This excellent charity was instituted in the year 1746, supported by a subscription then made by several noblemen, gentlemen and ladies, who were desirous that a charity useful in itself, and so beneficial to the public, might be begun near this great metropolis, there not being any hospital of this kind in Europe.
The relief of the necessitous under that severe, nauseous, and frequent distemper, the small-pox, is a work of charity so evidently attended with many beneficial circumstances, as well to the public as to the unhappy objects, that it is in reality not a little strange, that the establishing a fund for such a charity should be a design of no longer standing.
It is universally agreed, that amongst all distempers, to which Providence has made the human body liable, there is none so afflicting, so alarming, or which demands such careful, speedy, and continual assistance, as the small-pox; to which the inferior sort of people are at least equally liable with those in a higher sphere of life, though utterly unable to support themselves under so dreadful a malady, or to procure the necessary means for their recovery.
As this disease is so frightful, even in its first appearance, and at the same time contagious, and almost inevitable, families of all degrees are thrown into the utmost confusion, when it invades any person amongst them, let his or her station be what it will. To keep a servant in such a condition is, generally speaking, exceedingly inconvenient: to thrust them out of doors under such circumstances, always inhuman, commonly fatal. How agreeable, therefore, must the information prove to all considerate and charitable persons, that for removing of these difficulties, for securing private families, and for the preservation of the wretched individuals labouring under this disease, there is established, an hospital for the small-pox, where persons of both sexes, and of all ages, may be carefully provided for, both as to physic and diet, and properly attended in that calamitous condition; and this at a very easy expence to the governors, who by their charitable contributions support the fund for so glorious, and so compassionate an undertaking, which, only to mention, is to recommend. A needless pomp of words would rather obscure, than illustrate this design; the utility and humanity of which, all, who have the smallest attention or tenderness, cannot fail to comprehend.
As what has been said sufficiently shews, how well adapted a charity this is, in respect to such as are afflicted with this disease in the natural way; so the other part of the scheme, which has a tendency to preserve our species from the ravages of this infectious malady, by rendering it less malignant and less destructive, in the way of inoculation, deserves likewise public approbation and effectual encouragement.
The objections that have been made against this practice, are founded rather in an aversion to novelty, however useful, than in an adherence to reason and experience. The strange imputation that a well established method of preserving many lives, is an attempt upon the prerogative of the Almighty, will make no impression upon any, who consider that the same thing may be urged against exhibiting medicines at all, either sanative or preventive, and the extraordinary methods that are often necessary to be made use of, to stop the progress of any particular disease.
The benefits of inoculation appear every year, by fresh trials, greater and more certain. This dreadful, this destructive distemper is thereby rendered mild and manageable, and becomes rather a purgation of the body from the latent seeds of an expected disease, than creating a disease itself. It delivers people from those apprehensions, with which, till they have had the small-pox, they are always haunted. It frees them from the objections, that are continually made to their being received into any family, while they remain exposed to that disease in the natural way. It gives them courage to enter into the service of their country, either by land or sea; and protects them, while in that service, from the risque of being carried off, for want of those accommodations, which camps and ships rarely supply.
To all these, if we add the general and great consideration of preserving so many lives, which may evidently arise from these different ways of having the disease, (for upon a general calculation, twenty-five or thirty die out of one hundred and fifty patients, having the distemper in the natural way, and one only out of this number, when inoculated,) it will appear, that this is a thing of very high importance; and that it is not easy to name an undertaking more laudable in itself, or more beneficial in its consequences, than the making a provision, that those, who really stand in the greatest need of this preservative, and yet from their low, though useful stations in life, are precluded from it, should be rescued from a condition, equally injurious to them and to society.
But as the world will be often divided in sentiments, in matters of such a nature; so, by the constitution of this charity, due care is taken, that the intentions of such well disposed persons, as shall contribute to any branch of it, shall be punctually answered. For they may direct their benefactions to be bestowed upon such persons only, as are infected with the natural small-pox; or, if they judge the promoting inoculation the more beneficial, they may confine their gifts thereto; or, if given without any distinction, it will be applied to the general fund, both for natural small-pox and for inoculation.
To these considerations, it is proper to add one circumstance, which, duly considered, cannot but have great weight with all, who have any feeling for their fellow-creatures in distress; which is, that it is an hospital, in aid of all other hospitals, being calculated, by its very constitution, to receive those miserable creatures, whom the rules of all other charities expresly and prudentially exclude.