What most people don't know when it comes to inoculation during
this time period is that General George Washington actually
ordered the soldiers of the Continental Army to be inoculated.
Washington was a strong supporter of inoculation, believing that
the medical procedure would greatly reduce the chances of
infection. Though the procedure had many skeptics, Washington
firmly believed that the benefits of inoculation far outweighed
the risks. In fact, Washington became so paranoid about the
spread of smallpox during the early years of the war that he
literally became obsessed with inoculating the troops. During
the seige of Boston, Washington's concern about the spread of
smallpox caused him to issue an order stating that no soldier
could enter the city unless he had been infected with smallpox
in the past. Washington's experience with smallpox during his
youth was probably the primary determining factor in shaping his
opinion on inoculation. During a trip to the Caribbean,
Washington was infected with smallp