Production of smallpox by variolous matter - penalty

Any person who produces or attempts to produce, in any person, by inoculation with variolous matter, or by wilful exposure to variolous matter or by any matter, article or thing impregnated with variolous matter, or wilfully by any means whatever produce the disease of smallpox in any person is guilty of an offence, and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months for each offence.