Letter 2552

[fol. 201] Windsor Castle Feb: 13 1721/2 Hond Sr I have just now recd Lrs from Mr Robie in New England, who hath for some years favoured us wth divers very curious Observations, accepta- ble to your self & the R.S. He tells me the Small Pox is epidemicall at Boston in N.E. & yt there are great controversies pro & con about Inoculation, & desires to be resolved in these 3 things (1) What cre- dit the Operation hath in London? (2) Wt Effects & Con- sequents it produceth, & whether Perons inoculated were ever known to have the S. Pox again in the common way? (3) Whether it is practiced in England? Or in short, Whether it be a safe & justifiable practice? These Queries as no man is better able to answer than your self, so I know of no Friend I can better address them to. And by reason of my long absence in this place from the R.S. & men of intelligence in these matters, I beg the favour of you to send me an Answer to these Queries. Or if it will be too great a trouble, I desire you will request it of Mr— the Apothecary, that did the Operation on the Criminals, whose name I have forgotten, & place of abode. I am wth great respect & deference Dear Sr Your much obliged humble servt W Derham