“I have already subjected two hundred and eleven of my patients to the action of variolous matter, but every one resisted it.

“The result of my experiments (which were made with every requisite caution) has fully convinced me that the true cow-pox is a safe and infallible preventive from the smallpox; that in no case which has fallen under my observation has it been in any considerable degree troublesome, much less have I seen any thing like danger; for in no instance were the patients prevented from following their ordinary employments.

“In Dr. Woodville’s publication on the cow-pox I notice an extraordinary fact.  He says that the generality of his patients had pustules.  It certainly appears extremely extraordinary that in all my cases there never was but one pustule, which appeared on a patient’s elbow on the inoculated arm, and maturated.  It appeared exactly like that on the incised part.

“The whole of my observations, founded as it appears on an extensive experience, leads me to these obvious conclusions; that those cases which have been or may be adduced against the preventive powers of the cow-pox could not have been those of the true kind, since it must appear to be absolutely impossible that I should have succeeded in such a number of cases without a single exception if such a preventive power did not exist.  I cannot entertain a doubt that the inoculated cow-pox must quickly supersede that of the smallpox.  If the many important advantages which must result from the new practice are duly considered, we may reasonably infer that public benefit, the sure test of the real merit of discoveries, will render it generally extensive.

“To you, Sir, as the discoverer of this highly beneficial practice, mankind are under the highest obligations.  As a private individual I participate in the general feeling; more particularly as you have afforded me an opportunity of noticing the effects of a singular disease, and of viewing the progress of the most curious experiment that ever was recorded in the history of physiology. 
       “I remain, dear sir, etc.,
          “Joseph H. Marshall.”

“P.S.  I should have observed that, of the patients I inoculated and enumerated in my letter, one hundred and twenty-seven were infected with the matter you sent me from the London cow.  I discovered no dissimilarity of symptoms in these cases from those which I inoculated from matter procured in this country.  No pustules have occurred, except in one or two cases, where a single one appeared on the inoculated arm.  No difference was apparent in the local inflammation.  There was no suspension of ordinary employment among the labouring people, nor was any medicine required.

“I have frequently inoculated one or two in a family, and the remaining part of it some weeks afterwards.  The uninfected have slept with the infected during the whole course of the disease without being affected; so that I am fully convinced that the disease cannot be taken but by actual contact with the matter.