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Dr. Samuel Gelston — Medical Pioneer
OUR HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION recently received as a gift an ex cellent copy of a painting of Dr. Samuel Gelston, a physician who played a prominent role in Nantucket during the exciting times of the American Revolution. Dr. Gelston came to Nantucket from Southamp ton, on Long Island, and introduced the practice of inoculation against smallpox in or about the year 1772. He had attempted to set up places where such a practice could be established, but found the communities on the mainland, where he sought to establish himself, were opposed to it, and eventually came to Nantucket. Here, there had been efforts to establish houses where inoculation could be practiced, the first area being on Coatue Point in October, 1763. But this vote of the Town was rescinded the following month, and a new area designated, this being at Shimmo. This section was "east of George Hussey's lot, between the shore and pond, near where Joseph Marshall's house stood". The name "pest house shore" then came into existence and continued in usage here until only a few years ago. In August, 1764, the town voted the vote of the previous year be recon sidered and that "inoculation for the smallpox not be practiced or car ried on in this town". With Dr. Samuel Gelston's arrival agitation for inoculation was revived. It was a crude method, at best. One attempt at a hospital in Marblehead, Mass., ended when the citizens burned iiu, structure in January, 1774. The terrible smallpox epidemic in Boston in 1764, with all its horror, became too familiar a catastrophe, and had a part in the fluctuating reactions of the citizens. One of the reasons for the British evacuation of Boston in March, 1776, was the fear of another epidemic. The shifting of public support for inoculation was characteristic of the times. Dr. Gelston was able to convince the selectmen of Nantucket that he could place the smallpox "hospital" in a remote place and eliminate the danger of contagion. The site he selected was the barren Gravelly Island, between Muskeget and Tuckernuck. In 1772, the town became alarmed by the fact that a number of those who had been inoculated at the Gravelly Island establishment were leaving the place before they were allowed to go. Because Dr. Gelston had, by this time, established himself in the Town as a reputable physician, the selectmen decided to pay him for the cost of erecting his "hospital", and close the place. At a cost of over $1000 the deal was completed, and Dr. Gelston continued to carry on his regular practice in the Town but agreed to stop the inoculations. The date of the transaction is given by Obed Macy as 1778. During the Revolution, Dr. Gelston made no effort to disguise the fact that he was in complete sympathy with the Crown. This led to im-
