediseaseisblasphemy“；thatthesmallpoxis“ajudgmentofGodonthesinsofthepeople。”andthat“toavertitisbuttoprovokehimmore“；thatinoculationis“anencroachmentontheprerogativesofJehovah，whoserightitistowoundandsmite。”
Amongthemassofscripturaltextsmostremotefromanypossiblebearingonthesubjectonewasemployedwhichwasequallycogentagainstanyuseofhealingmeansinanydisease——thewordsofHosea：“Hehathtorn，andhewillhealus；hehathsmitten，andhewillbindusup。”
SobitterwasthisoppositionthatDr。Boylston’slifewasindanger；itwasconsideredunsafeforhimtobeoutofhishouseintheevening；alightedgrenadewaseventhrownintothehouseofCottonMather，whohadfavouredthenewpractice，andhadshelteredanotherclergymanwhohadsubmittedhimselftoit。
TothehonourofthePuritanclergyofNewEngland，itshouldbesaidthatmanyofthemwereBoylston’sstrongestsupporters。
IncreaseandCottonMatherhadbeenamongthefirsttomoveinfavourofinoculation，thelatterhavingcalledBoylston’sattentiontoit；andattheverycrisisofaffairssixoftheleadingclergymenofBostonthrewtheirinfluenceonBoylston’ssideandsharedtheobloquybroughtuponhim。AlthoughthegainsayerswerenotslowtoflingintothefacesoftheMatherstheiractionregardingwitchcraft，urgingthattheircredulityinthatmatterarguedcredulityinthis，theypersevered，andamongthemanyservicesrenderedbytheclergymenofNewEnglandtotheircountrythisoughtcertainlytoberemembered；forthesemenhadtowithstand，shouldertoshoulderwithBoylstonandBenjaminFranklin，thesameweaponswhichwerehurledatthesupportersofinoculationinEurope——chargesof“unfaithfulnesstotherevealedlawofGod。”
Thefactsweresoonverystrongagainstthegainsayers：withinayearortwoafterthefirstexperimentnearlythreehundredpersonshadbeeninoculatedbyBoylstoninBostonandneighbouringtowns，andoutoftheseonlysixhaddied；whereas，duringthesameperiod，outofnearlysixthousandpersonswhohadtakensmallpoxnaturally，andhadreceivedonlytheusualmedicaltreatment，nearlyonethousandhaddied。Yetevenherethegainsayersdidnotdespair，and，whenobligedtoconfessthesuccessofinoculation，theysimplyfellbackuponanewargument，andanswered：“ItwasgoodthatSatanshouldbedispossessedofhishabitationwhichhehadtakenupinmeninourLord’sday，butitwasnotlawfulthatthechildrenofthePhariseesshouldcasthimoutbythehelpofBeelzebub。Wemustalwayshaveaneyetothematterofwhatwedoaswellastheresult，ifweintendtokeepagoodconsciencetowardGod。”Butthefactsweretoostrong；thenewpracticemadeitswayintheNewWorldasintheOld，thoughbitteroppositioncontinued，andinnosmalldegreeonvaguescripturalgrounds，formorethantwentyyearslonger。[324]
[324]Forthegeneralsubject，seeSprengel，HistoiredelaMedecine，vol。vi，pp。39-80。FortheoppositionoftheParisfacultyofTheologytoinoculation，seetheJournaldeBarbier，vol。vi，p。294；alsotheCorrespondancedeGrimmetDiderot，vol。iii，pp。259etseq。ForbitterdenunciationsofinoculationbytheEnglishclergy，andforthenoblestandagainstthembyMadox，seeBaron，LifeofJenner，vol。i，pp。231，232，andvol。
ii，pp。39，40。Forthestrenuousoppositionofthesameclergy，seeWeld，HistoryoftheRoyalSociety，vol。i，p。464，note；
also，foritscomicalside，seeNichol’sLiteraryIllustrations，vol。v，p。800。ForthesamematterinScotland，seeLecky’sHistoryoftheEighteenthCentury，vol。ii，p。83。ForNewEngland，seeGreen，HistoryofMedicineinMassachusetts，Boston，1881，pp。58etseq；alsochapterxoftheMemorialHistoryofBoston，bythesameauthorandO。W。Holmes。ForaletterofDr。
Franklin’s，seeMassachusettsHistoricalCollections，secondseries，vol。vii，p。17。SeveralmostcuriouspublicationsissuedduringtheheatoftheinoculationcontroversyhavebeenkindlyplacedinmyhandsbythelibrariansofHarvardCollegeandoftheMassachusettsHistoricalSociety，amongthemAReplytoIncreaseMather，byJohnWilliams，Boston，printedbyJ。
Franklin，1721，fromwhichtheabovescripturalargumentsarecited。FortheterriblevirulenceofthesmallpoxinNewEnglanduptotheintroductionoftheinoculation，seeMcMaster，HistoryofthePeopleoftheUnitedStates，firstedition，vol。i，p。30。
ThesteadyevolutionofscientificmedicinebringsusnexttoJenner’sdiscoveryofvaccination。Here，too，sundryvaguesurvivalsoftheologicalideascausedmanyoftheclergytosidewithretrogradephysicians。PerhapsthemostvirulentofJenner’senemieswasoneofhisprofessionalbrethren，Dr。
Moseley，whoplacedonthetitle-pageofhisbook，LuesBovilla，themotto，referringtoJennerandhisfollowers，“Father，forgivethem，fortheyknownotwhattheydo“：thisbookofDr。
MoseleywasespeciallyindorsedbytheBishopofDromore。In1798anAnti-vaccinationSocietywasformedbyphysiciansandclergymen，whocalledonthepeopleofBostontosuppressvaccination，as“biddingdefiancetoHeavenitself，eventothewillofGod。”anddeclaredthat“thelawofGodprohibitsthepractice。”Aslateas1803theRev。Dr。RamsdenthunderedagainstvaccinationinasermonbeforetheUniversityofCambridge，minglingtextsofScripturewithcalumniesagainstJenner；butPlumptreandtheRev。RowlandHillinEngland，WaterhouseinAmerica，ThouretinFrance，SaccoinItaly，andahostofothergoodmenandtrue，pressedforward，andatlastscience，humanity，andrightreasongainedthevictory。Moststrikingresultsquicklyfollowed。Thediminutioninthenumberofdeathsfromtheterriblescourgewasamazing。InBerlin，duringtheeightyearsfollowing1783，overfourthousandchildrendiedofthesmallpox；whileduringtheeightyearsfollowing1814，aftervaccinationhadbeenlargelyadopted，outofalargernumberofdeathstherewerebutfivehundredandthirty-fivefromthisdisease。InWurtemberg，duringthetwenty-fouryearsfollowing1772，oneinthirteenofallthechildrendiedofsmallpox，whileduringtheelevenyearsafter1822therediedofitonlyoneinsixteenhundred。InCopenhagen，duringtwelveyearsbeforetheintroductionofvaccination，fifty-fivehundredpersonsdiedofsmallpox，andduringthesixteenyearsafteritsintroductiononlyonehundredandfifty-eightpersonsdiedofitthroughoutallDenmark。InVienna，wheretheaverageyearlymortalityfromthisdiseasehadbeenovereighthundred，itwassteadilyandrapidlyreduced，untilin1803ithadfallentolessthanthirty；andinLondon，formerlysoafflictedbythisscourge，outofallherinhabitantstherediedofitin1890butone。Astotheworldatlarge，theresultissummedupbyoneofthemosthonouredEnglishphysiciansofourtime，inthedeclarationthat“Jennerhassaved，isnowsaving，andwillcontinuetosaveinallcomingages，morelivesinonegenerationthanweredestroyedinallthewarsofNapoleon。”
ItwillhavebeennoticedbythosewhohavereadthishistorythusfarthattherecordoftheChurchgenerallywasfarmorehonourableinthisstrugglethaninmanywhichprecededit：thereasonisnotdifficulttofind；thedeclineoftheologyenuredtotheadvantageofreligion，andreligiongavepowerfulaidtoscience。
YettherehaveremainedsomesurvivalsbothinProtestantismandinCatholicismwhichmayberegardedwithcuriosity。AsmallbodyofperverselyingeniousmindsinthemedicalprofessioninEnglandhavefoundafewardentalliesamongthelessintellectualclergy。TheRev。Mr。RotheryandtheRev。Mr。
Allen，ofthePrimitiveMethodists，haveforsundryvaguetheologicalreasonsespeciallydistinguishedthemselvesbyoppositiontocompulsoryvaccination；butitisonlyjusttosaythatthegreatbodyoftheEnglishclergyhaveforalongtimetakenthebetterview。
FarmorepainfulhasbeentherecenthistoryoftheothergreatbranchoftheChristianChurch——ahistorydevelopedwhereitmighthavebeenleastexpected：therecentannalsoftheworldhardlypresentamorestrikingantithesisbetweenReligionandTheology。
OnthereligioussidefewthingsinthehistoryoftheRomanChurchhavebeenmorebeautifulthantheconductofitsclergyinCanadaduringthegreatoutbreakofship-feveramongimmigrantsatMontrealaboutthemiddleofthepresentcentury。DayandnighttheCatholicpriesthoodofthatcityministeredfearlesslytothosevictimsofsanitaryignorance；fearofsufferinganddeathcouldnotdrivetheseministersfromtheirwork；theylaiddowntheirlivescheerfullywhilecarryingcomforttothepoorestandmostignorantofourkind：suchwastherecordoftheirreligion。Butin1885arecordwasmadebytheirtheology。InthatyearthesmallpoxbrokeoutwithgreatvirulenceinMontreal。TheProtestantpopulationescapedalmostentirelybyvaccination；butmultitudesoftheirCatholicfellow-citizens，undersomevaguesurvivaloftheoldorthodoxideas，refusedvaccination；andsufferedfearfully。Whenatlasttheplaguebecamesoseriousthattravelandtradefelloffgreatlyandquarantinebegantobeestablishedinneighbouringcities，aneffortwasmadetoenforcecompulsoryvaccination。Theresultwas，thatlargenumbersoftheCatholicworkingpopulationresistedandeventhreatenedbloodshed。Theclergyatfirsttoleratedandevenencouragedthisconduct：theAbbeFiliatrault，priestofSt。James’sChurch，declaredinasermonthat，“ifweareafflictedwithsmallpox，itisbecausewehadacarnivallastwinter，feastingtheflesh，whichhasoffendedtheLord；itistopunishourpridethatGodhassentussmallpox。”
Theclericalpresswentfurther：theEtendardexhortedthefaithfultotakeuparmsratherthansubmittovaccination，andatleastoneofthesecularpaperswasforcedtopandertothesamesentiment。TheBoardofHealthstruggledagainstthissuperstition，andaddressedacirculartotheCatholicclergy，imploringthemtorecommendvaccination；but，thoughtwoorthreecompliedwiththisrequest，thegreatmajoritywereeithersilentoropenlyhostile。TheOblateFathers，whosechurchwassituatedintheveryheartoftheinfecteddistrict，continuedtodenouncevaccination；thefaithfulwereexhortedtorelyondevotionalexercisesofvarioussorts；underthesanctionofthehierarchyagreatprocessionwasorderedwithasolemnappealtotheVirgin，andtheuseoftherosarywascarefullyspecified。
Meantime，thedisease，whichhadnearlydiedoutamongtheProtestants，ragedwithever-increasingvirulenceamongtheCatholics；and，thetruthbecomingmoreandmoreclear，eventothemostdevout，propermeasureswereatlastenforcedandtheplaguewasstayed，thoughnotuntiltherehadbeenafearfulwasteoflifeamongthesesimple-heartedbelievers，andgermsofscepticismplantedintheheartsoftheirchildrenwhichwillbearfruitforgenerationstocome。[325]
[325]FortheoppositionofconcientiousmentovaccinationinEngland，seeBaron，LifeofJenner，asabove；alsovol。ii，p。
43；alsoDun’sLifeofSimpson，London，1873，pp。248，249；alsoWorksofSirJ。Y。Simpson，vol。ii。Foramultitudeofstatisticsahowingthediminutionofsmallpoxaftertheintroductionofvaccination，seeRussell，p。380。ForthestrikingrecordinLondonfor1890，seeanarticleintheEdinburghreviewforJanuary，1891。ThegeneralstatementreferredtowasmadeinaspeechsomeyearssincebySirSpencerWells。ForrecentscatteredcasesoffeebleoppositiontovaccinationbyProtestantministers，seeWilliamWhite，TheGreatDelusion，London，1885，passim。ForoppositionoftheRomanCatholicclergyandpeasantryinCanadatovaccinationduringthesmallpoxplagueof1885，seetheEnglish，Canadian，andAmericannewspapers，butespeciallytheverytemperateandaccuratecorrespondenceintheNewYorkEveningPostduringSeptemberandOctoberofthatyear。