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A Dissertation

tient's Bed, and let a Handkercheif or Piece of Linen, taken out of the Patient's Bosom, be smelt to, and let the Person to be infected wear it in his own Bosom, and let this be repeated several Times, and let him carry the Linen home in his Breast; or let him bend himself down to the Patient, while he breaths upon him several Times, and there is no Reason to doubt but the Infection will generally be caught; for some particular Persons are not by Nature disposed ever to receive it, but pass a long Life uninfected, tho' frequently conversant with the Small-Pox.

As involuntary and undesigned Infection received from others, is the common Way of propagating this Distemper, so it may likewise he communicated as certainly, when by Choice and Purpose, any Person who has a Mind to be infected, will visit and nearly converse with Persons, that actually are sick of this Disease. And this has really been Matter of Fact; for I know it was customary with Dr. Sydenham, when there was a mild and favourable Small-Pox going about, to carry young Persons, his Relations or Friends, to visit one of his Patients, to sit by him, and converse with him, and he seldom failed of his Design; the Visitor generally caught a favourable Small-Pox, and soon recovered. As to what the Operators alledge, that they prepare before hand the Person to be inoculated, and being apprised what the Disease is, when it makes its full Attack, they know the bet-

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