lence; it will be the fecureft method to goods, and even the fhip fometimes; any on board have died of the difcafe. fink all the cfpecially if Nor ought this further caution to be omitted, that when the contagion has ceafed in any place by the approach of winter, it will not be fafe to open a free trade with it too foon; because there are instances of the diftemper's being ftopt by the winter-cold, and yet the feeds of it not deftroyed, but only kept unactive, till the warmth of the following fpring has given them new life and force. Thus in the great plague at Genoa about fourfcore years ago, which continued part of two years, the firft fummer about ten thoufand died, the winter following hardly any; but the fummer after no lefs than fixty thoufand. Likewife the laft plague at London appeared the latter end of the year 1664, and was ftopt during the winter by a hard frost of near three months continuance; fo that there remained no farther appearance of it till the enfuing fpring *. Now, if goods brought from fuch a place fhould retain any of the latent contagion, there will be danger of their producing the fame mifchief in the place to which they are brought as they would have caufed in that from whence they came. But, above all, it is neceffary, that the clandeftine importing of goods be punished with the utmost rigour; from which wicked practice I fhould always apprehend more danger of bringing the difeafe, than by any other way whatsoever. Thefe are, I think, the moft material points, to which regard is to he had in defending ourfelves aHodges de pefte. gainst gainst contagion from other countries. The particu lar manner of putting thefe directions in execution, as the vifiting of fhips, regulation of lazarettoes, &c. I leave to proper officers, who ought fometimes to be affifted herein by able phyficians. Of Stopping the progress of the plague, if it foull enter our country. ΤΗ HE next confideration is, what to do in cafe, through a miscarriage in the public care, by the neglect of officers, or otherwife, fuch a calamity fhould be fuffered to befall us. There is no evil in the world, in which the great rule of refifting the beginning, more properly takes place, than in the prefent cafe; and yet it has unfortunately happened, that the common fteps formerly taken have had a direct tendency to hinder the putting this maxim in practice. As the plague always breaks out in fome particular place, it is certain, that the directions of the civil magiftrate ought to be fuch, as to make it as much for the interest of infected families to difcover their inisfortune, as it is, when a houfe is on fire, to call in the affiftance of the neighbourhood: whereas, on the contrary, the methods taken by the public, on fuch occafions, have always had the appearance of a fevere difcipline, and even punishment, rather than of a compaffionate care; which muft naturally make the infected conceal the' difeafe as long as was poffible. The main import of the orders iffued out at these times times was ; as foon as it was found, that any houfe was infected, to keep it fhut up, with a large red crofs, and these words, Lord, have mercy upon us, painted on the door; watchmen attending day and night to prevent any one's going in or out, except fuch phyficians, furgeons, apothecaries, nurses, fearchers, &c. as were allowed by authority; and this to continue at least a month after all the family was dead or recovered. It is not eafy to conceive a more difmal fcene of mifery than this: families locked up from all their acquaintance, though feized with a diftemper which the most of any in the world requires comfort and affistance; abandoned it may be to the treatment of an inhumane nurse, (for fuch are often found at thefe times about the fick); and ftrangers to every thing but the melancholy fight of the progress death makes among themselves: with fmall hopes of life left to the furvivors, and thofe mixed with anxiety and doubt, whether it be not better to die, than to prolong a miferable being, after the lofs of their best friends and nearest relations. If fear, defpair, and all dejection of fpirits, difpofe the body to receive contagion, and give it a great power, where it is received, as all physicians agree they do; I do not fee how a difeafe can be more enforced than by fuch a treatment. Nothing can justify such cruelty, but the plea, that it is for the good of the whole community, and prevents the spreading of infection. But this upon due * Vid. Directions for the cure of the plague, by the college of phyficians; and crders by the lord mayor and aldermen of London, publifhed 1665. confideration considération will be found quite otherwife: for while contagion is kept nurfed up in a houfe, and continually increased by the daily conquefts it makes, it is impoffible but the air fhould become tainted in fo e minent a degree, as to fpread the infection into the neighbourhood upon the first outlet. The thutting up houses in this manner is only keeping fo many feminaries of contagion, fooner or later to be difperfed a broad for the waiting a month, or longer, from the death of the last patient, will avail no more than keeping a bale of infected goods unpacked; the poifon will fly out, whenever the Pandora's box is opened. : As these measures were owing to the ignorance of the true nature of contagion, fo they did, I firmly believe, contribute very much to the long continuance of the plague, every time they have been practifed in this city; and, no doubt, they have had as ill effects in other countries. It is therefore no wonder, that grievous complaints were often made against this unreasonable ufage; and that the citizens were all along under the greatest apprehenfions of being thus fhut up. This occafioned. their concealing the difeafe as long as they could, which contributed very much to the enforcing and fpreading of it: and when they were confined, it often happened that they broke out of their imprifonment, either by getting out at windows, &c. or by bribing the watchmen at their doors; and fometimes even by murdering them. Hence in the nights, people were often met running about the fireets, with hideous fhrieks of horror and despair, quite diftra&ted either from the violence of the fever, or from the terrors terrors of mind, into which they were thrown by the daily deaths they faw of their nearest relations. In thefe miferable circumftances, many ran away; and when they had efcaped, either went to their friends in the country, or built huts or tents for themfelves in the open fields, or got on board. fhips. lying in the river. A few alfo were faved by keeping their houfes clofe from all communication with their neighbours *. And it must be obferved, that whenever popular clamours prevailed fo far, as to procure fome release for the fick, this was remarkably followed with an abatement of the disease. The plague, in the year 1636, began with great violence; but leave being given by the king's authority for people to quit their houfes, it was obferved, that not one in twenty of the well perfons removed fell fick, nor one in ten of the fick died +. Which fingle inftance alone, had there been no other, fhould have been of weight ever after to have determined the magiftracy against too ftrict confinements. But befides this, a preceding plague, viz. in the year 1 625, affords us another inftance of a very remarkable decrease upon the difcontinuing to fhut up houfes. It was indeed fo late in the year before this was done, that the near approach of winter was doubtlefs one reafon for the diminution of the difeafe which followed: yet this was fo very great, that it is at leaft paft difpute, that the liberty then permitted was no impediment to it. For this opening of the houfes was allowed of in the beginning of September : and whereas the laft week in August, there died no less * Vid. A journal of the plague in 1665. by a citizen. London, 1722. † Difcourfe upon the air, by Tho. Cock. than |