The DuPont Company presents the Cavalcade of America. This evening the Cavalcade of America presented by DuPont brings you a story telling how a courageous clergyman and a physician fought and won a battle that has meant much to the health and happiness of our country. Theirs was a great cause and a great victory, accomplished without thought of personal glory and with noble unselfishness. It is surprising how much we as a nation owe to men whose names we may not recognize, but whose works are part of our very lives. You find such men in all fields, engineering, business, the professions, science, working to create something new, improve something old, always striving to contribute services or products that will make life pleasanter for all of us. The work of these men in chemistry, both the famed and unknown, is aptly described in the pledge of DuPont chemists, better things for better living through chemistry. As an overture, Don Vorez and the Cavalcade Orchestra will play You Are Love from Jerome Kern's operetta, Showboat. it will keep us afloat, In the early days of our American civilization, the towns of the eastern seaboard had become crowded especially near the waterfronts. At their wharfs were ships which brought in the produce and wealth of the world, but inevitably they also brought disease and pestilence from foreign lands. One of these dread maladies was smallpox. Each year thousands of men, women, and children died of this foreign scourge. Those who survived were marked for life. More than one-half the entire population carried the deep disfiguring scars. In Boston on December 13, 1707, the famous preacher Cotton Mather is reading in his study. Who is knocking so loudly, Martha? If some of your permission is to see you, Master Mather. Ask him to come in. Yes, Master. Oh, good evening, gentlemen. He's in this room. Well, welcome, gentlemen. Good evening. Good evening, Master. Bring the gentlemen some refreshments. Yes, Master. At once. I see all of you are elders and deacons. Is anything wrong in the parish? No, Cotton Mather. May we not be together at least once because everything in the parish is good? Everything good? How can you say that, Elder, when we have the smallpox with us? Oh, the smallpox we have always with us. The Lord of Mercy is also with us, Elder. He does not always seem merciful. There is a man on the waterfront down with the smallpox today. Are there any cases here on the hill? Nay, but on the bay where the people live close together, it will spread like fire if the Lord does not protect us. It's important to isolate the sick men. I'll speak to the governor in the morning. But, Deacon, we didn't come here to bring our preacher this sad news. We have other business today. What business could be more important than ministering to the body of our sick brother, unless it be ministering to his soul? Sometimes it is important to minister to his soul's minister. Why, have I done wrong? Have I sinned? Indeed, no. In no way, good Master Mather. It is we who have not done right. You are a strong and busy man, Cotton Mather, but still you have but one pair of legs and one pair of arms. You have the strength of ten, the will of the Lord, but the body of only one man. We bring you help in the name of the whole parish, not spiritual help which is granted you from above, but physical help which you must have on earth. In short, we bring you this Negro slave to be arms and legs and a good strong back for you. Here, slave, is your new master. Yes, Mather. My brother, what have I done to deserve this? There is not paper enough in Boston to write all that now. We do not mean that the slave settles the debt we owe you, brother, but take him as a trifle on account. I'll take him with humble thanks and gratitude to you all. But this slave is no trifle, gentlemen. He is a man. He has a soul as well as a body. Therefore, any debt you feel I mown, I am paid for. Even in your thanks, you teach us, Cotton Mather. In wisdom, you pay us back more than we bring. We're in your debt again, Brother Mather. He is a good slave, Master Mather, and will serve you well. Now we must go. It is late. Oh, a cup of rum, first gentlemen. It is raw and cold outdoors. You'll need a cup to warm you on your way. I'll place them on the table, Mather. Yes, sir. I have them ready. Here you are, Elder. Thank you. Thank you, Deacon. Thank you. Your health, Cotton Mather, and a long life. Thank you, General. Thank you. And so to bed. Good night, brother. Sleep you well. The Lord be with you, brethren. And many thanks. The Lord be with you. Good night. Good night. Good night, Mather. Good night. Good night. Good night. Well, so now I am master of a slave. And I have not yet learned to be master of myself. Come here, man. Master. No, no, no. Don't bend the knee to me. Come here. Yes, Master. What is your name? Onesimus. Onesimus. Let me have a good look at your Onesimus. Well, you're not Pockmark. Have you never had the smallpox? No. Me, Guermantes. Guermantes. Oh, yes. From the west coast of Africa. But doesn't your tribe get smallpox? No, get smallpox, Master. But why don't they get it? How do they escape the pox? We escape pox by Hogan's clothes. I speak out plainly, man. I don't like riddles. Me see smallpox. Me take them smallpox quick right away. Me give smallpox to me quick. Oh, that's inoculation. I've heard of it being practiced in Eastern Europe, in Turkey. You take pustules from someone who has the pox, put them into a scratch you've made on your own arm or leg. Isn't that what you mean? Yes, Master. I've always wanted to investigate it myself. Tell me, it gives pain? Sometimes. It gives smallpox? Sometimes often, but just in cut. No pox on body. No marks on face. Pox, where me give it to me. Look, see, here on arm, here on leg. Yes. You do it often? Do it once, with long time. Then more maybe. Just bad here on arm. No much bad no more. And you've never been sick with fever? No. Even if me live where white man die, me no get sick. By heaven, my parish has brought me a ministering angel. I can show you as an example. You have thing for me to do, Master? Yes. Go down to the waterfront quickly. There is a man there with the pox. Find him. Get it for me. Bring it back. You shall give it to me at once, in a cut, as you did to yourself. Are you not afraid? Of course I'm afraid. But you show me that disease may not always be the will of God. Sometimes it may be the work of the devil. Go get me the pox and give it to me. But why man and black man not same thing? Maybe you get killed, maybe you die. Go, do as I say. Then we'll see. No. No, me afraid. Poor fellow. So am I. But I need to try this. I'll see no blame comes to you. Do as I say. Yes, Master. Then go, bring me the pox. Quickly. Yes, Master. I go. And the Lord go with you. And abide with me. Cotton Mather, always a pioneer, inoculated himself with pustules taken from a smallpox uproar. He escaped having smallpox. That epidemic died down. But in 1721, smallpox appeared again in Boston. It had been brought by a ship from the Tortugas. By June it had reached terrifying proportions. It threatened to decimate the whole colony. Preacher Cotton Mather, who had successfully inoculated himself against smallpox 14 years before, realized that something must be done. A friend of his, Dr. Zebdiel Boylston, lived in nearby town Muddy River, later called Brookline. Boylston was more than a practicing physician. He was a perpetual student. Mather succeeded in entering him in inoculation as a preventive. On June 26, 1721, Cotton Mather strides into Dr. Boylston's study. Brother Boylston. Cotton Mather. Well, this is a surprise and a pleasure. What good fortune brings you to Muddy River? No good fortune. It is bad fortune, Brother Boylston. Very bad fortune. Smallpox is worse? It is everywhere. What's being done? Nothing. The people are more afraid of something new than they are of the smallpox. As though there were merit in the pox, just because it is familiar and old. You convinced me of this. There is only one thing to be done. We must inoculate as many people as we can. Of course. Just as I inoculated myself. That is why I have come to you. Perhaps you can persuade the physicians of Boston. I doubt it. Three weeks ago I circulated an open letter urging them to inoculate. I suppose they laughed at you. Laughed. Why they threatened me. Good. Good. Why do you say that? If they had laughed, it would have been hopeless. But when they threaten you, they know in their heart you are right and they wrong. But they take no precautions. Just shrug their shoulders and say, the plague must run its course. I tell you, Doctor, something must be done. You must start inoculating. But if the patient is unwilling, it's against the law. Then we must set an example. If we are immune, others will try it. When we have patients enough, it will be a law. Where can we begin? No one's with us, not one. We'll begin as I did, on ourselves. I tried it. No harm came to me. Yes, you tried it three times without even a bad pustule. I tell you, Brother Mather, any doctor could claim that you just naturally don't get the disease. You had been exposed to the Pops often without taking it, you told me so. But you, I've had it. Inoculation of myself would be no proof. Then we must try it on some other. Who? Our slaves, must I admit. We can inoculate them. We can never make the people on the hill believe that they are like their slaves. Then we must find a volunteer. Someone who has never had the Pops. But who? That's the question. Who? I don't know. Father, father. Quiet, son. Do you not see I'm talking to someone? Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see you, sir. How are you, Thomas? I'm very well, Mr. Mather. But there'd be many people who are powerful sick. They say the small Pops family... Thomas, what do you know of the Pops? Father, everybody knows about the Pops. It's broken out in the village. What? How do you know? They've been there just now. There are seven cases. Who are they? Oh, Miller Jackson is down with it, and Zeb Wiley, the butcher in this life. The butcher? Thomas, weren't you and your brother playing with Miller's boys only yesterday? Oh, yes. John and I play with them every day. You hear that, Cotton Mather? My boys, my own boys. There lies the answer to our question, brother. Oh, yes, I see. My son. Well, the time has come. Thomas, we must make a sacrifice. Yes, you have been called. It is hard to do, Brother Mather. Still, I... Yes, I must do it. But I have no postules. I have brought some with me. Here. But I have two sons. Abram took his eldest. Aye, so he did. You mind if we're alone together? Of course. I'll wait in the next room. The Lord be with you. Thomas, come here, son. Yes, Father. You are a good, strong boy. Are you also brave? Yes, Father, I hope so. Would you give your life to save your fellow men? Yes, of course I would. Now think carefully, Thomas. You know very little about death. But, Father, what's the matter? Is anything wrong? No, for I think you are really brave. You will risk your life for your friends. I jumped into the mill race once to save Kim Jackson. Yes, but that's easy to do. You have only to act and forget the risk. This is different. This is the risk of fatal sickness, of smallpox. You mean, maybe I've caught the pox already? No, maybe you haven't. You may be hailing hearty and well, but I want you to let me give it to you in modified form. But why, Father? I've never been sick a day. You may not be sick a day even now, but we want to make sure. We? Cotton Mather and I. We believe that smallpox will not attack anyone who was inoculated in time. Are you sure? No, we're not sure. That's what we want to find out. On me? Yes, son. All right, Father. I'm ready. Roll up your sleeve, Thomas. What are you going to do with that knife, Father? First, I'll pass it through the flame of this candle here, purify it, and dip it into this posture. Then cut my arm with it? No, just a few scratches, son. Will it hurt? A little, but a brave boy wouldn't notice it. Are you ready, Thomas? I'll hold still, Father. A father who art in heaven, I'll help you, thy name, thy kingdom come. I will be done, Mother. In a few days, Thomas was ill, but he recovered shortly, and there was not a single mark on his whole body except for he had been scratched for the inoculation. Dr. Boylston inoculated his son, John, and several of his patients. All recovered. Meanwhile, the epidemic spread in Boston and extended to surrounding town villages. Cotton Mather preached again the popular ignorance and superstition that prevented the salvation of the body from this disease. But opposition was too strong for him. His enemies organized. On November 3rd, Cotton Mather and his friend Dr. Boylston were brought before the selectman of the town of Boston. In the assailant is a selectman whose name is not recorded in history. We shall call him John Williams. Order! Order! Order! Somebody close the window. You can hardly hear yourself. You cannot hear yourself. Think because you are not thinking. Much better. Cotton Mather, this is the third time you and Dr. Boylston have been in the same room. You have plotted our warnings. It will go hard with you. It goes hard with the people of Boston. While you sit and talk, they die. Cotton Mather, we have been patient. We have respected your holy office, but we cannot ignore the clamor of the citizens of Boston. Has anyone brought a specific charge against us? Yes. The judge, he declares that at about three in the morning, somebody threw a bomb through a window of your house. That is true. But if I don't complain, why should any other? Besides, it did not blow. But that iron grenade was half full of dry powder. The other half was filled with oil. Now had it burst, it would have set fire to your house. It might have burned half the town. The Lord was merciful. It is in order of this council of selectmen that you stop advocating this wicked practice of giving people the smallpox by inoculation. It is our command, you understand? I am a minister of the gospel, and I am doing the will of one who stand as mightier than yours. You dare defy us? I dare not defy him who sent me to minister to the sick. Why is it even reported you gave the smallpox inoculation to your own boy, and that he nearly died of it? Yes. But Delkresy had already contracted the disease before we inoculated him. His roommate at the college died of smallpox the same day. Oh, brethren, how can you be so wicked as to let the people of Boston suffer and die from this terrible disease when it can so easily be prevented? But how do you know? You are only a preacher. Very well. Let Dr. Boylston speak then. Gentlemen, I am a physician. The success of inoculation is a fact. How can you prove that, Dr. Boylston? I have kept careful record of every case that has come within my knowledge for fourteen years. And is it not true that six people inoculated by you have died? Yes, Master Williams. But at least four had contracted the disease in the common way before inoculation. The other two are doubtful. Those who escaped, all the rest were nearly three hundred. Surely you cannot stop noble and humane work from going on. But is it not true that you learned of this law practice from your African servant? Yes, that is true. I had heard of it before. It has been practiced in Turkey, but my slave reminded me of it. That is true. But the Turks and your slave are heathen. It is a heathen practice. Yes, a heathen practice. What of? Ah, there we have you. Is it not unlawful for us to learn of the heathen? Yes. John Williams, are you not a tobacconist? Aye, but that has nothing to do with- Your whole business depends on the heathen. For you get your tobacco from the Indian, and you learn the habit of using it from them. And our people learned how to cure snakebite from the Indian. And they taught you how to raise sweet corn and cook and eat it too. And all the positions of antiquity were what you called heathen. Every one. Most of what we know we learned from them. Much to you to that, Master Chairman. Well, what do you expect me to do? I dare not make inoculation lawful, even if I should approve of it. Let those who believe come to us and be saved. Dr. Boylston, will you keep records and be answerable to us for the consequences? Yes. Even with your life? Gentlemen, I risk my life every hour I'm with the sick. It is nothing to offer to you who are well. Then go about your work. But if you fail- I shall not fail. If only we could appeal to the people, inoculate some leader who is in the public eye, someone who shares their doubt and superstition. You are convinced, eh? Yes. Say, someone who has stood against us, like yourself. Not me. I'm still against you. Dr. Boylston, you say your records show complete recovery for all those known to be in perfect health. Without exception, Master Williams. It must be a dangerous and fair thing to put a well person in danger of his life. It is a great ordeal, even with a stranger. Cotton Mather and I have done it with our own children. And they have lived? All of them. Preacher Mather, you are looking for a public victim. A public benefactor, not a victim. Very well. You may use me. What? What? Master Williams. Master Chairman, may I announce that to the crowd below? You may. Open the window there. People of Boston, my brethren, the select men of Boston have listened to Dr. Boylston and to me. They have agreed that it is for each man to decide for himself how he shall deal with smallpox by inoculation. And as an example to the more sensible of you, one of their number offers to prove that fear of the inoculation is nothing compared with the ravages of the disease itself. Today, today Dr. Boylston will give smallpox by inoculation to select man John Williams by his own request. John Williams, the tobacco dealer. Three cheers for John Williams. The voice of the people is divided, Brother Mather. It is always divided. The voice of God is not so loud, but when it enters into the hearts of men, it brings them life everlasting. The select men who volunteered to be inoculated helped to prove Cotton Mather's point by resisting smallpox. So the citizens of Boston were given the freedom to save themselves from disease and to be saved through inoculation. The idea caught on slowly with the public, but now due to the courage and faith of these noble men, vaccination is recognized and accepted throughout the country and smallpox is practically unknown in America. All honor and praise to these pioneers in public health, leaders in the cavalcade of America. In view of the current interest in employee welfare and pension plans, I'd like to give you some interesting facts which appear in the DuPont Company's annual report for 1936. Our company has long recognized that the welfare of its employees is of paramount importance. Here are a few of the plans which the DuPont Company has maintained for some time. Group life insurance at no cost to employees. This plan has been enforced 18 years and has paid on 2,409 policy benefits amounting to more than $3,316,000. At the close of last year, there were over 40,000 eligible employees holding policies at no cost to them, aggregating $50,443,000. Group accident and health insurance. This plan has been enforced for 7 years. DuPont paid part of the premium so that the cost to employees is very low. At the close of 1936, there were 96 percent of eligible employees holding policies. The benefit plan enforced for 28 years. This provides assistance to long service employees who are unable to be on the job for certain periods of time on account of illness or other disability. The pension plan. The DuPont pension plan has been enforced for 32 years since 1905. Last year, more than $610,000 was paid to retired employees. At the close of 1936, there were 912 former employees on the rolls. Additional information on these and other phases of the DuPont Company's activities have been included in an illustrated leaflet containing facts from the annual report for 1936. As announced last week, if you would like a copy, we shall be very happy to send you one. Simply address DuPont, Wilmington, Delaware, and us the leaflet entitled, Better Things for Better Living. The story of Lillian Nordica, episodes in the life of the great American prima donna, will be the subject of our broadcast when next week at the same time, DuPont again presents the cavalcade of America. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.
