Ihastennowtooneofthemostsingularstrugglesofmedicalscienceduringmoderntimes。EarlyinthelastcenturyBoyerpresentedinoculationasapreventiveofsmallpoxinFrance，andthoughtfulphysiciansinEngland，inspiredbyLadyMontaguandMaitland，followedhisexample。Ultra-conservativesinmedicinetookfrightatonceonbothsidesoftheChannel，andtheologywassoonfindingprofoundreasonsagainstthenewpractice。TheFrenchtheologiansoftheSorbonnesolemnlycondemnedit；theEnglishtheologiansweremostloudlyrepresentedbytheRev。
EdwardMassey，whoin1772preachedandpublishedasermonentitledTheDangerousandSinfulPracticeofInoculation。InthishedeclaredthatJob’sdistemperwasprobablyconfluentsmallpox；thathehadbeeninoculateddoubtlessbythedevil；
thatdiseasesaresentbyProvidenceforthepunishmentofsin；
andthattheproposedattempttopreventthemis“adiabolicaloperation。”NotlessvigorouswasthesermonoftheRev。Mr。
Delafaye，entitledInoculationanIndefensiblePractice。Thisstrugglewentonforthirtyyears。Itisapleasuretonotesomechurchmen——andamongthemMadox，BishopofWorcester——givingbattleonthesideofrightreason；butaslateas1753wehaveanotedrectoratCanterburydenouncinginoculationfromhispulpitintheprimatialcity，andmanyofhisbrethrenfollowinghisexample。