Daniel Sutton

“ Dr. Dimsdale deposed, that he hath practised inoculation in a very extensive manner for twenty years past without the loss of a patient; that his practice is very similar to that of the Prisoner at the bar; but that he has often inoculated without any preparation, and with equal success; and that he ascribes his success chiefly to the cool regimen, and to his method of communicating the infection with recent fluid matter. ”

“ The small-pox, by a treatment diametrically opposite to that which reason, and a perfect knowledge of the nature of the disease, would have dictated, hath, through a series of many ages, preserved all the virulence with which it first burst into Europe. But experience hath taught us, that, when produced by inoculation, it is much less fatal. Why? Is it because those that are inoculated are previously prepared? No: that is a very insufficient reason; for you have heard, that, in the Levant, preparation [Pg 75] is disregarded ”

“ For my own part, I am of opinion that the small-pox is a disease of the lymphatic system only, and my opinion seems to be confirmed by the impossibility of communicating [Pg 76] the infection by inoculating with the blood. Be this as it may, it is indisputably true, that the crude lymph is sufficient to give the infection, and that there is no necessity to draw blood at the time of incision. Add to this, the frequent tumour of the lymphatic glands in the axilla soon after the operation. ”

“ The small-pox hath been generally ranked among inflammatory diseases, and certainly with propriety, if we consider it only in it’s first stage; but that, in it’s natural progress, it becomes a putrid disorder, is indisputably true. Let us now suppose a number of patients ill of a malignant putrid [Pg 72] disease, the jail fever for instance. Let us suppose these unhappy beings pent up in the close ward of an hospital, swallowing hot medicines, and denied the use of fresh air. In such a state the disease would certainly exert it’s utmost virulence, and very few of the patients would recover. ”

“ First, then, I must observe to you, that the part of the indictment, which accuses the Prisoner, in general, of preserving the lives of the King’s subjects, depends entirely on the deposition of Mr. Robert Houlton; for though the evidence of Dr. Baker, and Mr. Chandler, may, in some degree, corroborate his testimony, yet they are, of themselves, insufficient. Some regard is certainly due to Mr. Houlton’s sacred function; but if you believe the gentleman who spoke to his character; if you view him in the light of a mere nostrum-puffer, a Merry-Andrew to the stage-itinerant ”

“ I have told you, that the most malignant diseases may be rendered less malignant by proper treatment. The malignancy of the small-pox hath been considerably abated by inoculation, [Pg 77] and that malignancy hath been still farther diminished by the gradual introduction of the anti-phlogistic and antiseptic plan. So that in all places where inoculation hath been long practised, and the patients thus treated, the small-pox will naturally become a mild disorder, and the ignorant operators themselves will be surprised at their unexpected success. ”

“ Dimsdale. I am, indeed, possessed of no such medicine. Sometimes the whole surface of the skin is covered with a rash, intimately mixed with the variolous eruption. This rash has been often mistaken for the confluence it so much resembles, and has afforded occasion for some practitioners, either ignorantly or disingenuously, to pretend, that after a very copious eruption of the confluent pox, they can, by a specific medicine, discharge the major part of the pustules, leaving only as many distinct ones as may satisfy the patient that he has the disease. ”

“ Give me leave to ask you, whence you took this very exact account of the number of persons inoculated by the Prisoner?
Houlton. From Mr. Sutton’s books.
Couns. for the Prisoner. I beg, [Pg 7] gentlemen of the jury, you will observe that this account of the number of persons inoculated, and consequently of the number of lives preserved, one of the crimes of which the Prisoner stands accused, was taken only from his own books. ”

“ Now, Sir, please to proceed to his manner of communicating the disease.
Dr. Baker. The operator opens a pustule on the arm of some patient in whom the matter is yet in a crude state; and then with his moist lancet just raises the cuticle on the arm of the person to be inoculated, applying neither plaister nor bandage. This was his method some time ago; but he now generally dips his lancet only in the moisture issuing from the place of incision, before the eruption, four days after the operation. ”

“ This Somersetshire operator inoculates all that apply to him for that purpose, without examining in what state of health they are, or have been, or asking them a single question. He always begins his process with communicating the infection. After this he bleeds some, purges all twice, confines them to a low diet, forbids exercise, and whatever quickens the motion of the blood. Every one, as soon as the eruptive fever begins, is put to bed in a room that is shut up close, to keep out the cool air, is well covered with bed-cloaths, and has plenty of baum tea given him to make him [Pg 39] sweat. ”

“ Do you confine your patients to their beds during the eruptive fever?
Dr. Dimsdale. By no means: on the contrary, as soon as the symptoms of the eruptive fever come on, they are directed, when the purging medicines have operated, to keep abroad in the open air, be it ever so cold, as much as they can bear, and to drink cold water, if thirsty; always taking care not to stand still, but to walk about moderately while abroad.
Couns. for the Pris. Is this your constant practice? ”

“ As to his manner of communicating the infection by means of the lymph taken before the eruptive fever, whether it be the invention of the Prisoner, or [Pg 55] not, is a matter of no importance, as it is now a very common, and therefore not a secret mode of practice. ”

“ If this be admitted as a possibility, perhaps it might be no difficult matter to trace many of our disorders to their origin, and to prove, that a considerable number are of our own creation; they are the offspring of medicine, the children of dulness or chimera, begotten upon old women. ”

“ But he is likewise accused of administering medicines, the composition of which is unknown to the faculty in general. In answer to this charge, Dr. Ruston hath demonstrated, that calomel is the principal ingredient, and several other witnesses have deposed, that calomel hath long been an universal medicine on these occasions. [Pg 68] Of this part of the indictment therefore the Prisoner stands fairly acquitted. ”

“ Houlton. I know that they are most powerful. If he perceives a symptom in patients of a great fever, or a probability of their having more pustules than they would chuse, he quickly prevents both by virtue of his medicines. ”

“ Do you recollect any particular instance of this extraordinary virtue of his medicines?
Houlton. I do. A child belonging to Mr. Barnard, of Waltham in Essex, was seized with the natural small pox. As soon as it was discovered, by the pustules making a plentiful appearance, the child was conveyed to one of Mr. ”

“ Baker, a physician of considerable reputation, after giving you a clear account of the Prisoner’s extraordinary method of preparing, and manner of treating his patients thro’ the whole progress of the disease, sufficiently confirms the evidence of Mr. ”