Reaction
With inoculation came a group of people who argued against it. They mainly felt that it was religiously and morally wrong to administer inoculations and purposefully spread the disease.
"Cotton Mather, you dog, dam you! I'll inoculate you with this; with a pox to you"
This message was attached to a homemade grenade that was thrown into the house of Cotton Mather.
This message was attached to a homemade grenade that was thrown into the house of Cotton Mather.
"Our actions must be in knowledge of the will of God...There is no rule in the word of God to found inoculation upon. Therefore, inoculation cannot be according to the will of God, nor according to knowledge."
"If inoculation be a doing unto the law of nature, and the pattern that God hath set for us, then it is unholy."
"If we are commanded to love our neighbor as ourselves, then that voluntarily bring in the Smallpox into their houses, and only endanger their neighbors health and life, but eventually take both away."
All quotes by John Williams, a Puritan protester as seen on the right.
Some people thought that inoculation was not worth it because the stakes were so large.
- John Williams was a strong advocate against inoculation
- He represented a large demographic of physicians and clergy members
- Published many pamphlets on the topic
- Many people opposed inoculation because it caused smallpox, which resulted in quarantine
- They also feared that another epidemic could result from an unquarantined case
"Who like faithful Shepherds
take care of their Flocks,
By teaching and practicing
what's Orthodox,
Pray hard against Sickness, yet
preach up the POX!"
take care of their Flocks,
By teaching and practicing
what's Orthodox,
Pray hard against Sickness, yet
preach up the POX!"
Like many other wary people in Boston, James Franklin is untrusting of Cotton Mather because of his double lives. He is an Orthodox minister and the orriganal supporter of Inoculation.
