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The following is quoted from an 1848 book about horrific
smallpox epidemics that occurred in Boston's history.
"In the years 1649, 1665, 1678, and
1690, the smallpox spread among the inhabitants of Boston, with great
destruction in life. In 1702, 313 person died under its power. In 1721, 5759
persons had it in the natural way, and that number was a large half of the
whole population. 844 died. At this time
Zabdiel Boylston dared to
inoculate three of his own household, which resulted in complete success;
this experiment was violently opposed by the rest of the medical faculty,
who carried public opinion with them. The clergy were in favor of
inoculation and most fortunate and happy results have crowned his genius and
his memory and presence.
In 1730, about 4000 cases of smallpox occurred, one tenth of whom were
inoculated. At this time, it carried off about 500. In 1752, it again
appeared amongst the then 15,684 inhabitants, 7,669 were supposed to have
then received the disease. Many of the citizens removed from the town, and
all the residents but 174 had it either by inoculation or by the natural
way. 2,124 were treated by the first method of whom 30 died. 5,545 were
seized with it, of whom 539 died. It again made ravages in the years 1754,
1776, and 1778, but with less painful circumstances. From 1811 to
1820, but six deaths occurred by smallpox; from 1821 to 1830, eight
deaths; and from 1831 to 1838, thirty nine deaths, and those mostly on Rainsford Island. A law was then in force
for removing all infected persons
with smallpox to the hospital at that place. They were treated
with proper care and attention, and on that healthy spot they were generally
restored. In 1836, a resistance was made to that law as being
unconstitutional, which occasioned its repeal.
Vaccination with the virus from cow pock matter, was a discovery made by Dr. Jenner in England, and introduced here in the year 1800, by Dr. Benjamin
Waterhouse, which proved an effectual substitute for, and preventative
against the smallpox. Life is not endangered by it or the face disfigured,
and the city authorities have made a provision for vaccination [c.1845] of
all who apply for it by the Port physician, who safely operated on 3,965
persons during the years 1844 and 1845; in 1846 on 5,592; and in 1847 on
1,263. The cases examined [there] with a view to test a safety from
previous vaccinations, have equaled the above in number?the cases of
smallpox which came under the care of the Port Physician in 1846 were 142,
and in 1847, 71."
An 1830s history of Boston states that the centennial
celebration of 1730 was canceled due to a smallpox outbreak. About 780
people perished. A footnote states that on December 5th 1633, Wonohaquahan,
the Native American Sachem of Charlestown and vicinity,
who had received the English colonists with great kindness, had died
of smallpox. Samuel Maverick of Noddle's Island (East Boston) buried
about 30 Indians in one day during that outbreak, and then he took in many of the orphaned children.
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