w of enforcing so necessary a
precaution, I shall take the liberty of digressing so far as to point
out some unpleasant facts, relative to mismanagement in this
particular, which have fallen under my own observation.

A Medical Gentleman (now no more), who for many years inoculated in
this neighbourhood, frequently preserved the variolous matter
intended for his use, on a piece of lint or cotton, which, in its
fluid state was put into a vial, corked, and conveyed into a warm
pocket; a situation certainly favourable for speedily producing
putrefaction in it. In this state (not unfrequently after it had been
taken several days from the pustules) it was inserted into the arms
of his patients, and brought on inflammation of the incised parts,
swellings of the axillary glands, fever, and sometimes eruptions. But
what was this disease? Certainly not the Small-pox; for the matter
having from putrefaction lost, or suffered a derangement in its
specific properties, was no longer capable of producing that malady,
those who had been inoculated in this manner being as much subject to
the contagion of the Small-pox, as if they had never been under the
influence of this artificial disease; and many, unfortunately, fell
victims to it, who thought themselves in perfect security. The same
unfortunate circumstance of giving a disease, supposed to be the
Small-pox, with inefficaceous variolous matter, having occurred under
the direction of some other practitioners within my knowledge, and
probably from the same incautious method of securing the variolous
matter, I avail myself of this opportunity of mentioning what I
conceive to be of great importance; and, as a further cautionary
hint, I shall again digress so far as to add another observation on
the subject of Inoculation.

Whether it be yet ascertained by experiment, that the quantity of
variolous matter inserted into the skin makes any difference with
respect to the subsequent mildness or violence of the disease, I know
not; but I have the strongest reason for supposing that is either the
punctures or incisions be made so deep as to go _through_ it, and
wound the adipose membrane, that the risk of bringing on a violent
disease is greatly increased. I have known an inoculator, whose
practice was "to cut deep enough (to use his own expression) to see a
bit of fat," and there to lodge the matter. The great number of bad
Cases, independent of inflammations and abscesses on the arms, and