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Whatever credit may attach to the introduction of the practice
of inoculation into this country is, however, due to Lady Mary
Wortley Montague. During her residence at Pera, while her
husband was Ambassador to the Porte, Lady Mary learnt that it
was there the fashion "to take Small-Pox by way of diversion as
they take the waters in other countries." In a letter, dated 1717,
she announced her attention of submitting her son, aged five, to
the operation, and added, "I am patriot enough to take pains to
bring this useful invention into fashion in England." Her son
was accordingly inoculated by a Greek woman, under the supervision
of Mr. Charles Maitland, Surgeon to the Embassy, and he
passed favourably through the disease. Lady Mary returned to
London, and in the spring of 1721 had her younger child inoculated
by Maitland. The operation, which was satisfactory, was
witnessed by three physicians, as well as several ladies and
persons of distinction. In August, 1721, inoculation was tried
experimentally on six criminals at Newgate, and the practice was
encouraged by the Court.
While the effects in most of the early cases appear to have
been mild, a few terminated fatally, and the practice became for
a while less popular. After 1740, however, inoculation was
revived, and, in the modified form of Dimsdale and Sutton, was
widely adopted in many parts of the United Kingdom. In 1746
an inoculation hospital was started in London, and in most of the
large provincial towns the new practice was encouraged by the
clergy, as well as the leading medical practitioners, "and in 1754
the Royal College of Physicians of London pronounced its
authoritative sanction of what was no longer a speculative
novelty." The resolution of the College was: —"The college
having been informed that false reports concerning the success of
inoculation in England have been published in foreign countries,
think proper to declare their sentiments in the following manner,
viz.:—That the arguments which at the commencement of this
practice were urged against it have been refuted by experience;
that it is now held by the English in greater esteem, and