Loimologia: Or, an Historical Account of the Plague in London in 1665 Part 13

BECAUSE former Writers on these Occasions have given _Formulae_ of things of this kind, much more prolix and inelegant than the present Practice is accustomed to, it may not perhaps be unacceptable to give two or three Examples more conformable to the latter. But because I judge such general Prescriptions rather of Prejudice than Service, when they come hastily and inadvertently to be required by the common People, I cannot but think it much better to leave such to be ordered and regulated according to particular Persons Const.i.tutions and Exigencies.

AS to those preservative Means which a Government only have the Power to provide, they must likewise be left to those who have that Power, but, with due Submission to such, it is conceived that removing infected Persons is a much easier and safer Care, than shutting them up in great Towns: And it was certainly the greatest Error committed in the late _Plague_ here, as our Author above grievously complains, to confine the sick and well together.

IT seems a Point yet in Dispute, whether great Fires at such a Time are of Service or hurtful, which to me is somewhat wonderful, because whosoever considers the Necessity for Air in Respiration, and by what Quality it becomes of such real Service to the Preservation of Life, cannot think such Fires proper, because they destroy that very Property in the Air, which is demonstrable by innumerable Experiments. As to the Dissipation indeed of pestilential Vapours, or their Destruction in any Manner, they undoubtedly may do Service, but then that ought to be done at vast Distances only from where People inhabit. And what Fires common Occasions require at such Times, are rather to be made with such Substances as abound with, and yield a nitrous Salt, because that seems to be the chief Support of the vital Property in the Air, and such are our common Coals; for every one knows how much more all Wood-Fires are suffocating, and give a Languor, and Flatness to the Spirits.

PRESERVATIVE Fumigations are largely talked of by all, on these Occasions, and they with good Reason deserve to be practised, because while the Poison is on Float in the Air, it may undoubtedly be entangled so as to lose its Power of acting as such; but then for this Purpose such Things ought to be used as exhale very subtile Sulphurs, as the spicy Drugs and Gums. And on this Account I suspect Wood-Fires to be bad, because they raise into the Air a very gross and viscid Humidity, which is not only very unfit to lay hold on, and unite with, the extreamly minute Agents that are to be provided against, but also carry into the Lungs with the Air in Respiration, such Particles, as dispose of themselves to Viscidities, and such Changes in the Blood, as are the Production of the worst Fevers, without any other co-operating Cause; for the Fire only forces out that Moisture, which, while a Tree is in its Growth, naturally perspires from it; and how an Air so impregnated is like to be of Service against a Pestilence, any one may soon be a Judge, who considers those Kinds of Fevers which are most commonly epidemical in wood-land Countries.

SUCH Drugs however as are from a vegetable Production, and abound with subtile, volatile Parts, are of Service to be exhaled into the Air this way, both by their Fitness to join with, and cover those venomous _Spicula_ that are on float; and to mix with the Animal Fluids by Respiration and Insinuation into the Pores, whereby they convey, as it were, an _Antidote_, wheresoever the Poison is able to penetrate, and which grosser Vapours can by no means do.

OF this kind are chiefly _Storax_, _Benjamin_, _Frankincense_, and all the Aromatick Roots and Woods; and amongst them all, I cannot think the Smell of _Tar_, _Pitch_, &c. is inferior in any Respects, where its Scent is not particularly offensive. And these Things should be burnt at such Distances of Time from each other, that the Air may be always sensibly impregnated with them.

BUT as some have sad Apprehensions from the Air being still, and as it were stagnant at such Times, and not without good Reason, as it favours the Collection of poisonous _Effluvia_, and aggravates an Infection; for the Prevention of which, it is proposed at certain Intervals to fire off great Guns, and the like: I cannot but imagine, that for this End, it would be much more effectual to let off small Parcels of the common _Pulvis Fulminans_, in such Openings of a large Town, as Squares and Market-Places; for whosoever hath been accustomed to any Experiments with this Composition, must have perceived a much greater Shock given to the Air by its Explosion, than by the largest Pieces of Ordnance; insomuch that if any Objection can lie against the Practice of this in _London_, should there be Occasion, it is the crasie Condition of the City Buildings, which perhaps may not well stand its Shocks, were they to be made with good Quant.i.ties of it at a time.

THE Matter likewise of this Composition in some Measure bespeaks its Usefulness for these Purposes on other Accounts, besides its _Elastick_ Force, because it diffuses into the Air great Quant.i.ties of that nitrous Salt, which is known to add much to its Serviceableness in Life: And whosoever considers how much cheaper this is to be procured, and how much easier practised than the firing off Guns, especially in the Middle of great Towns, cannot but be desirous to try it, in Case of such Calamities as are now with too much Reason feared; it may not therefore be unacceptable to give its Composition here.

? _Sal. Nitri Partes +iij.+ Sal. Tartari P. +ij.+ Sulphuris P. +j.+ optime misceantur in Mortario, parum tepefacto, & servetur ad usuum vase bene obturato._

THIS is order'd in a warm Mortar, and to be kept close, because the _Salt of Tartar_ is apt to imbibe a Moisture from the Air, which hinders its Explosion. A Drachm or two put in as close a Heap as possible upon an Iron Plate over any Fire, will in a little Time go off with a Report and Concussion beyond that of any Gun whatsoever; so that in a calm Season, and an infected Air, great Services may undoubtedly be had from its frequent Practice.

AS to the curative Part in such a terrible Visitation, it cannot be expected that Rules can be given suitable to every one's Case but by such as attend upon them; and the most that can be in general laid down to this Purpose, may be collected from the preceding Treatise of Dr. _Hodges_.

Although as to the Choice of _Alexipharmicks_, they are certainly best that are most subtile, and capable of being carried by the Course of Circulation into the finest Recesses of the Const.i.tution, whereinto it is manifest the extream Subtilty of the pestilential Poison is capable to enter: And amongst all of this Cla.s.s, I take _Camphire_ to be much the more preferable; which therefore I would propose not only to be repeated in proper Doses to an infected Person, till a due _Crisis_ is obtained, but also now and then given to those who are well, by way of Prevention.

And because some Persons, notwithstanding what has been before said, will be pleased with some general _Formulae_ to these Purposes, the following are offered to be complied with, or varied, at every one's Discretion, who is a Judge of such Matters.

? _Conserv. Rutae, Flor. Rorismar. ana +? j.+ Species diambrae sine odoratis +? j.+ Balsam. e Mecha +? [ss.]+ pulv. Croci angl. +? j.+ Syr. Balsam. q. s.

ut F. Electuarium, cujus sum. quant.i.tatem N. M. omni mane, & hora somni superbibendo Haustulum Vini albi Lisbonensis, vel Hispanici, tepefacti._ To the Night Dose of this, may be added sometimes 2 or 3 Grains of _Camphire_, especially if a Person feels any Indisposition that requires a breathing Sweat, some may perhaps like the following better.

? _Cons. Rutae +? j.+ Mithrid. +? [ss.]+ Pulv. Fol. Scordij +? j.+ rad.

Contrayerv. Serpentarij_ +Virgin.+ _ana +? [ss.]+ Sal. volat. Viperar. Croci angl. ana +? j.+ Syr. Balsam. q. s. ut f. Elect. sumend. codem modo._

Or,

? _Confect. +Tracastorij+ sine Melle, Mithrid. ana +? [ss.]+ Boli veri, Terrae +j.a.pon.+ ana +? j.+ Castor. Salis succin. Croci angl. ana +? j.+ Confect. Alkerm. sine odoratis q. s. ut F. Electuarium ad usum praedictum, precipue h. somni._

BESIDES a precautionary Use of these with proper Diluters, and under the Direction of those who are Judges; some Security may possibly be had from odoriferous Substances to smell to, especially at a Time of conversing with the infected; for which Purpose I know of nothing so grateful and efficacious, as the _Volatile Sal Armoniac_, well impregnated with the essential Oils of Aromatick Ingredients, and as it is to be procured dry, to be kept in small Bottles, from a careful Distillation of the common _Sal Volatile Oleosum_. But if in any Cases more fetid Substances are preferable, Compositions may be easily made of such from _Rue_, _Featherfew_, _Galbanum_, _a.s.sa-faetida_, and the like; for these, with some Persons agree better than more grateful Scents.

FREQUENTLY to dissolve in the Mouth the following _Lozenges_, or something like them, I also imagine may be of Service; especially to those who are conversant in infected Places.

? _Boli veri opt. +? j.+ Terrae j.a.pon. +? ij.+ Coral. rub. Margarit. opt.

levigat. Flor. Benz. ana +? j. [ss.]+ ol. Cinnam. gut. +xij.+ Sacchar.

albis. +lib. j.+ Mucelag. Gum. Tragacanth. in aq. Rosar. Dam. q. s. form.

in Troch. ad usum praedictum._ For those who like it, may be added some _Ambergrease_; enough to give a light Scent of it.

PRESERVATORY Evacuations of all kinds are much disputed in these Cases, and not worth our particular Regard in this Place; for thus much is plain to all who are competent Judges in such Matters, that but very few Circ.u.mstances can justifie them; because every Evacuation, unless that of Perspiration, gives more Liberty for any Thing noxious without, to insinuate into the Pores, as there is made thereby less Resistance to its Admission; not to say any Thing of the Danger in such a Practice, by lessening at the same Time the Quant.i.ties of Spirits and Strength, which cannot but be mischievous: And particularly ought all Persons at such Times to avoid too lax a Temper of Body; for which Purpose, these preservatory Means just hinted at, mostly tend to astringe the Bowels, and increase Perspiration.

FINISH.