Page "Inoculation" Paragraph 15

The practice was introduced to the west by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu ( May 26, 1689 – August 21, 1762 ).

Lady Montagu's husband, Edward Wortley Montagu, served as the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire from 1716 to 1717.

She witnessed inoculation being practiced by physicians in Istanbul, and was greatly impressed: she had lost a brother to smallpox and bore facial scars from the disease herself.

In March 1718 she had the embassy surgeon, Charles Maitland, inoculate her five-year-old son.

In 1721, after returning to England, she had her four-year-old daughter inoculated.

She invited friends to see her daughter, including Sir Hans Sloane, the King's physician.

Sufficient interest arose that Maitland gained permission to test inoculation at Newgate prison in exchange for their freedom on six prisoners due to be hanged, an experiment which was witnessed by a number of notable doctors.

All survived, and in 1722 the Prince of Wales ' daughters received inoculations.