A gift of

Associated

Medical Services Inc.

and the
Hannah Institute

for the
History of Medicine

A Su CCINCT

ACCOUNT

O F T H E

FLAG UE

A T

MARSEILLES,

Its Symptoms, and the Methods and
Medicines ufed for Curing it.

DRAWN UP

And prcfcnted to the Governor and Magi-
itrates of Marfeilles^ by M. Chicoyneau 9 Ver-
ney and Soullicr^ the Phyficians who were fent
thither from Paris by the Duke Regent of
France^ to prefcribe to the Sick in the Hofpi-
tals, and other Parts of that Town, during
the Progrefs of that Calamity.

"Tranjlated from the F R E N c H by a Phyfician.

LONDON:

Printed for S. BUCK LEV in Amen-Cnrner , and
D. M i D w i N T E R. at the Three Crowns in St.
Church-Yard. M.DCC.xxi.

cse

/ ft

F /

HE following Relation hav
ing been fent to us by Mef-
fieurs Chicoyneau, Verney
and Soul Her, deputed by the
Court for the Relief of our City afflic
ted with the Plague: JVe Charles
Claude de Andrault de LAN G E R o N,
Knight and Commander of the Order
of St. John0/Jerufalem, Chief Com
mander of the Kings Galleys., Field
Marfhal, and Marfhal of his Maje-
fly s Armies , Commandant in the
City of Marfeilles., and the Territories
thereof.

Alphonfus de Portia Marquis de
P i L L E s, Governing Mafaftrate y and
John-Baptifle Eflelle, John Baptiile
Audimar., John-Peter Moullier, and
Balthazar Dieude, Sheriffs y Pro-
trffors and Defenders of the Privt-

A z

leges y Franchifes and Liberties of this
City, Cotmfellors of the King , and
Lieutenants General of the Police, have
thought fit to caufe it to be printed
for having been Eye-witneffes of the
Zeal with which thefe Gentlemen have
expoj ed themfehes for the Service and
Rel:ef of our Sick, as well in the City
as in the Hofpitals, we are thoroughly
perfuaded that their Obfervations on
the Nature of this fatal Malady, and
on the Remedies proper to its Cure,
cannot but be very ufeful to the Inha
bitants of divers Places of this Pro
vince that are unfortunately mfetfed.

At Marfeilles this ^6 Nov.

1720.

(5)

A SHORT

RELATION

O F T H E

SYMPTOMS

OF THE

PLAGUE

T 1

UARSELL1ES,

Its PROGNOSTICKS and METHOD of CURE.

O give fome Satisfaction to the juft
Expectations of very many Perfons,
as well of this Realm as. of foreign
Countries, who fearing the difmat
Effects of the Contagion, have done us the

Hgnour

Honour to rcqueft of us Tome Account of
the Nature of the Diftcmper that has depo
pulated Mar feilles , and of the Succefs of
fuch Remedies as we have employed againft
it j we have thought fit to draw up the fol
lowing Relation, containing in (hort what is
mofi eflcntial in this Affair, and which may
be mfficient to intel .igcnt Pcrfons of the Fa
culty, to direct their Conduct, and help them
in framing a Judgment in the, like Cafe, till
we have better Means and a more convenient
Leifure to prefent to the Publick more exaft
Particulars rf all that we have obfervcd on,
this Sub) eft.

ALL the Difeafed th?t we have fcen or
attended, in this terrible Diftemper, com
monly called the Plague, may be reduced to
five principal Clsfles; which -will take in ge
nerally all the Cafes that we have obferved,
except a few particular ones, which cannot
be brought under any general Rule.

FIRST CLASS.

THE Firft Clafs, obferved efpecially in
the firft Period, and in the greateft Fury of
the Diikmper, contains fuch as were afflift-
cd with the Symptoms that we ihali here

fet

(7)

fct down, conftantly followed by a fpeedy
Death.

THESE Symptoms were for the moft part
irregular Shivcrings, the Pulfc low, foft, flow,
quick, unequal, concentrated 5 a Heavinefs ia
the Head fo confiderable, that the flck Per-
lon could fcarce fupport it, appearing to be
feized with a Stupidity and Confufion, like
that of a drunken Pcrfon ; the Sight fixed,
dull, wandering, cxprefling Fcarfulnefs and
Dcfpair; the Voice flow, interrupted, com
plaining ; the Tongue almoft always white,
towards the end dry, rcddifli, black, rough ;
the Face pale, Lead-coloured, languifliing, ca
daverous 5 a frequent Sicknefs at the Stomach j
mortal Inquietudes ; a general finking and
Faintnefs ; Diftraftion of the Mind j dofing,
an Inclination to vomit, Vomiting, &c.

THE Pcrfons thus fcized, pcriflied com
monly in the Space of fomc Hours, of a
Night, of a Day, or of two or three at far-
thcft, as by Faintnefs or Extinction ; fome-
times, but more rarely, in convulfive Moti
ons, and a Sort of Trembling ; no Eruption,
Tumour or Spot appearing without.

(-8)

IT is eafy to judge by thefe Accidents,
that the Sick of tlii; kind were not in a Con
dition to bear Bleeding ; and even fuch,
on whom it was tried, died a little while
after.

EMETICKS and Catharticks were equal
ly here ufelefs, and often hurtful, in exhauft-
ing the Patient s Strength, by their fatal over
working.

THE Cordials and Sudorificks were the
only Remedies to which we had recourfe,
which neverthelefs could be of no Service,
or at the moft prolong the laft Moments but
for a few Hours.

SECOND CLASS.

THE fecond Oafs of the Difcafed that we
attended during; the Courfe of this fatal Sick-

O

ilcfs, contains fuch as at firft had the Shiver-
ings, as the preceding, and the fame fort of
Stupidity, and heavy Pain in the Head ; but
the Shiverings were followed by a Pulfe
quick , open, and bold, which neverthe
lefs was loft upon prefling the Artery ever fo
little. Thefe Sick felt inwardly a burning
Heat, whilft the Heat without was moderate

and

(9)

end temperate ; the Third was great and ui-
cxtinguilhablc ; the Tongue white, or of an
bbfcure red ; the Voice hafty, ftammcring,
impetuous; the Eyes reddifli, fixed, ipark-
ling ; the Colour of the Face was of a red
furficiently frcfh, and (bmetimes inclining to
livid ; the Sicknefs at the Stomach Was fre
quent, tho much lefs than in thofe of the
preceding . Clafs ; the Rclpiration was fre
quent, laborious, or great and rare, without
Coughing or Pain ; Loathings ; Vomitings,
bilious, greenifh, blackifh, bloody 5 the Courfcs
of the Belly of the fame Sort, but without
any Tcnfion or Pain ; Ravings, or phrenetick
Dcliria ; the Urine frequently natural, fome-
timcs troubled, blackifh, whitifh, or bloody ;
the Sweat, which fcldom fmclt badly, and
which was for from giving Eafe to the Sick,
that it always wcakned them ; in certain
Cafes Hemorrhages, which, however mode
rate, have been always fatal $ a great Decay
in the Strength, and above all, an Appre-
henfion fo ftrong of dying, that thcfe pool"
Creatures, were incapable of any Comfort,
and looked on themfelvcs, from the firft Mo
ment of their being attacked, as deftincd ta
certain Death. But that which defcrvcs to
be well obfcrved, and which has always
feemed to charaderife and diftinguifli this
Difeafc from all others, is, that almoft all had

B at

(

at the Beginning, or in the Progrefs of this
Diftemper, very painful Buboes, fituated
commonly below the Groin, fometimcs in
the Groin or Arm-pits, or in the Parotide,
Maxillar, or jugular Glands ; as likewife
Carbuncles, cfpecially on the Arms, Legs or
Thighs, fmall, white, livid, black Puftles,
difperfcd over all the Surface of the Body.

IT was very rare to fee any of the difeafed
of this Second Clafs efcape, though they fup-
ported themfclvcs a little longer than thole
of the preceding ; they pcrifhcd almoft all
with the Marks of a gangren d Inflammati
on, efpecially in the Brain and Thorax ; and
that which was moft fmgular is, that the ftron-
gcr, fatter, fuller, and more vigorous they
were, the Icls we had to hope.

A s to the Remedies, they bore Bleeding
no better than thofe of the Firft Clafs ; at
Icaft if they were not blooded at the very
firtt Inftant of their being taken Sick : It was
evidently hurtful to em 5 they grew pale, and
fell even hi the time of their firft Bleeding,
or a little while after, into fuch Paintings,
as could not in moft of them be imputed to
any Fear, Repugnance, or Diftruft, fmce they
demanded with Eameftnefs to have a Vein
opened.

ALI,

ALL Emcticks, if we except Ipecacuanha,
were very often more hurtful than ufeful j
caufmg fuch fatal Irritations and Excefics in
operating, as we could neither moderate or
(top.

THE Catharticks that were a little ftrong
and a&ive, were attended with the fame In
conveniences.

SUCH as we prcfcribcd in the Form of a
laxative Ptifan, as well as plentiful Draughts,
that wejre diluting, nitrous, cooling, and gen
tly alexiterial, gave Ibme Relief, but did not
hinder the Return of the Symptoms.

ALL Cordials and Sudorificks , if they*
were not foft, gentle and benign, did nothing
but promote the Progrcfs of the inward In
flammations.

IN fhort, if any one cfcaped, which was
very rare, he feem d to owe his Cure to the
external Eruptions, when they were very
much raifed ; either folely by the Force of
Nature, or by the Afliftance of Remedies,
as well internal as external, that determined
the Blood t? difeharge on the Surface of the

B 2 Body,

(

Body, the noxious Ferment wherewith it
was infected.

THIRD CLASS.

THE Third Clafs contains the two pre
ceding ; feeing we have attended, during the
Courle of this terrible Sickncis, a great Num
ber of Perfons that have been attacked iuc-
ccffivcly with the different Symptoms enu
merated in the two former ClaiTes, in fuch a
manner, that the mod part of the Signs de-
fcvibed in the Second, were commonly the
Forerunners of tliofe which we have men
tioned in the Firft ; and the appearing of thefe
latter Symptoms denounced an approaching
Death.

IN thefe forts of Cafes we varied our Me
thod according to the diverfity of Indications,
or of the moft urgent Symptoms 5 fo that
without our being obliged to enter into far
ther Particulars, a Judgment may be -formed
of the Event of this Malady, and of the Sue-
cefs of the Remedies, from what we before
obicrvcd on the Subject of the difcafed of
the two preceding Clafles.

(

B E F o R E we pafs on to the Fourth Clafs,
believe it will not be improper to ob-
ferve, that a very great Number of different
Kinds of difcafcd Perfons contained in the
preceding, had very moderate Symptoms,
whofe Force and Malignity appeared to be
much lefs, than in thofc of the fame Acci
dents daily obferved in inflammatory Fevers,
or in the mod common putrid ones, or in
thofe that are vulgarly called Malignant, if we
except the Signs of Fear or Dcfpair, which
were Extrcam, or in the higheft Degree ; in-
fomuch, that of the great Number of infe&ed
Perfons who have pcriflied, there were very
few, who at the very firft Moment of their
being fcized, did not imagine thcmfelvcs loft
without Relief, whatever Pains we took to
encourage them : And though many amongft
them fpemcd to us, before the firft Acccfs of
the Diftemper, to be of a firm and courage
ous Difpofition of Mind, and rcfolutc under
all Events, yet as foon as they felt the firft
Strokes, it was eafy to know by their Looks,
and their Dilcourfcs, that they were convin
ced that their Sickncfs was Incurable and Mor
tal, even at the Time when neither the
Pulfe, nor the Tongue, nor the Difordcr in
the Head, nor the Colour of the Face, nor
the Difpofition of the Mind, nor laftly, the

Lcfioit

( 4)

Lefion of any of the other natural Funftions
mentioned above, gave any fatal Indication,
or before there were any Grounds to be al-
larmed.

FOURTH CLA ss,

THE fourth Clafs contains the Difeafed
attacked with the fame Symptoms with thofc
of the fecond, but thefc forts of Accidents
kflencd or difappeared the fecond or third
Day of themfelves, or in Confequence of the
Effcfts of the internal Remedies, and at the
fame time in Proportion to the remarkable
Eruption of the Buboes and Carbuncles in
which the noxious Ferment that was difper-
fed through the whole Mais, feemed to be
collected together ; fo that the Tumours ri-
fing from Day to Day, at length being open,
and coming to a Suppuration, the Infeded
cfcaped the Danger th.it threatned them, pro
vided they had fome Affiftance.

THESE happy Events have determined
us to redouble our Care during the whole
Courfe of this Sickncfs, to accelerate, as much
as the State of the Patient will admit, the
Eruption, Elevation, Opening, and Suppu
ration of the Bubocsand Carbuncles, in order
to free, as foon as pofllble, by this way, the

Mais

( $)

Mafs of Blood, from the fatal Ferment that
corrupts it ; aiding Nature by a good R
men, and by fuch cathartick, cordial, -.uvi
fudorifick Medicines, as are proper in the
prefent Condition and Temperature of tlic
Sick.

FIFTH and LAST CLASS-.

THIS Fifth and Laft Oaf: contains all
fuch infc&cd Perfons, as without perceiving
any Emotion, or there appearing any Trou
ble or Lefion of their natural Fundion, have
Buboes and Carbuncles, which rife by little
and little, and cafily turn to Surpuration, be
coming fometimes fcirrhous, or which is more
rare, diffipate infenfibly, without leaving any
bad Effed behind them ; fo that without any
lofs of Strength, and without changing their
manner of Living, thefc infedled Perfons
went about the Streets and publick Places,
only ufmg themfelves a fimple Plaifter, or
asking of the Phyficians and Surgeons fucli
Remedies as are neceffary to thefe forts of
fuppurating or fcirrhous Tumours.

THE

THE Number of the infeftcd contained
in the two lad ClaiTcs, were ib confiderable:,
that one may affirm, without any exaggera
tion, thnr more than fif ri cri or twenty Thou -
(and Pcrfons were found in thefe forts of
Cafes ; and if the Diftcmper had not often
taken this turn, there would not have been
left in this City the fourth Part of its Inha
bitants.

m.iy very well admit a Sixth Clafs
of fuch as we have fcen pcrifli without any
Forerunner, or other manifcft Hurt, than
only a decay in Strength ; and who being ask
ed concerning their Condition, anfwercd, that
they were not fenfible of any Diforder, which
for the mod part denoted a defpcrate Cafe,and
an approaching Death ; but the Number of
thcfc were very fmall in Comparifon of iuc h
as made up the preceding ClaiTcs.

BESIDES all thefe Obfervations, it has
happened that amongft ib great a Number of
Infected. Pcrfons, we have fccn many pafti-
ular Cafes, wherein, contrary to our Expec
tation, and all the Appearance of Reafon, the
Sick have pcriihcd or recovered ; but we are
of Opinion that it would be ufclefs to relate
them here, and to give of them a long and

tedious

(17)

tedious Account ; being moreover pcrfuaded
that thcfe Sorts of particular Events can
ferve as no furc Rule to form a Prognoftick,
or how to proceed in the like Diftempcr. It
is therefore more proper to keep to the Ob-
fervations we have made, and that the rather,
fince they are found conformable to thofe
of our Collegucs who have laboured in con
cert with us in this fo painful and dange
rous Work; and who have always profcflcd
to relate what they have fccn and obferved
themfelves, without fuffering themfclves to
be prejudiced by all the Reports that a vain
Credulity, a popular Superftition, the Boaft-
ings of Empcricks, and the Grccdinefs of
making Profit by the publick Calamity, have
fpread through this City.

To conclude, the Medicines we have
made ufe of arc fuch , whole Efficacy and
manner of Operation, arc generally acknow
ledged by a long Experience, to be adapted
to fatisfy all the Indications reported above ;
having moreover not neglected certain pre
tended Specificks, fuch as the folar Powder,
the mineral Kernes, Elixirs, and other alcxi-
terial Preparations, as have been communi
cated to us by charitable and well-difpofed
Per ions 5 but Experience itfclf has convinced
us, that all thefe particular Remedies are at

C the

the moft ufeful only to remove fome cer
tain Accidents, when at the fame time they
arc often noxious in a great many others,
and by confequence incapable to cure a Dif-
cafe charaftcrifcd by a Number of different
efiential Symptoms.

A N

(19)

A N

ABSTRACT

O F T H E

Different Methods that have been ufed
towards the Infected^ as they are
included in the FIVE CLASSES
mentioned above.

AVING finifli d the preceding
Relation the Tenth of November y
and applying to the Magiftratcs
to procure Writers to copy a fuffi-
cient Number, to fatisfie the Defircs of all
the Pcrfons who have done us the Honour to
confult us on this Sub) eft, thole Gentlemen
replied, that by rcatbn they could not get
Tranfcribers enow , they would willingly
take upon themfclves the Care of having it
printed j fo that we have accepted their Of
fer, being pcrfuaded that it is the ftiorteft and
moft commodious Expedient to anfwcr to
all the ConiiiltatioRs that we receive from all
C 2 Quarters

(20)

Quarters on this Subject ; but having reflected
that this fame Relation would be of no Uie
but to Perfons of the Faculty who are in-
ftrufted and experienced in the Knowledge
and Cure of Difeafes, we have thought pro
per to add here an Abftrad of the different
Methods which we have made ufe of in
treating the different Kinds of difeafed
Perfons contained in the five Clafles menti
oned above ; prefuming that they may be of
Service to the young Phyficians and Surgeons
that are actually engaged in looking after in-
fcfted Perfons in divers Places of this Pro
vince. And we are the more readily deter
mined to give this fmall Inftruclion to the
Publick ; fmce Monf. L EBR E T, firft Prefi-
dcnt of the Parliament, and Jntendant of this
Province, a Gentleman zealous for its Pre-
fcrvatton, and very aftivc in his Affiftance in
this time of Calamity, has done us the Ho
nour frequently to ask of us an exaft Ac
count of the Treatment of this Malady.

The Method ufed m treating the Sick
of the Firjl Clafs.

I F we afford but the Jeaft Attention to the
Nature of the Symptoms related in the
firft Clafs, that is to lay, to the fmall, un
equal, and concentrated Pulie ; to the Shiver-

ings ;

(21)

ings ; to the univciTal Chillinefs, cfpecially in.
the extreme Parts, and to the almoft conti
nual Sicknefs at the Stomach ; to thole Lead-
coloured, difrnal and cadaverous Faces; it
will be very eafy to judge, that we havtf no
thing to do in this Cafe, but to prefcribe the
moft adive and generous Cordials ; fuch as
are Venice Treacle, Diafcordium, the Extract
of Juniper Berries, the Lilium , the Confec
tion of Hyacinth, of Alkermcs ; the Elixirs
drawn from Subftances that abound the moft
in a volatile Salt ; the Treacle Waters, thofe
of Juniper Berries of Carmes ; the volatile
Salts of Vipers, of Armoniack, of Harts
horn 5 the Balms the moft fpirituous ; in one
Word, all that is capable to animate, excite
and urcngthen; augmenting, doubling, and
even tripling their ordinary Dofe, according
as the Cafe (hall be more or lefs preflmg.

ALL thefe Remedies, and others of the
fame Nature, are without doubt very proper
to animate and raife the almoft extingui(hcd
Strength of thcfc poor fick Perfonsj never-
thclefs we have with Grief feen almoft all of
them perifh on a fudden, which prcfentiy
confirmed us in the Opinion generally rc
ceived, that the Malignity of the peftilential
Ferment is of a Force fuperior to all Reme
dies ; but as we have alfo fccn them fuccecd

in

(22)

in fome particular Cafes, there is Room to
prefume, and one is but too much convinced
of it by fatal Experience, that the Defertion
and Inactivity of the greateft Part of the Peo
ple who might have given Afliftance, that the
Want of Nourifhtnent, of Remedies and
Attendance, that the fatal Prejudice of being
fcized by an incurable Diftemper, that the
Defpair of feeing ones felf abandoned with
out any Relief, one is, I lay, well convinced
that all thcfe Caufes have not lefs contributed
than the Violence of the Difeafe, to the
fudden Dcftruftion of fo great a Number of
the Sick, not only of this firft Clafs, but al-
fo of the following i feeing that in Propor
tion as this mortal Fear of the Contagion is
diminifhcd, and that one is mutually afliftcd,
that the Hopes and Courage of the People
arc returned ; that, in one Word, the good
Order is rc-eftabliflicd in this City by the
Authority, Firmnefs and Vigilance of the
Chevalier de LANGERON, by the great Care
of the Governor, and by the contlant and inde
fatigable Endeavours of the Sheriffs ; one has
K held the Progrcls and Violence of this ter
rible Scourge to diminifli infenfibly, and we
have been more fucccfsful in curing the infedcd.

RT-TURNING then to the Method propo-
fcdto treat the fi;k Pcrlbns of this Firft Clafs,

fup-

fuppofmg that by the Remedies mentioned,
we were able to revive their dying Force-,
and to difcngagc them from the lad Condi
tion dcfcribed above, it would remain to exa
mine with Attention .the new Changes and
Accidents that would arife, \vhich according
to our Obfervations, may be reduced to fome.
of thofc we have related under the following
Claflcs, and ought by confcqucncc to be treat
ed by fome of the Methods which we Ihall
now deliver.

The Method nfed m treating the Sick
of the Second Clafs.

THE Treatment of the Sick of this Se
cond Clafs has much more employed us than
the preceding, in refpcdt to the Multiplicity
and Variety of Accidents that offer at the fame
time fcveral Indications to fatisfy.

ALL thefc Indications, however, may be
reduced to two principal ones, which .de
mand the greater Attention and Prudence,
fince they are oppofitc ; for we have obferv-
ed in the fame Patient a ftrangc mixture of
Tenfion and Relaxation, of Shivering and
Heat, of Agitation and Sinking ; infomuc h,
that we were obliged conftantly to endea
vour at the expulfion of the noxious Fer
ments

merits lodged in the prim* Vi<e y or difper-
fed through the whole Mafs of Blood, with
out exalperating them, at the fame time ; or
to correct, and leflen their Adion, without
weakening the Patient. We ought, for Ex
ample, to vomit or purge without irritating
or cxhaufting ; to procure a free Perfpirati-
on or Sweating, without too much animat
ing or inflaming ; to fortify without augment
ing the Heat contrary to Nature 5 laftly,to dilute
and temperate without overcharging or relax
ing. And this is what we have endeavoured
to execute by the following Method.

SUPPOSE that we were called at the Be
ginning, and before the Patient was exhauft-
ed, we fhould order immediately a Medi
cine proper to cleanfe the Stomach, that is
to lay, a gentle Vomit, fudi as is the Ipe
cacuanha., in a Dofe proportioned to the Age
and Temperature of the fkk Perfon, to be
taken in a little Broth or common Water ;
we have fcldom ufed the Emctick Tartar
or Vinum Benediffmn, for fear of too great
Irritations, unlcfs we had to do with very
robuft and piethorick Bodies, or that fome
particular Accident fccmed to demand them ;
we promoted the Operation of the Medicine
by a large quantity of warm Water, or of Tea,
or a Decoction of Car dims Benediftus.

THE

THE EfFcftof this firft Medicine "being-
commonly a loflening of the Strength, we
endeavoured to fortify, by Ibmc gentle Cor
dial, efpccially by PvnMe Treacle and Dia-
fcordium, by reaibn they are proper to pre
vent or flop an over- working of the Vo
mit.

T o thefe two Remedies fucceed mode
rate and diluting Cathsrticks, to cleanfc a-
way without irritating the Load of grofs Hu
mours which may hinder the Aftidn of
the other Medicines, or prevent their free
P adage into the VelTcls : Thefc Purges are
laxative Ptifans, made with Sena and Cry-
ftal Mineral, ordered in Phials i the De-
coition of Tamarinds, or vulnary Infufions,
wherein are diilblved Manna and Sal Pru-
nelj the Diluta-Callix 5 Syrupus- de Chi-
chorco cum Rhab. ; to which then fuc
ceed the Cordials and gentle Alcxiphar-
macks , for the Reafons given above }
that is to tiy, to foitity, and to flop- the
Over-purgings, which would infallibly caufc
fome fatal Weakncfs : And fuppofih* tliac
the Venice Treacle and Diafcoixiiurn were
infufficient to anfwer this laft Indication,
we would add feakd Earth , Coral, J Bolc-
Armoniack, which we would render (till
xnore effiej-eious in Gafcs of Necelluy, by

D the

the mixture of fome Drops of liquid Lauda
num, which has been of fervicc in many
Cafes, not only in flopping the immoderate
Evacuations, but even in the want of Sleep,
phrcnctick Deliria, Hemorrhages, and other
Symptoms of the fame fort.

THE Solar Powder of Hamburgh y the
Mineral Kermes, and other Remedies that
have been communicated to us with great
Commendations, have been alfo ufed, both
as Emeticks and Catharticks ; and have
fometimcs with fuccefs, anfwercd both thole
Indications : And at the fame time, in fome
certain Cafes, we obferved they promoted
Sweat and Pcripiration ; but as we have al
ready remarked, they have always fecmcd.
to us infufficient to perform the Work of a
radical Cure, in a Dittemper charadleriled by
divers eflential Symptoms.

FOR what relates to Sudorifkks, as ibon
as we perceive the leaft Diipofition to a free
Tranfpiration or Sweating, in what time ib-
ever of the Sicknefs it happens, we have
taken care to make ufe of them, and that
the rather, by reafon fome infected Perform
have efcapcd by this Method : Nor are we
ignorant how this fort of Crifis is recom
mended as very Salutary by all the Authors

that

that have wrote of die Plague : We have
had therefore Recourle to fome of the Cor
dials mentioned above, and particularly the
Venice Treacle and Dialcordium ; to which
may be added the Powder of Vipers,
Diaphoretick Antimony, Oriental Saffron,
Camphire, &c. promoting the Effed of
thcfe Medicines by the repeated Draughts
of Tea, the vulnerary Infufions ofSwitzer-
land, the Waters of Scabious, Carduus Be-
wediflus, Juniper Berries, of Scordium, Rue,
Angelica, and others, recommended for
puming from the Center to the Circumfe
rence ; that is to fay, to depurate the Mais
of Humours by the way of inienfiblc Per-
ipiration without too much Emotion j ob-
ferving always, that the Patients arc not of a
too dry and hot Conftitution, or that" in
forwarding too much this Sort of Cri/is, they
do not fall into fome fatal Weakncls.

THE great Heats and intolerable Thjrft
are allayed by a plentiful and repeated drink
ing of Water, wherein Bread has been mace
rated, Ptifan of Barky, of Rice, Chicken-
Broth, diflblving therein Sal Prunel, or pu
rified Nitre, mixing by intervals a few Drops
of Spirit of Sulphur, or of Nitre dulcified,
or of Vitriol ; as alfb the Confections of
Alkcrwes, Syrup of Lemons, & Ovp, or

D 2 any

(28)

any other gentle Cordial, to prevent an Over
charge and Relaxation.

ALL thefe Rcmc Ucs properly made ufc
of , and man-aged will Prudence, are fufri-
cicnt to tatisfy the divers Indications of this
lecond Oafs, provided the terrible Preju
dice of the Impoflibility of a Cure, the
Confternation, and the Defpair, do not iuf-
pcnd their Ad ion : And we could, if the
Time would permit, give feveral Inftanccs
of fuch, as being fupported by their Hopes,
Courage , and- Fitmncfs, have experienced
the good and wholfomc Eftcfts thereof : So
that . Nature being thereby ftrcngthencd,
comforted, and freed in part, of the noxi
ous Ferment that opprclTed her ; and above
all, being delivered from the Danger of the
internal Inflammations, by the means of the
external Eruptions, I mean the Carbuncles,
Buboes, Parotidcs, &c. there remains no
thing to be done, but to treat mctliodi-
cally thefe fcrts of Tumours, to which we
have particularly applied our fclves from the
beginning of the Diftcmpcr to the end 5
and that with the greater Diligence, by rca-
fbn, as we have already remarked, the De
ftiny of the Patient depended aimed al
ways on the Succefs of thefe forts of Erup
tions ? the manner of treating which, we

mall

fliarl give by and by, according their fcveral
Varieties.

The Method ufed in treating the Sick of
the THIRD CLASS.

1 1 would be altogether needlefs to enter
into the particulars of the Method we ufcd
in treating the Patients of this third Clals,
fmcc the Symptoms they were attack d with,
were the fame with thole which we have
mcntion d in the two prccccding Claflcs ; in
that they Juccccdcd mutually each other, and
the Symptoms related in the fecond Clai*,
were the Forerunners of thole defcribed in
the nrft ; whence it is eafy to judge that we
have here nothing to do but to ule fucceffivc
ly the Medicines mentioned before. The
Obfcrvation that we thought fit to infert be
tween the third and fourth Clafs, and in
which it is fhown, that feveral infected Per-
ibns perifhedin a very (hort Time with Sym
ptoms very moderate, or much lefs violent
than what we generally obfervc the fame
Symptoms to be in malignant or common
putrid Fevers. This Obfcrvation, I fay, may
inftruft us, that this Sort of infefted Perfons
in whom often there only appear a fmall
Weaknefs, and a very great Confirmation,
demands as much Care as thofe in whom the

Sym-

(

ptoms are more considerable, and on the
leaft Appearance of their being feized, there
ought immediately to be ufed, befides gene
rous Remedies, every Thing that is proper to
fuftain their Strength and encourage them.

The Method of treating the Sick of the
FOURTH CLASS.

VV E have nothing here to do, but to caft
our Eyes back, on what we have faid above,
relating to the Accidents that charafterife
and terminate the Plague, in order to judge
that this Method mould principally turn on
the Manner of treating the Buboes or Car
buncles. The Symptoms, it is true, that ap
pear at the Beginning in the Difcafed of this
Claft, are nearly the fame with thole that
mow themfclves in the fick Perfons of the
iecond Clafs ; fo we immediately employM
the Remedies proper to oppofe them, luch
as are the gentle Emcticks, the diluting Ca-
tharticks and Sudorificks of the fame fort,
according to the Indications that arifc, ob-
ferving however a very exacl Regimen. But
the Dertiny of the Infecled, depending prin
cipally, as we have remarked already, on
the large Emption, and laudable Suppuration
of the Buboes and Carbuncles, thefe Sorts
of Tumours have been always the Objects of

0115

(3 )

our chief Care and Attention. And fincc
thcfc Tumours have conftantly appeared in
the Sick of this fourth Clafs, and in thofc of
the prececding, the Method which we arc
going to propofc for their Management,
ought to be confidcr d, as common to all
the Clafles.

The Method ufed in the Treatment of
Buboes,

THESE Tumours were ordinarily fitua-
tcd in the Groin, and often below it, chief
ly iwelling the lymphatick Glands, placed
near the crural Veflcls; they appeared allb
pretty frequently under the Arm-pits, parti
cularly under the pe&oral Mufcle, as allb
in the Glands behind and below the Ears, in
the Jugular, and under the Chin.

THE Buboes with which the Sick of the
former Clafles were attacked, often appear
ed at the Beginning of the Diftcmpcr, chiefly
in the Groin and Arm-pits, fmall at flrft,
deep and exceeding painful, that one could
fcarce touch or handle them, without cau-
fing a very uneafy Senfation ; thefe for the
mod Part made no other Alteration in the
Skin, but by fwclling it, as they grew big
ger, towards the End they became indolent.

IN

IN what Time foever of the Diftempcf
thefc Sorts of Tumours appeared^ we attack
ed them without any Delay, unlcfs there was
Reafon to prcfume from other Symptoms
that the fick Perfon was at the Point of
Death.

I F the Tumour was fmall, deep, painful,
and one had Time to endeavour to mollify
it, we began with the Application of emol
lient and anodyne Cataplafms, and as the
Mifery and Defcrtion would not fuffcr us to
have kecourfe to . choice Drogues, we pre
pared on the Spot, and applied warm, a Sort
of Pultice comppfcd of Crums of Bread,
common Water, Oil of Olives, Yolk of an
gg> or a large. Onion roafted in the Afhes,
which we firft hollowed, and filled with
Treacle,, Soap,. Oil of Scorpions or of Olives 5
ufmg moreover, for Perfons of Condition, Ca
taplafms made with Milk, the Crummy Part
of Bread, Yolks of Eggs ; or with the Mu-
$i}age of emollient Herbs and Roots.

BUT as the Difeafed of the firft Cbfles
periih often very fuddenly, even at the Time
when we apprehend fuch an Accident the
leaft, we think it not advifeable in this Cafe
to .prefcribe fuch Sort of Applications 5 but

we

(33)

We ought immediately to prevent the laft Dan
ger, by endeavouring at the opening of the
Tumour, and to that End \vc cauicd to be
cpplicd \vithout Delay, all over rhc Part a
DreiTing with the cauflick Stone, leaving it
there for fomc Hours, more or Icfs, accor
ding to the Depth, Situation, Bulk of the
Parts, and the Conftitution fat or lean of
the Patient > the Efcarr being made, it muft
be opened by Inciiion, without any Delay,
in order to examine the ttimified Glands,
to diflblvc which, there ought to bcapplyM
Digcilivcs, after they have been a little lea-
idficd ; or they fliould be extirpated if they
are moveablc, and can be removed without
an Hemorrhage, which according to our
Obfcrvations has been always fatal tho but
moderate. And for this Rcafon we have
thought fit to reject the Method of extirpa
ting thcfe Tumours, which was made ufe
of before we came to this City. The
Way of opening them immediately by a
Lancet, altho more ready than that by Cau
teries, appears to us in many Cafes iniiiffici-
ent, and lefs furc, as aivins; but little Light

~> c* c?

to view the Part, and leaving vciy often af
ter it, Abfccflcs, FiftnLVs or" Scirrhous Tu
mours. As to Cupping, Glaflcs and Blifters,
their Eftccls fccm to us flow, ufelcfs, and
that of the Latter fbmetimcs dangerous ; in

E s certain

( 34- )

certain Subjects their Application has been
followed by internal Inflamations, cfpecial-
ly iii the Bladder.

RETURNING then to our Cauftick
Stone, the Efcarr being formed, and the
Inciiions made with the Precaution of dif-
covering the tumiiicd Glands, in their whole
extent, that no bad Rcliqucs be left behind i
the next Thing is to diflblvc the Glands by
the means of good Digeftivcs, which may
be made of equal Parts of Balfom of Arete-
/, Ointment of Marfh-Mallows, ofBafi-
licon, adding thereto Turpentine and Oil of
St. John s Wort, which ought to be well
mixed, and if there is any remarkable Cor
ruption in the Part, there ought to be joyned
with the Turpentine and Oil of St. John s
Wort, the Tin&urcs of Myrrh, of Aloes,
Spici* of Wine camphorated and Sal Armo-
niack ; laftly deterging and cleaning away
the Pus and Sanies^ whilft it is thick and too
corrofive, with Lotions made of Barley
Water, Honey of Rofes, Carhphirc ; or
with vulneraine Dccoclions of Scordium,
Wormwood, Ccntamy t. ic left, and Birth -
wort. And when the Ulcer has been well
deterged, and r h ;c minified Glands entirely
con lamed bv Suppuration, there remains
nothing but to apply a fimple Plaiftcr to

bring the Wouad to a Cicatrice-

WE

( 35 )

WE (hall now give in few Words, the
Method we ufcd in the Cure of Carbuncles,
which in many Circumftanccs have a near
Relation to the proceeding.

The Method nfed in the treating Car
buncles.

WE have oblcrvcd thefe fort of Tumours
during the whole Courfe of the Sickncls.,
in a very great number of diieafcd Perfons
in all the Claffcs, though lefs frequent than
the Buboes ; remarking allb very often in
the fame Subjects, thcle two forts of Emp-
tions.

THE Carbuncles prcfent themfelvcs in
different Places on the Surface of the Body,
efpecially in the Thighs, Legs, Arms, Brcaft,
Back, but very rarely in the Face, Neck, or
Belly.

THEY appear at firft under the Form ot
a Puftle or Tumour, which is whitifh, yel-
lowifti, or rcddifh , Pale in its middle, or
inclining to an obfcure Red, which becomes
infenfibly blackifli , cruftaceous , efpecialiy
about the Edges; as alib variegated with
divers Colours , fo that, according to that
which is uredominant, and the Excefs 01

E 4

Defed of Scnfibility and Elevation, we may
give it the Name of a Phlegmonick, Eryfipc-
latous, or gangrened Carbuncle.

W E immediately attack all thefe forts of
Carbuncles by Scariikation, making the In-
cifion to the Right and to the Left, in the
Aiiddlc, and on the Edges, to the Quick 5
and if the Efcarr is Thick and Callous, we
take away all the Thick nefs, and what is
Callous, as much as the Situation, of the
Parti, will permit.

WE have not thought proper toufe here
the actual or potential Cauteries which are
employed in our Province, in the calc of
common Carbuncles, becaufe, having made
Trial of them at the Beginning, we obler-

o cv

ved that they caufed Inflammations fo con-
fiderablc, that a Gangrene prcfently cnfucd,
and its Edges became Callous again : The
Cauilick Stone iuccccdcd not but in (mail
Carbuncles , which heal of themfelvcs, al-
moit without any Help.

AFTER having fcarified thefe Tumours,
we applied Pledgets with good Digeftives,
as in the Cafe of Buboes, only with this
Difference, that we have left out the
fuppurating Ingredients, ufing only the

Treacle,

(37)

Treacle, Balfam of Arctus , and Oil of
Turpentine ; and if there is much Corrup
tion, we add the Tindures of Aloes, of
Myrrh and Camphirc, &c.

W E put over the Pledgets, emollient and
anodinc, or fpirituous and diflblving Cat a-
plafms, as over the Buboes, according to
the diverfity of Indications. In the Courfc
of the DrejQings, the Lotions and Injections
are alfo employed the fame as for the Buboes,
according to the Exigence of the Cafe.
And, if in the Proccls of Suppuration, the
new Flefti be to fenfible, that the Digcftives
applied cauic a very great Pain, as we have
fecn it often happen , then we fubftitute
in their room Pledgets with Ungucntum Nu-
tritum, with very good Succels.

The Method relating to the Sick of the
FIFTH CLASS.

W E believe it will be ufcle(s to give
every particular of the Method that has
been followed, and which is ftill aciually
uied in the Cure of the difcafcd of the
Fifth Clafs, wherewith the Hofpitais are
filled 5 bccaufe they being afHicled with no
other Symptom bcfides the Buboes and
Carbuncles ill looked after, or ncglcftcd,

and

(3 8 )

and by confequencc, nothing here offers it
felt" but the Abfccflcs, Ulcers, Fiftula s, Scir-
rhus s, and Callus s, which Negligence, or
an ill Treatment have left behind them ; fo
that there is here nothing farther required,
but to put in Uie the Method laid down
above, or to employ the Means praclifed
in the like Caies, according to the Rules
of Art.

WE mail remark, in concluding, that
all the Methods we have here proposed,
are not Ib general, or conftant, as to be
without Exceptions, in rcfpcci: to certain
particular Calcs, which have fallen under
our Obfcrvation during this terrible Sick-
nefs, and which may funifh Materials for
a more exact Account. But what we have
already delivered may be fuificient to in-
ftrud the young Phyficians and Surgeons,
that arc employed in attending Infcdcd Pcr-
fons ; and at the fame time, to let the Pub-
lick know what Opinion ought to be had
of all thofe fingular Methods, and of thoie
pretended Spccificks fo cried up by the Po
pulace, and by the Empericks.

FINIS,

THE

FLAG UE

A T

MAR S E I L L E S

CONSIDERED:

With REMARKS upon the P L A G u E in General,
fhcwing its Caufe and Nature of INFECTION,
with ncccflary Precautions to prevent the fpread-
ing of that DIREFUL DISTEMPER. Pub-
lifh d for the P R E s E R v A T i o N of the People
of GREAT-BRITAIN.

Alfo fome Obfcrvations taken from an Original
Manufcript of a Graduate Phyfician, who re-
fidcd in LONDON during the whole Time of
the late Plague, Anno 1665.

I y RICHARD BRADLEY, F. R. S.

The THIRD EDITION.

L O N T> O N:

Printed for W. MEARS at the Lamb without Temple-Bar . ij

Price i s.

T O

Sir ISAAC NEWTON

Prelident of the Royal Society,^.
S IR,

!

O A6t under Your Influ
ence, is to do Good, and
to Study the Laws of
Nature, is the Obligation I owe
to the Royal Society, who have
fo wifely placed Sir Ifaac Newton
at their Head.

A

Hie

DEDICATION.

i

The following Piece, therefore,
as I defign it for the Ptiblick
Good, naturally claims Tour Pa
tronage, and, as it depends chiefly
upon Rules in Nature, I am
doubly obliged to offer it to the
Prefident of that Learned AflTem-
bly, whofe Inftitution was for
the Improvement of Natural

Knowledge.

/ am, Sir

due Refpetf,
Tour moft obliged.,
Humble Servant^

R. BRADLEY,

PREFACE.

HER E would be little Oc-
ca/ion for a Preface to this
Treatife, if the lafl Fo
reign Advices had not given lisfome-
thing particular relating to the Tefti-
lence that now rages in the South
Parts of France ; and what may
more particularly recommend thefe
Relations to the World, is., becaufe
they come from Phyfecians, who re*
Jided at the Infefled Tlaces.

The

PREFACE, vi

The Phyfician at Aix gives us
the following Account.

The Contagious Diftemper, which
has become the Reproach of our fa
culty here for above a Month paft,
is more violent than that at Mar-
feilles; it breaks out in Carbuncles,
Buboes, livid Blifters, and purple
Spots ; the fir ft Symptoms are grie
vous Tains in the Head, Confter na
tions, ivild Looks ^a tremblinglfoice,
a cadaverous Face, a Coldnefs in
all the extremeParts, a lo<w unequal
Pulfe, great Pains in the Stomach,
Reachings to Vomit, and thefe are
fiSffw d by Sleepinefs, Deliriums,
Convuljions, or fluxes of Blood, the
Forerunners of fudden Death. In

K E F A C E.

Bodies that are opend, we find
gangrenous Inflammations in all the
lower Parts of the Belly, Breaft
and Neck Above fifyPerfonshave
died every Day for three Weeh pajl
in the Town and Hofpitals. Mojt
of them fall into a dreadful Phren-
zy 7 fo that ive are f ore d to tie them.

The other is a Letter froma Phy-
Jician at Marfeilles, fent to John
Wheake, Efq; tvho ivasfo kind
to give me the .dlftracl.

Marfeilles Sept. 15. 1720.

Sir,

T Arriv d here the 8th, and en-
-* ter d the Gate of Aix which
leads to the Cours, which has al
ways been efteem d one of the

moft

viii PREFACE.

mod pleafant Profpe6ts in the
Kingdom, but that Day was a
very difmal Spe6tacle to me ; all
that great Place, both on the
Right and Left, was filPd with
Dead, Sick, and Dying Perfons.
The Carts were continually em-
ploy d in going and returning to
carry away the Dead CarcaflTes,
of which there were that Day
above four Thoufand. The Town
was without Bread, withoutWine,
without Meat, without Medi
cines, and in general, without any
Succours.

The Father abandoned the
Child, and the Son the Father ;
the Husband the Wife, and the
Wife the Husband ; and thofe
who had not a Houfe to them-

PREFACE.

elves, lay upon Quilts in the
streets and the Pavements ; all
:he Streets were fill d with Cloaths
md Houfhold - Goods, ftrew d
p/ith Dead Dogs and Cats, which
nade an infupportable Stench.
Meat was Sold at 1 8 to 20 Sous
Pound, and was only diftri-
to thofe that had Billets
From the Confuls : This, Sir,
was the miferable State of this
City at that Time, but at prefent,
Things have a better appearance
Moniieur le Marquis deLangeron,
who Commands here, has caufed
the Dead to be Buried, the
Cloaths and Goods to be burnt,
and the Shops to be open d, for
the Suftenance of the Publick.

b Two

x PREFACE.

Two Hofpitals are prepared
where they carry all the Sick of
the Town, good Orders are dai
ly re-ellablifli d, and the Obliga
tion is chiefly owing to Monfieur
de Langeron, who does Wonders.
However, there is not any Di
vine Service Celebrated, nor are
there any Confeflbrs. The People
die, and are buried without
any Ceremonies of the Church ;
But the Bifhop, with an undaunt
ed Courage, goes thro the Streets,
and into Publick Places, accom
panied with a Jefuit and one Ec-
cleliaftick, to Exhort the Dy
ing, and to give themAbfolution ;
and he di (tributes his Charity
very largely. The Religious Or
der have almoft all perilh d, and

the

PREFACE.

XI

the Fathers of the Oratory are
not exempt ; it is accounted,
that there have died 50000 Per-
fons. One thing very particular
is, that Monlieur Mouftier, one
of the Confuls of the City, who
has been continually on Horfe-
back ordering the Slaves who
carried away the Dead in Carts,
or thofe that w r ere Sick, to the
Hofpitals, enjoys his Health as
well as he did the firft Day he
began ; the Sicknefs feems at
prefent to abate, and we have the
Satisfaction to fee feveral whom
we took under our Care at the
Beginning of the Sicknefs, pro-
mife fair towards a Recovery.
The Sickneis however, is of a
very extraordinary Nature, and

b 2 the

xii PREFACE.

the Obfervations we have
our Authors, have fcarce any A-
greement with what we find in
this : It is the Afliftance of Hea
ven we ought to implore, and to
wait for aBIeflingfrom thence up
on our Labours.

I am, &c.

We may obferve, that the Con
tagion now Jpreading it JeJf in
foreign Parts., has nearly the
fame Symptoms that were obferrfd
in the late Plague at London ; fo
that what Medicines were then
ufed with good Succefs, may direct
not only the People of England in
the way of Practice., if God Al
mighty Jfauld pleafe to a/lift us

With

PREFACE, xiii

with that dreadful Diftemper,
be ferviceable likewife to thelnfeftr
ed Places abroad. There is room
enough to hope, the approaching
Cold., which we naturally expeff at
this Seafon, may prevent itsfpread-
ing amongft us for fome Months,
^till the Air begins to warm, but
the Seeds of that Venom may be
brought over in Merchandizes even
in the coldejl Mouths, and accord
ing to the Nature of Injects witt not
hatch, or appear to our Prejudice,
*titt the hotter Seafons. For tofup-
pofe this Malignant D/ftemper is
occajiotfd by Vapours only ari/ing
from the Earth, is to lay ajide our
Reafin, as I think I have already
JJoewn in my New Improvements
of Planting, &c. to wiich my
Reader may refer. I

xiv PREFACE

Ifupptfe there may be fuch
Jons in the World who do not agree
with the Hypothecs I have laid
down in the following Sheets, aliho*
many Learned Authors have fup-
poried it ; and again, I expect o-
tlvrs to Except againft the Concife
way I have taken, in writing up
on a Subjeft, which at this time
ought to befet in the plaineft Light ;
but as 1 found the Danger of
Peftilencefpreading itfelfmore and
more every T)ay, a true Lover of
his Country could not be eafie with
out giving the fublickjome Hints
to prevent its dijmal ILffefls, and
at the fame time to engage the Learn--
cd to write upon fuch an Occa/ion,

And it is with Vleafure I ob-
ferve, that fence the former Editi
ons

PREFACE. yv

ms of ibis Jniall Traft has been
made pullick, our Learned Phy/i-
cians are difpos^d to conjider the ne-
cejfary Means to prevent (as far
as in them lies) the fpreading of
this Calamity, and luftly deferve
the favour of the fublick.

For my own part, I can only
fay, that the fyort time I had to
put this Work together, would not
allow me to give it with that exaff-
nejs, that I would have done, if I
could have had more Lerfure.

THE

THE

P LAGUE

A T

MARSEILLES

CONSIDER D, &c.

HE Deplorable Condition
feillians, and the Danger that ail the
Trading Parts of Europe are now in,
of being Infected by the Plague which
rages in the South Parts of France, and every Day
fpreads it fclf more and more over the Neighbour
ing Countries, gives me occafion toPubJiih fome
Papers which would never have other wife appeared
in the World.

\Yhen I confider.the melancholy Circumftan-
ces of the People at 2\Iar C:i:!cs and other infected

B Pla;^.

r

Places, how they are now diverted of Relief, and
brought into that miferable State, that even
every Man is terrified at the Approach of his
dearcft Friend, and the very Afpec~l of our Neigh
bours ftrike fuch Horror and Confufion in us, as
if they brought our Death and Deftrudion with
them ; it is then furely time for every one to
contribute all that in him lies to prevent the
Progrefs of fo direful a Calamity.

The good Counfels of our Nation, therefore,
to prevent as much as pollible the Infection which
might be brought among us by Merchandizes
coming from Infected Places, have wifely orde-
der d ftrift Quarentine to be perform d, before ci
ther the Sailors or Goods can be brought afhoar.

The Neighbouring Nations of Trade, havcfol-
low d our Example, but the Hollanders in an ex
traordinary manner, have even ordcr d the Burn
ing the very Ships and Goods coming from
Marfeilles, and have been fo cautious, as to fuf-
fer none of the Pafiengcrs to come on Shoar,
without firit being dif-rob d of all their Apparel,
and even to be we-11 wafh d with Sea Water, and
then likcwifc to perform Quarentine in a little
Ifland, remote from the Inhabitants. 1 could
mention many Relations we have had, of the
Sufferings of the poor People belonging to Mar-
feil/es, who to avoid the difmal Confcqucnceof
the Plague, have flown for Refuge into the
Country, and have cither been ftarv cl to Death,
or Murder d by the Country People ; but yet we
find, that notwithstanding all thcfc Precautions,

that

r 3 )

that Pcftilcnce continues to deftroy as much as
ever, and makes it Advances every Day more
towards us.

It is computed, that about 60000 are Dead of
the Plague at Marseilles; and that there are now
(Qffober 20. TV. S.) above 14000, Perfons left
in that Town, including 10000 Sick; and at
Aubagne , out of 10000 who rctir d thither from
Marfeil/es, above 9000 are Dead.

On this fad Occafion of the Ruin of Mar fillies
efpeciallyfincc there is talk of Burning that Town,
it may not be unfeafonable to give an Account of
it.

c Mar fellies is one of the moft confiderablc Ci-
c ties in France, and the moft Populous and moft
trading Town of all Provance. It is fo Anti-
ent, that it is reckon d to have been Built up-
wards of Six Hundred and Thirty Years before
the Birth of our Saviour. It was once a very
flourishing Rcpublick 5 and its Univcrfity was
{ in fuch Efteem, as drew Students thither from
all Parts of Europe.

Marfeilles is fituate at the Foot of a Hi If,
1 which riles in the Form of an Amphitheatre
in proportion to its Diftance from the Sea. The
Harbour is Oval, and bounded by a Key about
1 fourteen hundred Paces long, upon which fland
the handtbmeft Houfcs in the Town. It affords
* a very delightful Walk, Part whereof is taken
up in the Day time by the working Gally-Slaves
c Stalls, where you may furnifh your fclf with

Cio.iths

f 40

Cloaths and other Necefiaries , the Entrance of
the Harbour is fhut up by a Chain Supported at
certain Distances by three Stone-Pillars; fo
that only one -large Ship can pals at a time,
tho the Haven will contain about Five hundred.
And hither are brought all forts of Commodi-
tics from all Parts of the known World.
The Cathedral Church, cali cl Notre Dame
la Majettre, whereof S. Lazarus is Patron, is
very Solemn. It was formerly a Temple dcdi-
cated to Venus, or to Diana of Ephefiu. Its
Form is Irregular j but it was not thought pro-
per to add or diminish any thing. There re-
main fcvcral large Columns, on which flood
the Idol. The Trcaliire of this Church is very
Rich. Here you fee the Head of S. La&aruSy
that of S. Connat, a Foot of S. ViEior, and
many other Rciicks. Near the Cathedral, is a
Chappel built upon the Spot where ( the Mar-
feilliems tell you) S. Mary Magdalen preached
the Goipel to the Idolaters, as they came out
of the Temple.

Notre Dame des Acouks is alfo a fine large
Church, which was formerly a Temple facrcd
to the GoJdcis Pallas. In that of S. Martin,
which is Collegiate and Parochial, is preferv d
a Silver Image of the bkficd/ Virgin, five Foot
and half high, the Grown and Ornaments where -
of arc very rich. The Church of S. Sa-viour,
now belonging to a Nunndv, was anciently
a Temple of Apollj. All tlu\ir Places, are (b
many Proofs of the .ity of Mar fettles,

as

as well as two other Temples near the Port,
with two. Towers, i^.that of S. Jolm, which
is a Commandry of the Knights of Malta, and
that of S. Nicolas.

The Abby of S. VtSto^ of the Order of
S. Beneditt , is fituate at the Foot of the Citadel.
It refembles a Caftle, being encompafs d with
Walls, and fet off with Towers. At the Front
of the Church are thefe Words addrcfs d to S.

Majfiliam vere Victor civefque tuere.

( In a Chappel on one fide of the Epiftlc,you

fee the Head of that Saint, in a Shrine of Silver

guilt, finely wrought, which was given by Pope

Urban, V. whofe Tomb is on one fide of the

* Choir ; there are many other Relicks in this
Church. You then defcend a large Stair-Cafe
into the Church under Ground, where the Chap-
c pels vifited by the Curious, are full of Holy
Bodies. There they mew you the Tomb of S.
Eufebitts, and thofe of forty five Virgins who

* disfigur d themfelves to terririe the Vandals who
put them to Death. Here alfo you fee St. An-
drew s Crofs entire, the Branches whereof are

* fevcn Foot long and eight Inches Diameter.
In one of theie fubterraneous Chappels is a
little Grotto, wherein S. Mary Magdalen (they
tell you, ) upon her Landing at Marfeilles be-
gan to do Pennance. They add, that flic Inha-
bited it fix or Seven Years : Her Statue like-
wile is reprefcnted, lying at the entrance of

this

this Grotto. There is al(b a rich Chappcl of

our Lady, wherein no Women arc permitted

to enter. This Order was made, upon the

Vulgar Notion, of a Queen s being (truck Blind,

who had the Temerity to venture into it.

1 In Marfetlles you obfcrve likcwife the Mo-

naftcries and Churches of the Carthufians, the

< Monks of St. Anthony, the Trinitarians, Ja-
t cohins, Auguftms, Barefooted Aitgitflms, Car-
<. melites, Barefooted C^rmsltfes, Cordeliers, Ob-
t fcrvantins, Servites, Minims, Capuchins, Re-
i collects, de la Mercy, Few Hans, Jefuites, Fa-

< thcrs of the Oratory, and of the Mijjton. There
( are alfo Benedict ine Nuns, Dominicans, Nuns

< of S. Clare, Capuchins, Carmelites, Eernar dines,

< Urfelms, Nuns of the Vifitation of Mercy, and
c of the good Shepherd or Repentance ; and a

Commandry of Malta.
The Citadpl of Marfiilles is near the Port,

extending its Fortifications to the Entrance of

(. ^

the fame; and yet it commands the Town.

The Key which lines this iide of the Harbour,

from Fort S. Nicolas to the Arfcnal, is about

fifteen hundred Paces long, and is adorned with

dfome Ware-Houfcs and Dwelling -Houfes:

Here is the great Hofpital for Sick Slaves,

1 which was formerly the Arienal before the

New one was built. Six large Pavilions, as

many main Houfes, and a great fquarc Place

big enough to build feveral Galleys at a time in,

form the Dcfign of it. In this Place are two

* large Bafons, as long and as deep as a Galley,

in

(7)

in each of which, when a Galley is ready to
launch, they open a fmall Sluice which kept
up the Sea Water.

* This great Building makes one entire Front of
the Port, three hundred Paces in Length 5 the Har
bour of Man -fellies., is thirteen hundred Paces long,
and the Circumference about three Thoufand
four hundred and fifty Paces. The Streets of
the old Town are long, but narrow; and thole
of the New arc fpacious, and well Built. The
chief, is that they call le Cours, which is near
forty Paces broad, in the middle of which is a
Walk, planted with four Rows of young Elms,
which, with the Keys, arc the Places ot publick
Rcfort.

The Town-HoufC which they call La Logs-,
is fituate upon the Key over againft the Gal
leys. Below is a large Hall, which fcrvcs the
Merchants and Sea faring Men for an Exchange;
and above Stairs the Confuls, Town-Counccl-
lors, and others concerned in the Civil Admini-
itration have their Meeting. The nioft valu
able Piece in this Building, is the City Arms
in the Front, Carved by the famous Tuget.
c MarfeiUes lecms dill to retain fomcwhnt of
the ancient Government, of its four Courts,
being divided into four Quarters, viz. S. John,

Lavaillon, Corps de wile and Blancaire ; each
of which hath its Governors and other Officers.
The Porte Royalk is well Adorned, having on

; one fide the Figure of S. Lazarus, and on the

: other, that of S. Vittor. And in the middle is

(8)

[ a Bufto of Lewis XIV. with this Infcription

* over it, Sub cujus tmperio fumma libertas.

The Town is encompafs d by good Walls,
and a Tetragon which commands a Part of it,

* is the beft of the two Citadels, and within Can-
non Shot of a Fort call d Notre Dame de la
Garde, whither the Inhabitants frequently go to
pay their private Devotion, and from whence
they discover Ships at Sea at a great Diftance.
This Fort is built on the top of a Mountain,
< upon the Ruins of an ancient Temple of Venus,
called Ephejium.

The Country about this City is low and open
for two Miles, agreeably adorn d with Villas, Vine
yards, and Gardens of Fig-Trees, and Orange-
Trees, with plenty of Water from a good Spring,
which being divided into ievcral Branches fcrves
to furnifh the City.

As to the Inhabitants, they are for the moft
part Poor and uncleanly, and chiefly Eaters of
Fruit, Herbs, and Roots with fuch like meagre
Fare, nor do they take any Pains to clean the
Streets where the meaner Sort have their Habita
tion. Their Bread is very coarfe and high priz d j
and perhaps what has principally contributed to
the Progrefs of the Plague among them, was the
great Numbers of thole which Lodged together
in the fame Houfe, as I mall explain hereafter;
when 1 have cxamin d the State of London, when
i: fuflfer d by the Plague in the Year 1665.

London,

f 9)

London, at the time of the PJ ague, 1665 was,
perhaps, as much crouded with People as I flip-
pofe Marfeilles to have been when the Plague be
gun ; the Streets of London were, in the time of
thePcftilcncc, very narrow, and, as I am inform d,
unpaved for the molt part ; the Houfes by con-
tinu d ]etts one Story above another, made them
almoft meet at the Garrets, fo that the Air with
in the Streets was pent up, and had not a due
Freedom of PafTage, to purifie it felf as it ought -,
the Food of the People was then much lels invi
gorating than in thefe Days ; Foreign Drugs were
but little in Utc, and even Canary Wine was the
higheft Cordial the People would venture upon ;
for Brandy, fome Spices, and hot fpirituous Li
quors were then not in Fafliion ; and at that
time Sea-Coal was hardly in Ufe, but their firing
was of Wood; and, for the moil part, Cheftnur,
which was then the chief Furniture of the Woods
about London? and in fuch Quantity, that the
greateit. Efforts were made by the Proprietors* to
prevent the Importation of Neivcaftle-Coal,
which they rcprelented as an unwholfome Firing,
but, I fuppofc, principally, becaufe it would hin
der the Sale of their Wood ; for the generality
of Men were (i imagine) as they are now, more
for their own Intereft than for the common Good.
The Year 1665 was the laft that we can fay the
Plague raged in London, which might happen
from the Dcitrudion of the City by Fire, the fol*
lowing Year 1666, and befides the Deftroyingthc
Eggs, or Seeds, of thofe poilbnous Animals, that

C were

)

.

were then in the (lagnating Air, might likewiie
purifie rhat Air in fuch a Manner, as to make it
unfit for the Nurifhmcnt of others of the fame
Kind, which were fwimming or driving in the Cir
cumambient Air : And again, the Care that was
taken to enlarge the Streets at their Rebuilding.,
and the keeping them clean after they were
rebuilt, might greatly contribute to prcfcrve the
Town from Pcftilcncc ever lince.

But it was not only in the Year 1665 that the
Plague raged in London^ we have Accounts in
the Bills of Mortality, of that dread fulDiftcm per
in the Years 1592, 1603, i6z>, 1630 and 1636,
in which Years we may oblerve how many died
Weekly of the Plague, and Remark how much
more that Dilkmper raged in the hot Months,
than in the others, and fcrve at the fame time as
a Memorandum to the Curious.

A TABLE

r

KTABLE, Shewing how many Died
Weekly, as well of all Difcafcs, as of the
Plague, in the Years 1592, 1603, 1625,
1630,1636; andthe Year 1665.

Buried of all Difeafes in the Tear 1592.

Total

Pla.

Total

Pla-

tfarch 17

250

3

Augnft 1 1

I77o!

797

vlarch 24

W

3

Auguft i&

1732

651

vdarch 3

219

29

Auguft 27

1508

449

Ipril 7

?7

2 7

Septc-mb. :

1490

^7

Vpril 14

205

33

Septemb S

I2IO

56?

\pril 21

290

37

Septem. 1 5

621;

45i

\pril 28

310

4i

Septem. 22

629

349

Vta_y 5

350

29

Septem. 29

4)0.

330

Vlay 12

339

38

Oaober 6

408,

327

Vlay 19

300

42

Oftober i 3

722

323

Via} 26

450

^

Otober 20

,330

308

[une 2

410

6:

Oftober 27

320

302

une 9

44 *

81

Novemb. 3

310

301

tine 1 6

?99

95

Novem. 10

309

20?

une 23

401

log

Novem. 17

301

107

une 30

870

nb

Novem. IL

321

93

uly 7

1440

927

Decemb. i

349

94-

fuly 14

1510

893

Decemb. 8

331

86

fuly 21

1491

2 5 b

Decem. 15

329

71

[uly 28

1507

8J2

Decem. 22

386

3?

Anguft 4

150;

983J

The Total of all tb.it have been buried is, 2>SS

Whereof of the Plague t I

1503

Buried

r

Buried of all Difeafts in the Tear 1^03.

Trial

P/.

Total

Pla.

March 17

108

31

July 21

1186

917

24

60

2

28

1728

1396

31

7*

6

Auguft 4

225:6

1922

April 7

66

A

1 1

2077

1745

14

19

4

18

3054

2713

21

98

8

25

2853

2539

28

109

1C

Septemb. i

3385

3035

May 5

90

I]

8

3078

2724

12

I 12

16

15

3129

2818

19

122

22

22

2456

2195

26

122

32

29

1961

1732

June 2

114

30

Oftober 6

1831

1641

9

I 31

43

J3

1312

1149

15

144

59

20

766

642

23

182

72

2 7

625

$08

30

267

Novemb. 3

737

594

Juty 7

445

263

10

545

442

H

612

424

17

384

251

24

198

105

The Out Pa-

Decemb. i

225

102

rifies this

8

163

f ?

Week re ere

15

2OC

96

joined with

22

168

7

74

the City.

i

/T

The Tctal this Tear :s t 3T2Q&.
tt ber< of oj the Plague, ^%*

r 13

Ruried of all Difeafes in the Tear

Fota/

Pla.

Total

Pla.

March 17

262

4

Auguft i i

4855

4 1 *

24

226

8

18

520S

4463

3 1

243

ii

25

484!

4218

April 7

239

10

September i

3897

^344

M

256

24

8

3157

2550

21

230

25

i 5

2148

1612

28

305

26

22

994

1551

May 5

292

30

29

X X I

1296

852

12

232

45

October 6

833

538

1 9

37?

71

13

815

511

26

401

78

20

651

331

June 2

395

69

27

375

134

9

434

9

November 3

J i^

89

16

510

161

10

319

92

23

640

239

17

274

48

30

942

390

24

231

27

July 7

1222

593

December i

190

/

14

178]

1004

8

181

! j

21

2850

1819

15

168

6

28

Auguft 4

358?
457

2471
3659

22

J 57

I

The Total this Tear
thereof of the

51758

Buried

r

Buried of all Vtfeafes in the Tear 1630.

Total

Ph.

Total

Ph.

June 24

205

19

23

274

77

July i

200

25

30

269

j6

8

21 7

43

Oaober 7

2?6

66

17

2JO

JO

14

261

73

22

229

40

21

248

60

29

279

77

28

214

34

Auguft 5

2JO

56

November 4

242

29

12

246

6j

1 1

2 5

29

IS

269

74

18

2CO

18

2

270

67

2)

226

7

September 2

66

December 2

2:1

20

9

279

6?

9

198

19

It

264

68

l6i 212

5

Buried in the 97 Parifhes ivithin the

Walls,

Whereof of the Plague,
Buried in the 1 6 Panlhes without the

Walls,

Whereof of the Plague,
Buried in the 9 Out-Pariihes in Middle-

fex and Surrey, and at the Pejlrb<nife t
Whereof of the Plague,
t uried in Weftwriitfter^
Whereof of the Plague,

2696
190

4813
603

7U
$&

31

l of all the Buriah this
oj the Plague,

10545

J 3i7
Buried

( 1$)

of all Difeafes in the Tear

Trfj/ P/J.

Total

P/J.

April 7

119 2

J ul y 7

215

8r

M

205

4

M

372

104

TLls Week thefe

21

\ .-.

365

120

Purifies were

28

423

151

added: ^.Mar
garet Weft-
minftcr, Lam

Auguft 4
ii

491

206
283

beth Par i ft), St.

18

6^8

321

Mary Ne wing-

25

7^7

429

ton , Rcdrirl
Fari/li, St. Ma
ry Ulington,

Septemb. i
8

10 1

1069

638
650

Stepney anil

15

i 306

865

Hackney Pa-

22

1229

77)

riflies.

29

1403

f * *

928

April 21

285

14

Oaober 6

1405

921

28

2)9

17

13

1302

702

May 5

251

1C

2C

1002

555

12

308

55

2 7

900

458

19

299

?5

November 3

1300

838

26

330

62

1C

1 lo^j

7 1 >

June 2

339

77

17

95^

57?

9

345

87

24

857

476

16

381

103

December i

6is

23

30J

79

8

459

I6 7

30

352

104

15

38;

The Total of the Buriah this 2V#r, is 23 ; > >?

Whereof of the Plague t 10400

J3 iri

Burled of all Dif cafes in the Tear

\Tctal

Pla.

Total

Pla.

Decemb. 27j 29;

June 1 3

558

H2

January ? ; 349

20

611

168

10 394

2 7

684 267

I?
24

4 5

474

July 4
ii

1006 470
1268 725

?i

409

18

1761

1089

February 7

393

25

2785

1845

! 4

461

I

Anguft i

3014

2010

21

393

B

4030

2817

28

396

15

5?i9

3880

March 7

441

22

5568

.227

M

4^3

2 9

7496

6102

21

3*5

September 5

8252

6978

28

353

12

7690

6544

April 4

344

19

8297

7165

1 1

382

26

6460

5533

.18

344

Oftober 3

25

39

2

1C

May 2

388

17

9

347

1

24

1

353

31

2?

38

4

November ^

30

399 l l

^

June 6j 405, 43

]

[17]

We may obferve from hence, that the
Months Jufyj Auguft, September^ and Offo-
ber<> the Plague was at the greateft height,
and even in thofe Months, all other Diftem-
pers had greater Power over Human Bodies
than in the others. When I confider this,
I cannot help taking Notice, that in thofe
Months we have our chief Fruit Seafons, and
when it happens that there has been a Blight
in the Spring, or the Summer has not given
our Fruit due Maturity, I fuppofe that the
Habit of the Body is fo difpofed as to re
ceive Infeftion more readily, than in Years
that either afford us little, or elfe very Ripe
Fruit.

Again, in thofe warm Months, I find that
we have vaft Varieties of the fmaller kinds of
Infefts floating in the Air, and it is a thing
conftant, that every Infeft from the greatelt
to the fmalleft has its proper Nidus to hatch
and perfecl it felf in, and is led thither by cer
tain Effluvia which arife from that Body which
is in a right State for the prefervation of it.
In the Blight of Trees we find, fuchlnfecls as
are appointed to deftroy a Cherry Tree, will
not injure a Tree of another Kind, and again,
unlefs the Leaves of fome Trees are bruifed
by Hail, or otherwifeDiftemper d, nolnfeft
will invade them ; fo in Animals it may be,
that by illDiet the Habit of their Body may
be fo altered, that their very Breath may en
tice thofe poifonous Infefts to follow their

D way*

way, till they-can lodge themfel ves in the Sto
mach of the Animal, and thereby occafion
Death. We may likewife fuppofe that where

. thefe Infeds have met with their appointed
Nells, they will certainly lay their Eggs there,
which the Breath of the difeafed Perfon will
fling out in Parcels, as hehasoccaiion to Re-
fplre ; i o that the Infedion may be communi
cated to a itander-by, or elfe, through their
extraordinary fmallnefs, may be convey d by
the Air to fome Diftance.

It is obfervable, that all Infeds are fo much
quicker in palling through their feveral Stages
ro the Hate of Perfection, as they are fmaller,
and the fmalleft of them are more numerous
in their Increafethan the others.

Two Years ago when the Plague was at
Amiens^ I pafs d by that Place, and then
found the Contagion began to abate ( twas
then about Oflober, and the Rains began to
fall) the People told me they were advifed to
eat Garlick every Morning to guard their
Stomachs againil Infedion ; but whether it
ivas the Garlick, or the fudden alteration of
the Seafon that was the occafion of the de-

creafe of thatDiftemper, wefhall examine in
another Place; but we may Note, That all
the Ground about that City is a Morafs, fo
that there is no coming near it but by the
Roads, which are Paved and mark d out.
ThisMarfli or Morafs, as all others do in the
Summer Seafon, produce vaft Numbers of In-
fed*

[ 9]

fefts which are accounted unwholfome : But
asfome are of Opinion, it is rather a Noxious
Vapour which occafions this Infectious Di-
{temper, 1 fhall mention my Opinion of fuch
Vapours before I conclude.

In the Philofophical Tranfaftions, N 8.
have the following Objervations of InfecJs
which are the c Deftroyers of Plants.

Some Years fmce there was fuch a fwarm
of a certain fort of Infeft in New- England*
that for the fpace of zoo Miles they poiioned
and deilroyed all the Trees of the Country ;
there being found innumerable little Holes
in the Ground, out of which thofe Infects
broke forth in the Form of Maggots, which
turn d into Flies that had a kind of Sting,
which they ftuck into the Tree, and thereby
cnvenom d and killed it.

The like Plague is faid to happen frequent
ly in the Country of the Cojfacks or Ukrani,
where, in dry Summers, they are infefted
with fwarms of Locufts, driven thither by an
Eaftj or Soutb-Eaft Wind, that they darken
the Air in the faireft Weather, and devour al
the Corn of that Country, laying their Eggs
in Autumn, and then dying ; but the Eggs, of
which every one layeth two or three Hun
dred, hatching the next Spring, produce again
fuch a number of Locufts, that then they do
far more mifchief than before, unlefs Rains
fall which kill both Eggs and Infefts, or un-

D i left

[20]

lefs a ftrong North or North-Weft Wind arife,
which drives them into the Eux tne Sea : And
it is very natural to fuppofe, that if the Winds
have this Power over the larger fort of In-
fecls ; /. e. of moving them from one Coun
try to another, the fmaller kinds, which are
lighter than the Air it felf, may be inter-
ceptibly Convey d as far as the Winds can
reach.

*Dr. Winder, Chief e Phyficianofthe f Prince
Palatine, gives us the following Account of
the Murrain in Switzerland, and the Method
of its Cure, in a Letter to Dr. Slare, F.R.S,
Anno 1681.

On the Borders of Italy a Murrain infefled
the Cattle which fpread farther into Switzer
land, the Territories of Wirtemburg, and
over other Provinces, and made great de-
ftruftion among them. TheContagionfeem d
to propagate ir felf in the form of a Blue Mifl^
that fell upon ihoie Paituies where the Cattle
Grazed, infomuch that Herds have returned
home Sick, being very dull, forbearing their
Food, moft of them would die away in
twenty four Hours. Upon diiTeclions were
difcovered large and corrupted Spleens,
jfphacelous and corroded Tongues, fomehad
Angina Malignas. Thofe Perfons that care-
lefly managed their Cattle without a due re-
fpecl to their own Health, were themfelves
Infefted and Died away like their Beafts.

Having

[21]

Having had timely Notice of this Lues from
our Neighbours, we made fuch Provilian a-
gainft the invading Difeafe, that very few of
thofe who were infeded by the Murrain died.
Some impute this Contagion to the Witch
craft of three Capuchins in Switzerland. But
the more learned believe it to proceed from
fome noxious Exhalations thrown out of the
Earth by three diftincl Earthquakes perceiv
ed here and in our Neighbourhood in the
Space of one Year.

The Method of Cure for the Cattle.

As foon as ever there was any fufpicion of
the Contagion upon any one of the Herd, the
Tongue of that Bead was carefully examined,
and in cafe they found any Aptha or Bliiters
whether White, Yellow, or Black, then they
were obliged to rub, and fcratch the Tongue
with a Silver Inflrument (being about the
breadth and thicknefs of a Six-pence, but in
dented on the fides, and having a Hole in the
middle whereby it is fattened to a Stick, or
Handle,) till it Bleed, then they muft wipe
away the Blood with new unwaihen Linncn.
This done, a Lotion for the Tongue is ufed,
made of Salt and good Vinegar.

The Antidote for the dileafed Cattle is
thus defcribed.

Take of Soot, Gun-Towder, Brimftone* Salt,
equal Parts, and as much Water as is neceflary

to

[22]

to walh it down, give a large Spoonful for a
Dofe.

After which we have a further Account of
the fame Contagion by the fame Hand.

1 lately received an Account of two

ingenious Travellers, who allured me the
Contagion had reached their Quarters on the
Borders of Toland, having pafled quite
through Germany, and that the Method ufed
in our Relation preferved and cured their
Cattle, They told me the Contagion was ob-
ierved to make its Progrefs Dayly, fpreading
near two German Miles in twenty four Hours.
This they fay was certainly obferved by many
curious Perfons, that it continually, without
interrniffion, made progreffive Voyages, and
fuffered no neighbouring Parifli to efcape ;
fo that it did not at the fame time infeft Places
at great diftances. They added, that Cattle
fecured at Rack and Manger, were equally
i nfecled with thofe in the Field . It were worth
the considering,- whether this Infeftion is not
carried on by fome volatile Infecl, that is able
to make only fuch Ihort flights as may amount
to fuch Computations : For the account of
the Ancients concerning the grand pejtilen-
rial Contagions, is very little fatisfa&ory to
rhis Age, who derive it from a blind Putre-
faftion, from the incantations of ill Men, or
from the conjundion of inaufpicious Planets.

The

The following Account we have from Dr.
Bernard Ramizztni, concerning the Con
tagion among the Black Cattle about Ta-
dua, Tranflated from Atta Erudit.

In the Year ijir a dreadful and violent
Contagion feiz d the Black Cat tie, which, like
an increafmg Fire, could neither be extin-
guifh d nor ftopt by any Human means.

This Firft was obferv d in Agro Vine entino,
and Difcover d it felf more openly in the
Country, fpreading every way, even to the
very Suburbs of Padua* with a cruel Deftru-
cUon of the Cows and Oxen. It was alfo in
Germany, in many Places ; and is not yet
wholly conquer d.

Of this Diftemper, Dr. Ramazzini made a
particular DilTertation ; in which he inquir d
into the Caufes of the Diftemper, and what
Remedies might be us d, to put a Hop to its
violent Courfe.

It is evident, that this Diftemper in Cows
and Oxen was a true Fever, from the cold-
nefs of the Cattle at firft, which was foon
fucceeded by a violent burning, with a quick
Pulfe. That this Fever was peftilential, its
concomitant Symptoms plainly mow, as dif
ficulty of breathing, a Drowzinefs at the be
ginning ; a continued Flux of a naufeous
Matter from the Nofe and Mouth, fetid
Dung,fometimes with Blood, Puftules break
ing out over the whole Body on the fifth or

fixth

[24]

fixth Day, like the Small-Tox ; they gene
rally dyed about the fifth or feventh Day.

The Author tells us, that out of a great
Drove, fuch as the iMerchants bring yearly
into Italy out of ^Dalmatia and the border
ing Countries, one Beafl happen d to ftraggle
from the reit, and be left behind ; which a
Cowherd brought to a Farm belonging to the
Count Borromeo : This Beail infected all the
Cows and Oxen of the Place where he was
taken in, with thefameDiftemperhelabour d
under ; the Beaft it felf dying in a few Days,
as did all the reft, except one only, who had
a Rowel put into his Neck.

Tis no ilrange thing therefore, if from the
Effluvia, proceeding from the fick and dead
Cattle, and from the Cow-Houfes and Fa
ilures where they were fed, and perhaps from
the Cloaths of the Cowherds themfelves, this
Infection falling upon a proper Subjecl,(liould
diffufe it felf fo largely. When therefore this
fubtile venomous Exhalation happens to meet
with any of the Cow-kind, joining it felf with
the ferous Juices and Animal Spirits, tis no
wonder it fliould diforder the naturabCon-
iiftence of the Blood, and corrupt the Fer
ments of the Vifcera ; whence it follows, that
the natural Functions of the Vifcera are vitiat
ed, and the recjuiiite Secretions ftopt. For

Dr. Ramaz>ziui not only fuppofes, but af-
fens, that a Poifon of this kind, rather fixes
and coagulates, than diflblves the Blood : For

beiide

r

befide the forementioned Symptoms accom
panying the Difeafe,the Eye it felf is aWirnefs;
lince the dead Carcafes being open d while
they are yet hot, little or no Blood runs out;
thole Animals having naturally a thick Blood,
efpecially when the Fever has continued fo
many Days. And he adds, that whether this
Plague came firll from the Foreign Bealt, or
any other way, it only had its EfYed upon fome
Animal, in which there was the morbid Se
minary or Ground prepared for ir.

In the dead Bodies of all the Cattle, it was
particularly obierv d, that in the Omafus, or
Paunch, there was found a hard compaft Bo
dy, firmly adhering to the Coats of the Ven-
tricle,of a large Bulk,and an intolerable Smell:
In other Parts, as in the Brain, Lungs, 6fr.
were fever*.! Hydatides, and large Bladders
fill d only with Wind, which being open d,
gave a difagreeable Stink : there w e re alfo Ul
cers at the Root of the Tongue ; and Bladders
fill d with a Serum on the fides of it. This
hard and compaft Body, like Chalk, in the O-
mafus, the Author lakes to be the firll Product
of the contagious Miafma. He adds a Prog-
noftick, believing that from fo many Attempts
and Experiments, and the Method obferv d in
the Cure of this Venom, at laft a true and fpe-
cifick Remedy will be found out to extirpate
the poifonous Malignity wholly: He alfo ex
pects f ome mitigation of ir,from the approach
ing Winter and North Winds. He does not

E think

think this Contagion can affecl: Human Bo
dies, fince even other Species of ruminating
Animals, fymbolizing with the Cow-kind,
are yet untouch d by it ; nor was the Infe-
ftion taken by the Air, after the dead Bo
dies had been carefully Buryed.

As for the Cure of it : From theChirurgi-
cal part, he commends Bleeding, burning on
both fides the Neck with a broad red-hot Iron,
fnaking Holes in the Ears with a round
Iron, and putting the Root Hellebore in the
Hole, a &owe/orS etonundeTiheCbi t in the
5Dezi -/aj>j; he alio orders the Tongue and Pa-
lafe to be often wafli d and rub d with Vi~
negar and Salt.

He recommends the Ufe of Alexiphar-
#7;Vr,and fpecifick Cordials;and three Ounces
of Jefuits Bark, infus d in ten or twelve Pints
of Cordial Water or fmall Wine, to be given
in four or five Dofes ; which is to be done in the
beginning of the Fever, when the Beait begins
to be Sick. Or elfe two Drams of Sperma-deti
diiTolv d in warm Wine. Again he prefcriues
Antimonium c Diaphoreticum. Againit Worms
breeding, an Infufion of Quickfil ver, or Petro
leum and Milk is to be given. And laflly, as to
the Food, he direfts Drinks made with Barley
or Wheat Flower or Bread, like a Ttifane^
frefh fweet. Hay made in May and macerated
in fairWater. In the mean time the Cattle muft
be kept in a warm Place, and Cloath d, daily
making Fumigations in the Cow-Houfes with

Juniper

Juniper Berries, Galbanum, and the like,
As to Prevention, he enjoyns Care in clean
ing the Stalls, and fcraping the Crull off from
the Wall ; Care alfo is to be taken of their
Food, the Hay and Straw not fpoil d by Rain
in the Making; and he judges their Food
ought to be but fparing : He likewife recom
mends currying, with a Comb and Bruili;
with Setons under their Chin, made with a
hot Iron run through the Parr, and kept o-
pen with a Rope put through it.

After whichjwe have the Receipt : Or the
Ingredients of a Medicine for the fpeedy
Cure of that mortal Diilemper amongit
Cows ; fent over from Holland, where a like
Diftemper raged among the Black Cattel.

Recipe Vcronic^i ^Pulmonari^e^ HyJTfh
Scordii, ana, M. iv. Rad. Ariftolohia rotun-
dte. Gentians, Angelica^ fetajitidis, Tor
ment ilia i Carlintfj ana unc. M. Bac. Lau-
ri & Juniferi, ana unc. iz. Mi fc. fiat ful-
vis.

Bleed the Cow, and give her three or 4
Mornings fucceflively, an Ounce of this
Powder, with a Horn, in warm Beer.

If the Cow continues Diftemper d, after
the Omiffion z or 3 Days, repeat the Medi
cine for 3 or 4 Days again.

I cannot help taking Notice likewife of
the raging Diitemper which was among the
Cows abouc London^ Anno 1714. it was fo
Violent and Infeftious, that if one had it, all

E z other?

[28]

others that came within Scent of her, or e-
ven eat where fheGrazed,were furely infefted ;
it feized their Heads, and was attended with
running at the Nofe, a^d a very naufeous
Breath, which killed them in three or four
Days. The Herdfmen would not allow it to
be the Murrain, nor could give any Account
from whence it did proceed, or could find
out any Remedy againilit; they only tell us
the unufual dry Summer, and the continued
Eaft-ty inds, were the occafion of it. This
DinetDper had been for two or three Years
before it came to us, in Lombardy, Holland,
&.\\&Hambrough, to the Lofsalmoft of all their
Cattle. The States of Hottaadcuufed a Me
dicine to be publifhed foj the Good of thofe
who had their Cattle thus Diftemper d ; but
having been fry d here, twould not Cure
one in (even, but rather increafed the Infe-
ftion by keeping the diflemper d Cattle longer
alive (by fomeDays) than they would have
been without it. Tis remarkable, that no
Oxen had this Diftemper, but only Milch-
Cows, which were more tender than the
Males. The Herdfmen to keep their Cattle
from the Infection, let them Blood in the
Tail, and rubb d their Nofes and Chaps with
Tar\ and when any happened to die of it,
they were burnt, and buried deep under
Ground. It began at IJlington, fpreading it
felf over many Places in MiddLefex and in
/ex, but did not reach fo far Wejlward from
as twenty Miles. The

The moft general Opinion concerning the
Caufe of this Diftemper, was, that the Cat
tle were firft infected by drinking forne un-
wholefome {landing Water, where tis pro
bable fome Poifonous Infefts were lodged
and bred ; the Summer having been extrearn-
ly dry, attended almofl conftandy with
Eafterly Winds, the Grafs almoft burnt up,
and the Herbs of the Gardens deftroyed by
Infects; but fuch as they were, (unfit for
Table Ufe) were given to the Cattle. There
was likewife fo great want of Water, that
many were forced to drive their Cows five
or fix Miles to it.

The Electuary publiuYd upon this Occa-
fion by the States of. Holland y was compos d
of moft, if not all the Drugs ufed in the
moft ferviceable Medicines that were made
ufe of againft the Plague among Men ; moft
of which Ingredients we know to be mortal
to Infects, as ftrongfcented Roots and Herbs;
but above all, Aromatick Gums and Saps of
Plants ; as Rhue, Garlick, Pitch, Tar, Fran-
kincenfe and Olibanum. Thefe Ingredients
are much ufed in France and Italy to pre
vent or deftroy Infection, by burning them and
fmoaking fuch Bodies, Letters, or any other
things as are brought from infected Places,
after they have made ^uarantain^ and are
not fuffered to come on 6hore till they have
undergone this Operauon.

It

It is not againft Experience, that Infecls
can live and encreafe in Animal Bodies :
How often do we find Men, Women and
Children troubled with Worms? What Va
rieties of thofe Infects are often voided by
them ? And how fhould that be, if they were
not either fuck d into the Stomach with the
Breath, or taken into it with fomc unwhole-
fome Food ? For they cannot breed in fuch
Bodies from nothing, without either their
Eggs or themfelves are brought thither by
fome Accident : For if they were the natural
Produce of Animal Bodies, they would then
be alike common to all s which we know they
are not.

I have been informed, that in the Year
3714, when this Mortality among the Cows
was at its height, thai towards the End of the
Summer, fome Farmers brought in frefhCat-
fel, and turning them into the fame Fields,
where many Cows had died before, they took
the Infection and died likewife; but the fol
lowing Spring thofe Fields were void of In
fection, and the Cows that were put into them
did very well, but what were then put into
the Cow-Hotifesj where the fick Cows had
been the Year before, were feiz d with the
Dittemper, and died ; which feems to inform
uis, that it was the Effect of Infefis, which
thro the Warmth of thofe Stalls were pre-
ferv d from the Severity of the W inter s Froft ;
but fuch as were left in the open Fields were

de-

deftroy d by the Cold. I have heard that a
W oman about CamberwellcwzA. Six in Seven
of her Cows, by giving them once a Week
an Infufion of Rhue and Ale-wort.

But it may be ask d, why thefe infeftious
Diftempeis,fubje6hoMen, Cattle and Plants,
are not univerfal? And why the Plague
fhould not be as well in India, China, the
South Parts of Africa and Ame; tea, as in thefe
Parts of the World ? (For I do not find it has
ever been in thoie Places.) This Query gives
me a farther Opportunity to fuggelt, that In-
feds are the Caufe of ir, and that they are
brought with the Eafterly Winds. In the
firft place, fo far as I can learn, there is not
naturally in America, any one Kind of Creature
or Infect that is found in any other Part of
the World, and the Plants likewife are all
different from thofe of other Countries ; as
it is the fame in India, China, &c. whofe
Produces are quite different from what we
find elfewhere. Suppofing then that thefe
peiliferous Infefts are only the Produce of
Tartary, let us confider to what Parts of the
World they may be carry d from thence with
the Eafterly Winds; and whether India,Chi-
na, the South of Africa and America, are not
beyond their Reach, or can reafonably beaf-
fefted by them.

Whoever confiders the Difpofition of the
Land and Water in the Globe, may thus ac
count for the PafTage of thefe Infecls, with

an

an Eafterly "Wind from Tartary, to all the
Parts of Europe* Afia- Minor * Taleftme^ Bar-
bary, and other South Coafts of the Mediter
ranean Sea* whither, tis highly probable, they
may come, without meeting any thing in their
Way to obtfruft their Courfe.

The beft Maps do not hy down any Moun
tains of Note bet wen Tartary and the places
which have been fubjeft to the Plague: Ti.e
Alps run parallel with the Winds coming
from Tartary* and therefore does not any
\Vayhinder their PafTage: The Mountains
of ^almatia are not high enough to prevent
the PafTage ; or if they were, the Cafpian
Sea, is fumciemly large to let them pafs to the
South Parts of Europe, the Mediterranean
Sea, and the North Coafts of Africa, eyen
to their moil Wdlern Bounds.

Now it may beexpefted, perhaps, byfome,
that thefe Winds fhould yet continue their
Progrefs as far as America-, but as yet, fo far
as I can learn, thefe Land-Winds, when they
have blown with the greateft Force, and have
been of the longed Continuance, have not
reach d farther than about three hundred
Leagues beyond the WeiternCoafls of Europe,
which is a Trifle in Comparifon of the vail
Ocean between us and America: Befides, it
is my Opinion, that the Winds which blow
over fo vafta Traciof Land, as thefe Tarta
rian Winds mull do, that I fuppofe convey
and fupporc the peftiferous Infects, are of fo

different

[33]

different a Nature from the Winds coming
from the Ocean, that tis likely thofe Crea
tures which would fubfilt in the one, would
be deilroy d by the other: So that if I am
right in this Conjecture, America cannot be
fubjeft to the Plague.

Mount-Atlas, which is a vaft Ridge of
Mountains, running from the Ocean almoit
as far as Egypt, and are back d with the De-
farts of Lybta, may very likely obiiruft the
Paflage of thefe Infefts to the South of Afri
ca ; and for that Reafon, perhaps, lecure that
part of the World from Plagues. So like-
wife Mount-Caucafus, or Ararat* which is
one of the higheil Ridge of Mountains in the
World, running from Eail to Weft, thro Ter-
Jia and India, may fecure the South Parts of
thofe Countries from the Plague, by Hopping
the Paflage of thofe infectious Creatures, if
any Winds from Tartary Ihould happen to
blow them that Way: And as China lies to
the Eaft of Tartary, fo it mult be Welteriy
Winds which mult infeftthat Country with
the Plague, if it proceeds from what ^ima
gine: But we do not yet find that Wenerly
W inds are frequent in thofe Parts ; or if they
are, we may be affur d they cannot blow ac
the fame time when the Infecl:s are hatch d
and carried the contrary Way by the Wind
from Tartary. We are informed, that upon
the Coait of China, the Winds are fo regu
lar, that from Qttober to Man/nhey coniinu-

F ally

[34]

ally blow from the No; th-Eaft, and from that
IVlonth to Oflt)ber> the direct contrary Way.

And Plants are no lefs fubjed to be de-
ftroy d bylnfecls, th?.nMenandQuadrupedes,
is I have txplain d in the Chapter of Blights, in
my New Improve ments of "Planting andGar*
den ing.

T/aufsof all degrees are fubject to Blights,
which are fo varioufly communicated to them,
that fometimes a whole Tree will perifh by
that Didunper ; now and then a few Leaves,
or Bloflbms only, and perhaps a Branch or
two, will be fhrivel d, or fcorch d by it, and
the reft remain green and flourifhing. 1 have
}et never obferv d this Difeafe to happen a-
mong Plants, but upon the blowing of (harp
and clear Eafterly Winds, which are molt
frequent in En glauddbQW March ; but fome-
times happen in other Months. It is very ob-
fervable,that the Caterpillars generally attend
thefe Winds, chiefly infecting tome one fore
of Tree more than another, and even then not
every where upon the kind of Tree they at
tack, but fomeparticularBranches only ; from
which Obfervations I think we may draw the
following Inferences, either that the Eggs of
thofe Inleds are brought to us by the Eajterly
Winds, or that the Temperature of the Air,
when rhe Eafterly Winds blow, is necefTary
to hatch thofe Creatures,fuppofmgtheir Eggs
\s ere already laid upon thole infeded Parts
of the Trees the preceding Year.

The

[35J

The Blights whichare attended wish large
Worms or Caterpillars, feem to be rather
hatch d with the/is^/? Wind, than that the Eggs
of thofe Creatures are brought along with it;
but thofe Blights which produce only thofe
fmalllnfeds which occafion the curling of the
Leaves of Frees, may proceed from Swarms
of them, either hatch d or in the Egg, which
are brought with the Wind.

Some perhaps ma\ object, that [\\eEaft\V\ni\
is too cold to batch thefe Creatures; how
comes it then that we find them hatch d when
thofe Winds reign? Or is it reafonable to con-
jefture that the fame degree of Heat is ne-
cefftry to enliven an Inied as is required to
hatch the Egg of a Pullet ? The Infects of Nor-
way^Iceland, and fuchlike cold Climes, mull
certainly have lefs Heat to produce them, than
Creatures of the fame Race mult necedarily
have in thofe Climates which lye nearer to
the Sun. Everv Creature, without doubr,
requires a different Period of Heat or Cold
to enliven it, and put it in Motion, which is
prov d by fo many known Intlances, that I
conceive there is no room for any difpute
upon that fc^re.

but there may yet be another Queition,7;/^.
Whether it is not ihzEaft Wind of it fe.lf that
blights, without the help of Infects ? But that
may beeafily refolved on my fide ; for thac if
it was theWind alone that blighted, then every
Plant in its way mult unavoidably be infected
\\ithitsPoifon; whereas we find the con-

F 2, trary

trary on a fingle Branch it may be, or fome
other dittinct Part of Plants.

And again, to (he w how reafonably we may
conjecture that tis Infetts which thus infect
the Trees, let us only confider, that every
/>;/cv;7has its proper"? taut, or Tribe of Tlants,
wnich it naturally requires for itsNouriihment,
iand will feed upon no other kind whatfoever :
Therefore tis no wonder to fee one particu
lar fort of Tree blighted, when all others e-
fcape; as for Example, that Wind which
brings or hatches the Caterpillars upon the
^tipple-Trees, will not any way infed the Tear,
f Plumb, or Cherry with Blights, becaufe, were
the Shoals of Infects natural to the^/>/>/?, to
light only upon thofe other Trees mentioned,
they would then want their proper Matrix to
hatch in ; or if they were hatch d already,
they would Perifh for want of their natural
Food ; fo that tis morally impoflible that all
forts of Trees mould be blighted at the fame
time, unlefs the Eggs of every kind of InfeSt^
natural to each Tree, could be brought at
one time with the Wind, or that an Eailerly
Wind could contain in it at once, as many
differing Periods of Cold or Heat, as would
berecjutr d to hatch and maintain each differ
ing kind of thofe Creatures.

ThecommonPeopleintheCountryfeemto
be of my Opinion, that Blights are brought by
theEaft Winds, which they are fo well fatis-
fied bringsor hatches I\\Q Caterpillar^ that to
prevent the too great Progrefs of Blights, it

is

[37]

is common for them when the Eaft Wind*
blow, to provide large Heaps of Weeds,Chaff,
And other combuftible Matter on the Wihd-
fide of their Orchards, and fet them on Fire,
that the Smoak tnaypoifon either thelnfeff*
or their Eggs, as they are pafs d along. By this
Contrivance I have often known large Or
chards preferv d, when the neighbouring
Parts havefuffer d to theLofs of all their Fruir.

And I have alib feeh thefe Fires made with
good Succefs to deitroy the Caterpi/lars,even
after they were hatch d, and had began to de
vour the Trees, by fuffocating them, and for
cing them to drop to the Ground,where they
have beenfwept up in large Quantities, and
kill d. I have heard itaffirm d by a Gentleman
of Reputation, that Teffer-^Dtift, being pow-
der d upon t\\tBlo/bmsof any Tree, willpre-
ferve them from Blights, which may be, be-
caufe P offer is faid to be prefent Death to
every Creature but to Mankind. Nowaltho*
this laft Secret is too coflly for common Ufe,
yet it may be of Service in fome particular
Place for the Tryal of a new Tree, where a.
Taile of the Fruit is defired, and befides it
helps to inform us, that Blights are occafion d
by Infefts, or their Eggs, lodging upon a PIanr>
and that Teffer T)uji will not fuffer them
either to live, or to be hatch d.

Another Remark (which to me isDemon-
ftration) that flights proceed from InfeRs^ or
their Eggs (being brought with theEaiterly
Winds) was the total Deitruftion of the Tttr-

nefs,

[38]

nej>s, Ann. 171 5, on the Weft Side of London ;
about Qttober we had dryEaflerly Winds for
a Week or ten Days, and feveral thoufand
Acres of Turneps, which were then well
grown, turn d Yellow and decay d, unlefs in
fuch Places only as werefhelter d by Hedges,
Houfes, or Trees, where they remain d Green
till the Infeffs, which came with the Wind, in
about a Week s Time, dettroy d thofe alfo.
Some Farmers imagin d that the Birds which
were there in great Flocks, had eaten the
Leaves of their Turners, and contriv d all
A/leans pollible to deitroy them, till I con-
vinc d them that theBirds wereratherFriends
than Enemies and came there to feed upon
the Caterpillars, which were in fuch great
Numbers, that each lurnep-plznt had not
lefsthan aThoufard upon it ; and that/;//#.r
frequently pafs in Clouds and oumberleis Ar
mies after this manner, is plain from feveral
Iniiances, which have happen din my Time,
and one of the.n (I think in June, ^nn.i-jij]
palling over London were tfuffocated (I fup-
pofe) w ith the bmoak of the Sea-Coal, and
drop d down in the Streets, inibmuch that
a fqa-re Court belonging to the Royal Society
was almoit cover d with them ; thefe were of
the/^i Kind, and fully perfected.

It m v be asked, perhaps, how thefe Infetfs
came ro deitroy the Turneps only, and not
touch the other Greens of the Fields, as Cab-
, r zrrotsfParfnips,m& the like? Every

t .3 its peculiar Infiff, like the Trees I

have

[39]

have mention d : Nay more than this, the /-
fefls which Nature hath dcfign d to prey upon
the Flower of a Plant, will not eat the Leaves,
or any other Part of the fame Plant. The
Leaves of Plants have their Infeffs natural to
them, the Bark, and Wood likewife have
their refpeftive Devourers ; and thofe feve-
ral Infefls have other Kinds, which lay their
Eggs, and feed upon them.

I could yet give a much larger Account of
Animals and Plants, how they have been par
ticularly Infefted, but I rather choofe to re
fer my Reader to the Chapter at large, of
Blights and Tlagues, in my New Improve
ments of ^Planting and Gardening, &c.

By the foregoing Accounts we may obferve,
that Mankind^ Quadrupedes and Plants feem
to be infetfed in the fame manner, by un whol-
fome Infiffs ; only allowing this Difference,
that the fame Infe5t which is poifonous to
Man, is not fo to other Animals or Plants,and
fo on the contrary; we obferve likewife, that
Pepper which is of Ufe to Mankind, is poifo
nous to other Creatures, and tho a Man can
not eat of the Cicuta, or Hemlock^ without
prejudice, yet a Caioand fome other Animals
will eat ic to their Advantage; and the Man-
chanefe Apple, which is deadly Poifon to al-
mofteveryCreature,is eaten greedily by Goats,
and which is ftrange, the Milk of thofe Goats
is wholfome to Mankind. Again, we may re
mark that Camf hire which may be taken at the
Mouth by the Human Race, and is helpful in

many

[40]

many Cafes, will deflroy Infects ; for among
the Curious who have Cabinets of Rarities, ic
is a common Practice to lay it in their Drawers
and Cafes, to deftroy the fmaller kind of /;/-
fefts, which would otherwife devour their
Collections.

The Smoaking of Tobacco is helpful to
fome Conftitutions, but was the pure Leaf to
be taken diredly into the Stomach, it would
Purge in a violent Manner, and the Oil of it as
I am told is a deadly Poifon ; however it is to he
remarked, that in the time of the laft Plague in
London^ Anno 166^ that Diilemper did not
reach thofe who fmoak d Tobacco every Day,
but particularly it was judged the bell to imoak
in a Morning. We have an Account of a fa
mous Phyiician, who in the Peitilential time
took every Morning a Cordial to guard his
Stomach, and after that a Pipe or two before
he went to vifit his Patients ; at the fame time
we are told, he had an liTue in his Arm, by
which, when it begun tofmart,heknew he had
received fome Infection, (as he fays) and then
had recourfe to his Cordial and his Pipe, by this
means only he preserved himfelf, as feveral o-
thers did at that time by the fame Method. 1
fuppofe therefore, that the Smoak of Tobacco
is noxious to thefe Venomous Infefls, which I
believe to be the Caufe of the Plague, either
by mixing it felf with the Air and there de-
ih-oying them, or elfe by provoking the Sto
mach to dilcharge it felf of thofe Morbid Juices
which would nourim and encourage them.

When"

When I confider that the dead Bodies of
the miferable People ofMarfeilles were found
full of Infe tfs, and thatthofe Worms could be
no way lo fuddenly killed, as by putting Oil
or Lemon Juice upon them, it brings to my
Mind feveral Tryals I have made upon Infeffs
of various Kinds, in order to occafion their
fpeedy Death. In thefe Experiments, I found
that mofl of the larger Kinds would live fome
Minutes in Spirit of Wine and other fpirituous
Liquors, when they were forced into them,
and that Oil immediately fuffocated them,from
whence I fuppofe,the Air,or Breath they draw,
is exceeding fine and fubtile, and that a thick
Air confifts of too grofs Parts for them to
breath, and that fince Oil deftroys the larger
Kinds of them immediately, the Oleagenous
Particles evaporating from iuch Bodies as Oil,
Pitch, Tar, &c. expanding themfelves, and
mixing with the common Air, would render
it too thick for the fmaller Kinds to fubfift in.

We obferve likewife that all Aromatick
Herbs, &c. were found ufeful in the time of
the dreadful Peitilence in 1665, which helps to
confirm what I have juit now related, for a
fingle Leaf of Rofemary contains at leaft 5-00
little Bladders of Oily Juice,which by rubbings
break and afford that grateful Smell we find in
that Plant, but in that as in all other Aromatick
Herbs, was we to bruife the Leaves till all
thofe Bladders were broken, the recreating
Smell would be loft, and we ihould find only
remaining an earthy, difagreeable Flavour,

G

[42]

arifing from the common undigefted Sap; fo if
we take the Leaves of Fifty fevera) -Kinds of
Aromatick Plants, and after bruifmg them,
makeup diftinftly the bruis d Leaves of each
into Halls, and dry them by the Sun, or other-
wife, they will all afford the fame Smell; for
the breaking of thofe Bladders, or Blifters,
which yield the different Smells (from the Ef-
fence they feverally contain) makes them
lofe all their Spirit or Effence.

In the Culture of thefe Aromatick Herbs,
fuch as Rofemary^ Lavender, Thyme^frc. we
may remark, that they are never deflroy d by
any Injetf, which may dill give us a further
Proof of the Antipathy all //zy?#jhave to them,
for which Reafon forae People are ufed to
fmoak their Houfes with thefe Aromatick
Herbs, but efpecially where the Chambers or
Rooms are fmall and clofe; and it has been
proved, that the Burning of Aromatick Gums
and Woods, have Iikewifebeen ufefulin puri
fying the Air in a Houfe, and preventing the
Spreading of Peililential Diitempers.

In 1665 it wasobfervable, \\\z\. mjllderrnan-
kury,znd other Places, where there were large
Ware- Houfes of Aromatick Druggs, thelnfe-
ftion did noi reach ; fo that it leems where
there is Quantity enough of fuch Woods or
Gums, as yield a flrongSmell, w 7 e have no Oc-
cafion of burning them, the bare Effluviarifing
from a large Mais, h.iving the fame Effed as
burning a imall Quantify. As every one of thefe
Druggs,orGumsis more pungent or operative

upon

[43]

upon the Organs of Smelling, fo we may be af-
fured, the Vapour proceeding from them till a
larger Space in the Air ; but perhaps a Tun
Weight of the itrongeit Aromatiek among
them, in the Body or Mafs, will not purifie fo
much Air as half an Ounce of the fame will do
by burning ; for the Smoak of a few Grains
of Tobacco^ when the Air is clear, will fen-
fibly touch the Smell above forty Yards, tho
a Pound of the Herb unburnt will not afFedt
the Smell above a Foot.

ThefeObfervationsmayl erve to inform us,
that the burning of Aromadcks may help to
keep the Air in an healthful State ; but as Men
of Bufinefs rnufl often change theirSrauon,and
pafs thro different Degrees and Tempers of
Air, it is for that Reafon, that Aromadcks, and
itrong fmelling Roots, Herbs, &c. are recom
mended to be taken into the Stomach. The
Cordial which we czlVPlague-waterjCompos d
of Aromatiek Herbs, has been ufed with Suc-
cefs,as has alfo been Conferees of Rkue,&c .and

ticularly, is remarkable. To this I may likewife
add a Relation I had lately from fome Men of
Qualityconcerninga P/rf//<?,whichfomeYears
fince deftroy d a great part of the French Ar-
my:It was obfervab!e,that at that time the Irijh
Regiments in that Service were preferv d by
rubbing their Bread every Morning with Gar-
//c,which undoubtedlymufl taint theirBreath
for many Hours, and fo regulate the Air abouc
them, that the unwholfome Infetfs could not
approach them. Gx Upor

[44]

Upon this Occafion, 1 cannot omit
ving the extraordinary Remedy for deftroy-
ing the Infeft call d the Wevil in Corn or Malt,
as it was communicated to me by the Learned
Dr. Bentley, Matter of Trinity College, Cam
bridge ; that worthy Gentleman tells me, that
the Herb *P or it-tana, or Teletoryoftbe Wall,
is a Sovereign Remedy againit the Wevil in
Corn or Malt ; and according to the Infor
mation he has had, an Handful of that Plant
being laid here and there in a Granary in
fected by thofe Infefts, will infallibly deitroy
them in a Day or two; which Difcovery is
fo ufeful, that 1 think it ought to be made as
publick as poflible, and in this place ferves
to confirm my Hypothefis, That the Effluvia
of fome Plants are Deitruclive to Infects.

In the next place I come to confider, how
much a certain Quantity of Air is requifite to
preferve a fingle Animal Body, and the Know
ledge of that, is what 1 account one of the
chief Prefervatives of Health. I have often
been concern d to find a Family of fix or fe-
ven pinn d up in a Room, that has not con-
tain d Air enough for the Maintenance of
Health in one fingle Perfon; but fuchisthe
Hardftiip of our Poor in many Places, and is
frequently the Occafion of their Death.

We may eafily conceive how this happens,
if we examine the Cafe of the Diving Tub,
how fhort a while a Man can live it, without
a Supply of frelh Air; the occafion of which

is, that when he has drawn in with his Breath,

n
all

[45]

all the Groffer Parts from the Air enclos d in
the Tub, the relt grows hot and fuffocating,
by being too much rarified.

From whence I fuppofe, a Room of Nine
or Ten Foot Cube, will contain Air enough
to keep a fingleMan alive for one Day, but
if two were to inhabit that Space for the
fame time, each would receive but half his
Nourifhment, and io both would be Suffe
rers; but a Room, perhaps, containing twice
that Space, might well enough ferve five Peo
ple for a Day, fuppofingthat all External Air
was kept from Communication with fuch a
Room, during the time the People were in
ic; for, as I have obferv d, that Air has cer
tain Nourfhing Qualifies in it, for the Mainte
nance of Human Life ; fo when thofe Nou-
rifhing Parts are imbibed, and drawn in by
the Lungs, the Air is return d and flung out
as invalid, and cannot be of Ufe afecondTime
to the fame Perfon ; an Example of which, we
find very curiouily demonitrated by Mr. New-
yentyte-, he tells us, that in making this Expe
riment, he difcover d that the fame Nourifhing
Quality in the Air, which is neceiTary to main
tain Human Life, is alfo neceilary to maintain
Flame, which he proves thus:

A lighted Candle being let under a Bell,
clofely fix d upon a Table, will burn perhaps a
Minute or two in Proportion to the Quantity
of Air pent up with the Candle in the Bell j
but as foon as the Quality in that Air, which
is neceflary to feed the Hame, is exhaufted,

the

[46]

the Candle goes out ; this has been often
try d with the fame Succefs; and we find,
that by letting into the Bell fome fr efh Air, a
little before the Candle fhouldhave gone out,
it will dill continue burning : And then to
fhew that this Quality in the Air is the fame
which feeds the Life in Humane Bodies, it
was try d, whether the Air, returning from
the Lungs, would not have the fame Effeft up
on the Candle, as the External Air had before,
but it had not, the Candle went out at its ufual
Time: Thus, it feems, when we fuck in Air
for Breath, the Lungs takes what is neceflary
for the Nourifhment of our Bodies, and re
turns back the reft.

After this we may naturally conclude, that
where the Rooms, or Houfes are fmall, there
ought to be frequent Admiflions of the Exter
nal Air, butefpecially where thofe Rooms or
Houfes are too much crouded with People;
and if ic is fuppofed that the External Air is In
fectious, the burning of Aromatic ks> Guws, or
Her6s,upon the letting in of frefli Air, isnecef-
fary.

From the foregoing Obfervations we may
learn, that all Pelhlenrial Diflempers, whether
in Animals or Plants, are occaflon d by poifon-
ous Iniecls convey d from Place to Place by the
Air, and that by uncleanly Living and poor
Diet, Humane and other Bodies are difpofed
to receive fuch Infetfs into the Stomach and
moft noble Parts; while, oh the other Hand,
iuch Bodies as are in full Strength, and are

well

[47]

well guarded with Aromaticks, would refill and drive
them away, but chiefly how neceflary it is to allow
the Body a Freedom of Air, and how to correct it
if it is Infe&ed.

And I ftiall conclude with fome Memorandums
taken from the Papers of a learned Gentleman, who
in the time of the late Plague in London was curi
ous enough to make his Remarks upon the Signs of
that Diftemper, and the Method of its Cure.

He tells, the Plague proceeds firftfrom a corrupt
ed and unwholfome Air.

The Second, is putrified Humours, hot Blood,
caufed by breathing in fuch corrupt Air ; and if the
Diet before were perverfe, it fills the Body with
fuperfluous Humours.

Concerning the common Fear of Infection, which
makes many rich Men, which might and ought to
maintain poor vifited People j and fome Phyficians
likewife, whofeDuty it is to adminilter Phyfick to
them, flee away, fo that in time of great Infection
we hear more cry out for want of Bread and necef-
fary means, than for anguifh of the Difeafe.

Hence alfo came that inhumane Cuflom of {hut
ting up of Houfes that are vifited with Peftilence,
dejecting their Spirits, and confequently making
way for the Difeafe, and taking Men from their La
bour, which is a digefter of Humours, and a pre-
fervcr of Health j and if the Difeafe be Infectious
(as in their Opinion it is) it is plain Murder, toihut
Men up in an infected and deltroying Air.

But all Mens Bodies are not full of Humours 3 if
they were, all would be infefted.

After this I find the following Directions to pre
vent Infection. Firft^ To avoid the Fear of it, and
iupport the Spirits in the next place. Secondly^ To
keep the Body foluble, and to ufe the juice of Lem-
mons often. Thirdly^ he recommends a Diet of
quick Digeftion, and to eat and drink moderately :

He

US]

He preicribes likewife the Smell of Aromaticks,
luch as Camphire^ Styrax, Calamites^ Wood of A-
loesj &c. and to be taken inwardly, Mithridate^ An-
jelictZj and Peta.fetis-R.oots > and, in an exprefs Man
ner, he recommends Cleanlinefs, and the Choice of
a clear Air.

After Infection he tells us the Signs are an ex
traordinary inward Heat, a Difficulty of Breathing,
a Pain and Heavinefs in the Head, an Inclination to
Sleep, frequent Vomiting, immoderate Thirft, a
Drynefs on the Tongue and Palate j but efpecially
if we ditcover Rifings or Swellings behind the Ears,
in the Groin, or other tender Parts of the Bodyj
but this lalt, where it happens, is of Advantage to
the Patient j for he fays, m fuch a Cafe, the Plague
is rarely Mortal, for then Nature has Power to dif-
pel the Venom, and drive it from the molt noble Partsj
and then he recommends Bleeding > but if Spots ap
pear upon the Body, he advifestheUfeof Emetich,
and afterwards Sudorificks^ which, by his Papers, we
find he gave with good Succefs, but he decries the
Ufe of Opiates at the Beginning of the Diftempcr.

He concludes with Directing of proper Cordials,
to refrefh and ftrengthen the Patient, fuch as Confett.
Hyacint. Confett-. Alcbermcs^ Pulv. GafconL-e, Bezoar
Orient, and fuch like.

But my Worthy Friend, Sir John Colebatcb^ who
ha$ in other Cafes declared himfelf for Publick Good,
has, in this, likewife been Careful to provide a-
gftinft the Iniecl ion, and efpecially recommends to
his Friends, to collel large Parcels of the Ripe Ivy
-Berries which are known from the others by their
Blacknefs.

Thus have I given my Reader fuch a View of the
Plague in general, as may point out to him its natu
ral Caufe, Progrefs of Infection, and the Methods
that have been ufed by the Learned, to, prevent the
Spreading that Terrible Diflemper.

I I III

-9003

670b

mm

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