DR. ZABDIEL BOYLSTON DESCRIBES THE MELANCHOLY SIGHT OF MR. DORR'S FAMILY FOLLOWING SMALLPOX INOCULATION DURING THE EPIDEMIC OF 1721 IN BOSTON

Abstract

Zabdiel Boylston's (1680-1766) role in attempting to stem the severe epidemic of smallpox of 1721-1722 in Boston by introducing inoculation is well known. But less well known is how inoculation affected many of those who underwent this procedure. Boylston's vivid description of the postinoculation woes of one Boston family follows.

[November 29, 1721]

I inoculated Mr. Edward Dorr's other three children, one of 9, and one of 7 years, and the other about 18 months old, his Servant Man 20, and Indian Girl about 17 Years old [Mr. Dorr 35, and three of his children, one 11, one 5, and one three Years old had previously been inoculated on November 24, 1721]. Mr. Dorr would have had these five inoculated when he and the three Children were, but I refus'd to do it then. But for the Convenience of nursing and having one Nurse only for them all, they were put into one Chamber, and for better Stowage, two or three in one Bed, (the End of the Chamber being partition'd off for a private Lodging, in which was laid the Indian Girl) and by the time the first three were broken out a Day or two, the other five began their Sickness. Here was a melancholy Sight indeed! I had often three or four, but never nine in a Room together; the poor Children, with their Sickness and the Winter's Cold, prov'd froward, one crying, another coughing; one wanted Drink, another to do its Needs; one to get up, another to go to Bed, and so on; so that together with opening and shutting the Doors, the gigling [sic] of the Warming-pan, Fire-shovel and Tongs, there was scarce a Minute in the 24 Hours that all was still and quiet.