BAB Cave Expedition

In spring of 2016 a fellow explorer Jim Moore shared a lead he had uncovered concerning a cave in the Brookfield area of Massachusetts. He had found the cave referenced on  an map made by local historian. What made this cave interesting was not only its connection to smallpox, but also that the initials “BAB” along with the date 1819 were carved alongside it.

In the nineteenth century smallpox was a common concern across Massachusetts. This fear was often fueled by the memory of the 1721 – 1722 epidemic in Boston that killed seven percent of the population. Inoculations for smallpox, known as variolation, were known of in Massachusetts since 1706. Its practice was widely feared by most in Massachusetts, or criticized for religious reasons. Because of this, the first use of inoculations in Massachusetts did not begin until the early 1800s. Brookfield, Massachusetts was one of the few communities that were more progressive. This was due to locals Jedediah Foster and William Ranger being the first in the area to volunteer for smallpox inoculations. Their action lessened the fears of their fellow townspeople.

In 1776 the town began establishing smallpox hospitals in the town’s three precincts. In 1797, the town voted to open one or more hospitals, and the house of Thomas Ranger was taken for patients who wished to be inoculated. Inoculations for smallpox were performed by introducing the disease through an incision in the skin. By being infected through the skin rather than the virus in its airborne form, the patient would develop a mild case of smallpox, recover, and thereafter be immune. Patients came from neighboring towns, even as far as Worcester. While recovering from smallpox, some patients were well enough to function, but still needed to be kept from circulating with those who had not suffered the disease. To avoid spreading smallpox to others in the town, they were required to stay at the hospital until fully recovered. On sunny days, convalescents would take walks in the forests near the hospitals. The caves and ledges of a nearby Hill were often frequented by patients where they would play cards and enjoy fresh air.