The Story of a Great Delusion in a Series of Matter-of-Fact Chapters

by William White

Year.	From Smallpox.	Measles.	Whooping Cough.		Children under Two.	Children under Ten.	Total, all Ages.
1783	155	66	153		479	719	1413
1784	425	1	13		671	877	1623
1785	218	—	34		576	744	1552
1786	348	2	173		706	941	1622
1787	410	23	57		746	1016	1802
1788	399	1	17		770	1059	1982
1789	366	23	45		794	1058	1753
1790	336	33	177		903	1236	1866
1791	607	4	117		984	1367	2146
1792	202	58	68		664	902	1848
	——	—–	—–		——	——	———
Total,	3466	211	854		7293	9919	17,607

The succeeding ten years, 1793-1802, repeat much the same tale, with, however, a diminution of mortality in an increasing population, and a decrease in smallpox with an increase in measles and whooping-cough: thus—

Deaths in Glasgow for Ten Years, 1793-1802.

Year.	From Smallpox.	Measles.	Whooping Cough.		Children under Two.	Children under Ten.	Total, all Ages.
1793	389	5	112		807	1126	2045
1794	235	7	51		553	759	1445
1795	402	46	180		761	1048	1901
1796	177	92	60		562	797	1369
1797	354	5	76		586	884	1662
1798	309	3	98		642	864	1603
1799	370	43	95		783	1105	1906
1800	257	21	27		545	716	1550
1801	245	8	125		494	766	1434
1802	156	168	90		544	985	1770
	——	—–	—–		——	——	——
Total,	2894	398	914		6277	9050	16,685

Considering these figures said Watt—

I remarked that the deaths by Smallpox were chiefly in infancy; hence the deaths under two or three years of age bore a very great proportion to the whole deaths in the city. Taking an average of several years, I found that more than half the human species died before they were ten years of age, and that of this half more than a third died of the Smallpox; so that nearly a fifth part of all that were born alive perished by this dreadful malady.

Watt meant of course the human species as exhibited in Glasgow, of whom more than half died before the age of ten, and a fifth of smallpox. What was true for a time of Glasgow smallpox was not even true of Edinburgh, much less of the whole earth.

Variolation was practised in Glasgow, but to what extent appears to be unknown. Certain, however, it is that smallpox was as little dreaded as are other calamities accounted common and unavoidable. Indeed many were not unwilling to subject their offspring to the disease at seasons supposed to be favourable on the principle of “getting a bad job over.” Then, too, the mass of the population was disposed as if by design for the generation of febrile ailments. Tall buildings forming narrow lanes, wynds, or closes issued like so many rents or fissures from the leading thoroughfares. These buildings were divided into flats packed with humanity from basement to attic. Air and light were treated as superfluities. Water there was none, save what was brought from wells; and middens received the slops and refuse often shot from the windows. Life in a Glasgow wynd in former days is indescribable, yea almost inconceivable; yet in such wynds multitudes passed their existence, conscious of no hardship, recognising nothing better, and withal characterised by many virtues. Bearing such conditions in mind, the vital statistics of Glasgow excite no surprise: the wonder is that the death-rate did not draw nearer to extermination. As for smallpox, how could a family resident in a flat in a noisome Glasgow close at the end of last century escape smallpox, if smallpox were prevalent? To them smallpox lay in fate, and was accepted on the same terms as wind and weather, summer and winter.

Novelties have always had a ready welcome in Glasgow, and when cheap and easy salvation from smallpox was proclaimed, there was a rush for it. Smallpox abated: vaccination had the credit: and faith was justified. Considering the devastation smallpox had wrought among the young, Watt says—