Note 4 — TRANSYLVANIA UNIVERSITY

An interesting notice of "Inoculation for Smallpox," in 1794, is to be found in the files of the old Kentucky Gazette, a paper published by John Bradford, in Lexington, August 11, 1787—the first newspaper published west of the Alleghany mountains. This notice appeared in that paper January 4, 1794, as follows: "On Thursday last the inhabitants of this place began the inoculation of smallpox and have agreed to continue until the fifteenth, after which they are determined to cease. They have appointed a committee to draw up a remonstrance to the court of Fayette County requesting that the order of that court granting liberty to the inhabitants of said county to inoculate may be rescinded, so far as respects the town of Lexington, after that date." The Gazette for the first of February following has this significant statement, illustrating the great hazard of this primitive operation, viz: "That the smallpox had been very fatal within the three weeks past in the town and vicinity under inoculation, that at least one out of fifteen died who had been inoculated, and very few children had recovered." Vaccination was introduced here by Professor Samuel Brown, M. D., at quite an early period, as we shall see further on.