of it from thefe caufes to receive infection fometimes removed. But I think this method, if it be neceffary, fhould be put in practice before the coming of the peftilence. For when the diftemper is actually begun, and rages, fince it is known to be fpread and increased by the heat of the fummer, and on the contrary checked by the cold in winter; undoubtedly, whatever increases that heat, will fo far add force to the difeafe as Mercurialis takes notice, that fmiths, and all those who worked at the fire, were most severely used in the plague at Venice in his time *. Whether the fervice fires may do by correcting any other ill qualities of the air, will counterbalance the inconvenience upon this account, experience only can determine and the fatal fuccefs of the trials made here in the last plague, is more than fufficient to difcourage any farther attempts of this nature. For fires being ordered in all the streets for three days together, there died in one night following no lefs than four thoufand, (if we may believe Dr Hodges); whereas in any single week before or after, never twice that number were carried off +. And we find, that, upon making the fame experiment in the laft plague at Marseilles, the contagion was every day fpread more and more through the city with increafed rage and violence . : What has been faid of fires, is likewife to be understood of firing of guns, which fome have too rashly advised. The proper correction of the air would * De pefte, c. 22. + Hodges de pefte, p. 24. Journal de la pefte de Marfeilles, p. 19. & relation historique de tout ce qui s'eft paffé à Marfeilles pendant la derniere pefte, p. 77. VOL, II, M be be to make it fresh and cool: accordingly the Arabians *, who were beft acquainted with the nature of peftilences, advise people to keep themselves as airy as poffible, and to chufe dwellings expofed to the wind, fituate high, and refreshed with running wa ters. As for houses, the first care ought to be to keep them clean for as naftiness is a great fource of infection, fo cleanlinefs is the greatest prefervative; which fhews us the true reafon, why the poor are most obnoxious to contagious difeafes. It is remark, ed of the Perfians, that though their country is furrounded every year with the plague, they feldom or never fuffer any thing by it themfelves: and it is likewise known, that they are the most cleanly people of any in the world, and that many among them make it a great part of their religion to remove filthinefs and nuisances of every kind from all places about their cities and dwellings +. Befides this, the Arabians advise the keeping houfes cool, as another method of their purification; and therefore, to answer this end more fully, they directed to ftrew them with cooling herbs, as rofes, violets, water-lilies, &c. and to be washed with water and vinegar: than all which, especially the last, nothing more proper can be propofed. I think it not improper likewife to fume houfes with vinegar, either alone or together with nitre, by throwing it upon a hot iron or tile; though this be directly contrary to what modern authors moftly advife, which * Rhazes de re medica, lib. iv. c. 24. & Avicenn. can. med. lib. iv. c. 1. + Gauderau relation des efpeces de la pefte que reconnoiffent les Orientaux. is to make fumes with hot things, as benzoin, frankincenfe, ftorax, &c. from which I fee no reason to expect any virtue to destroy the matter of infection, or to keep particular places from a difpofition to receive it; which are the only things here to be aimed at. The fmoke of fulphur, perhaps, as it abounds with an acid spirit, which is found by experience to be very penetrating, and to have a great power to reprefs fermentations, may promise fome fervice this way. As hot fumes appear to be generally useless, fo the fteams of poisonous minerals ought to be reckoned dangerous and therefore I cannot but diffuade the ufe of all fumigations with mercury or arfenic. Much lefs would I advise, as fome have done, the wearing arfenic upon the pit of the ftomach as an amulet fince this practice has been often attended with very ill confequences, and is not grounded upon any good authority, but probably derived from an errour in mistaking the Arabian word darfini, which fignifies cinnamon, for the Latin de arfenico, as I have formerly fhewn *. The next thing after the purifying of houses, is to confider by what means particular perfons may best defend themselves against contagion : for the certain doing of which, it would be necessary to put the humours of the body into fuch a state, as not to be alterable by the matter of infection. But fince this is no more to be hoped for, than a specific prefervative from the fmall-pox; the most that can be done, will be to keep the body in fuch order, that it may fuffer as little as poffible. The first step towards which, * Mech. account of poifons, effay 3. : is to maintain a good ftate of health, in which we are always leaft liable to fuffer by any external injuries; and not to weaken the body by evacuations. The next is, to guard against all dejection of fpirits, and immoderate paffions for thefe we daily obferve do expofe perfons to the more common contagion of the finall-pox. Thefe ends will be beft answered by living with temperance upon a good generous diet, and by avoiding faftings, watchings, extreme wearinefs, &c. Another defence is, to ufe whatever means are proper to keep the blood from inflaming. This, if it does not fecure from contracting infection, will at leaft make the effects of it lefs violent. The moft proper means for this, according to the advice of the Arabian phyficians, is the repeated ufe of acid fruits, as pomegranates, Sevil oranges, lemons, tart apples, &c.; but above all, of wine-vinegar in fmall quantities, rendered grateful to the ftomach by the infufion of fome fuch ingredients as gentian root, galangal, zedoary, juniper berries, &c. Which medicines by correcting the vinegar, and taking off fome ill effects it might otherwife have upon the ftomach, will be of good ufe: but these, and all other hot aromatic drugs, though much recommended by authors, if ufed alone, are moft likely to do hurt by overheating the blood. I cannot but recommend likewife the ufe of iffues. The propereft place for them I take to be the infide of the thigh a little above the knee. Befides, the finoking tobacco, much applauded by fome, fince it may be put in practice without any great inconveni ence, need not, I think, be neglected. But fince none of thefe methods promife any cer tain protection; as leaving the place infected is the fureft prefervative, fo the next to it is to avoid, as much as may be, the near approach to the fick, or to fuch as have but lately recovered. For the greater fecurity herein, it will be adviseable to avoid all crouds of people. Nay, it should be the care of the magiftrate to prohibit all unneceffary affemblies; and likewife to oblige all who get over the difeafe, to confine themfelves for fome time, before they appear abroad. The advice to keep at a diftance from the fick, is alfo to be underftood of the dead bodies; which fhould be buried at as great a diftance from dwellinghoufes, as may be; put deep in the earth; and covered with the exactest care; but not with quick-lime thrown in with them, as has been the manner abroad: for I cannot but think that this, by fermenting with the putrefying humours of the carcafes, may give rife to noxious exhalations from the ground. They should likewife be carried out in the night, while they are yet fresh and free from putrefaction : because a carcafe not yet beginning to corrupt, if kept from the heat of the day, hardly emits any kind of fteam or vapour. As for those who muft of neceffity attend the fick, fome farther directions fhould be added for their use. Thefe may be comprehended in two fhort precepts. One is, not to fwallow their spittle while they are about the fick, but rather to fpit it out: the other, not fo much as to draw in their breath, when they The reafon for both thefe ap are very near them. pears from what has been faid above concerning the manner in which a found perfon receives the infec |