Power and licentious Encroachments of the fiery Particles upon the other Principles, break the Order and Oeconomy of Nature, in which a healthful State or Confutation is founded, but causes likewise that Disunion and Ruin of some Parts of the Blood, in which Corruption, or Putrefaction does consist. And this is the essential Difference, that constitutes and distinguishes this from all Fevers of another Nature and Denomination; and of this I have discoursed at large in a former Writing, where I made an imperfect Division of Fevers, that is only into simple and malignant, which however was sufficient for the Subject I had then in hand. But it must be here observed, that sometimes the inflammatory Fevers are likewise malignant, by the Accession of noxious and putrid Particles, which they meet with in the Blood. And as this is evident in the worst Kind of Small-Pox, so it often falls out in the Meazles, Scarlet Fevers, acute Rheumatisms, and other Distempers of this Nature, which by the Adhæsion of ill-condition’d putrid Matter, become hazardous, and frequently of fatal Consequence.
The Small-Pox, the Subject of this Discourse, belongs to the second Division, which may be thus describ’d. The Small-Pox is an Inflammatory Fever, accompanied by an Eruption or breaking out of small red Spots, like Flea-bites, that by degrees encrease, and ripening like little Boils, grow full of Mat-
