Loimologia: Or, an Historical Account of the Plague in London in 1665 Part 10

BUT both the Ancients and Moderns have taken the utmost Pains in contriving to purge the Air, on a Supposition that, in a pestilential Contagion, that is _substantially_ infected: But as the Air, as before demonstrated, is only the Lodgment or Vehicle to the pestilential _Miasmata_, which are every Way agitated in it, it does not seem so much to want Depuration on its own Account, as that poisonous Mixture which is joined with it. Indeed the pestilential Particles residing in the Porosities of the Air, may often, without any Change of Figure, for Want of due Agitation, remain and stagnate in it a long Time, so as to be drawn in by the Lungs in Inspiration, and hence from the intimate Mixture and Confusion as it were of both, a Suspicion may be entertained of the Taint coming from a Corruption of Air; but of this we have said enough already; and as howsoever this Matter is, a Purgation of the Air is by common Consent called for on all Sides in these Cases, we shall consider this Matter, chiefly in these two Respects.

_FIRST_, That the pestilential _Seminium_ be dislodged; and to this Purpose contribute brisk Winds, especially from the _North_, and the frequent Explosions of great Guns, in the Morning and Evening chiefly; because such Concussions agitate the poisonous _Miasmata_, and not only help to dissipate them; but to change and alter them in those particular Configurations whereby they become so noxious; and it hath been attested by Experience, that an intimate Combination of _Nitre_ and _Sulphur_ greatly alters the saline Qualities of the pestilential Taint.

_SECONDLY_, The utmost Diligence is to be used to prevent the pestilential Particles from taking Effect; which is succesfully done by proper Fumigations. _Hippocrates_, the Oracle in Physick, hath left it to Posterity, to kindle Fires in the publick Streets; and these sometimes I conceive may do good; but not as some will have it, by absorbing the pestiferous Humidities, but by diffusing on all Sides a great deal of _Nitre_, which gives a considerable Change to the venomous _Miasmata_; I judge it best therefore that such Fires should be made of resinous Woods, which throw out a clear and unctious Smell, such as _Juniper_, _Fir_, _Oak_, _Ash_, _Elm_, _Chesnut_, &c. but by no Means Coals, which exhale an impure, fetid, and suffocating Sulphur.

BY the Care of the Magistrate also the Streets, Sinks, and Ca.n.a.ls, should daily be cleared of all Filth; because Stench and Nastiness are justly reckoned the Entertainers of Infection, and we find the Air to be corrupted frequently from noisome Smells; so that the pestilential Venom cannot but receive additional Strength from such Means.

BUT to be yet more particular about these Fumigations, both to mend the Air, and refresh the Houses that have been infected, they must be composed of such Things as raise and comfort the Spirits that were languis.h.i.+ng, with their grateful Flavours; for refres.h.i.+ng Smells are a kind of natural _Pabulum_ to the animal Spirits; or they should be of such Substances as by their gummy Viscidity entangle and cover the venomous _Spicula_, so that they cannot act; or, lastly, of such Things as breath out such nitrous Steams, which will either preserve our Bodies from receiving Impurities, or change the Nature of the infectious Particles.

I do not indeed deny, but some ungrateful Smells may be sometimes more convenient than sweet ones, as they fix those Spirits which would otherwise exhale; and a copious Efflux of saline Particles will often keep them from Infection and Injury. But to reduce these into Cla.s.ses.

The _Simples_ of the first Cla.s.s are _Musk_, _Civet_, _Amomum_, _Lavender_, _Rosemary_, _Roses_, _Angelica_, _Marjoram_, _Cloves_, _Rhodium Wood_, _Aloes Wood_, &c. Of the second, _Frankincense_, _Benjamin_, _Storax_, _Bdellium_, _Labdanum_, _Pitch_, _Sagapenum_, _Myrrh_, &c. Of the third Cla.s.s, _Sulphur_ and _Nitre_, more of which hereafter.

BUT further, that all the Means of propagating the Plague may be removed, it is very wisely ordered by the Magistracy, to kill all Dogs, Cats, and other domestick Brutes, lest these Creatures in their Pa.s.sage from one Place to another should carry along with them the pestilential Infection.

YET although both the Makers and Executors of the Laws were very diligent in their Duty during the late Sickness, the Contagion notwithstanding spread; when therefore all the Care and Skill of the Magistrate could avail nothing in stopping the common Destroyer, the utmost Application was made to preserve the Individuals under its Visitation: For which Purpose, first of all were removed all Means of rendering our Bodies more subject to take the Infection, and the best Care taken to fortifie the Const.i.tution against its Attacks, and to support it under its Tyranny.

I know not indeed a greater Neglect than in not keeping the Body clean, and keeping at a Distance every Thing superfluous or offensive; and during the pestilential Const.i.tution nothing was worse than Evacuations of all Kinds: But if a _Plethora_ required _Phlebotomy_, the Blood should be taken away by a small Orifice, in but little Quant.i.ty, and at several Times: A Person loaded with bad Humours, should be discharged of them, if possible, immediately; if they glut the Stomach, and first Pa.s.sages, they ought to be thrown off by Vomiting, Drinking in the Operation good Quant.i.ties of Posset-Drink, in which hath been boiled the Leaves of _Carduus_ and _Scordium_; and also the Bowels should be cleansed, to which Purpose the following is useful:

_Salis Tart. +? ij.+ F. Solutio in spir. vini opt. +? ij.+ tum adde guttae gambi +? iv.+ peracta solutione evaporetur spir. tum adde colocynth. c.u.m urina praep. +? ij.+ scammaii, Sulphurati +? j.+ Aloes, rosatae +? ij.+ trochisc. de rhabarb. rec. +? iv.+ gum. ammoniaci in aceto, scil. sobuti +? j.+ salis absynthii, cardui ana +? j.+ ol. carui gutt. +vij.+ c.u.m s. q.

Syr. de rhamno F. ma.s.sa, inde pilulae, min. formentur, Dos. ad +? ij.+_ And thus to throw off those Humours which join with and aggravate the pestilential Venom, very much prevents the Want of Antidotes afterwards.

CARE must be taken that there be no Suppression of Urine; the Non-naturals must be used with great Regularity; the Body must be kept transpirable; the Tone of the _Viscera_ strengthened; Fasting avoided; Choice made of a good Diet, such as will yield good Nourishment, make but little Excrement, and be easy of Digestion; to which several Pickles and Sauces are to be recommended; as _Juice of Sorrel_, _Lemons_, _Oranges_, _Pomegranates_, _Barberries_, &c. and at every Meal Sack is to be allowed, whose Vertues we shall hereafter have Occasion to speak of; and Care should be taken not to be Abroad in the Evening.

AND to express all in a few Words, all the animal Fluids must be kept in a natural State, in an Equality of Motion, and an equable Degree of Mixture and Fluxility; they must not be put at any inordinate Hurries, nor be too much rarified or exalted; nor must they be suffered to grow vapid and languid, for Want of Depuration, and a Retention of excrement.i.tious Particles. But a proper Regimen is better to be had from other Writers, we therefore hasten to proper Antidotes.

_An Antipestilential Electuary of +Mayerne+._

? _Juglandium virid. +lib. ij.+ ficuum, prunorum ana +lib. j.+ macerentur in aceto, & pulpa trajiciatur, cui adde pulv. subtiliss. rutae, +lib. [ss.]+ viperinae Virginianae +? j. [ss.]+ rad. contrayerva +? iij.+ petasitid.

zedoariae, ana +? ij. [ss.]+ sacchari perlati +lib. j.+ Syr e succo Kermes +?

j.+ Syr. calendulae, caryophyll. ana q. s. ut F. Elect. molle, addendo fol.

Auri 40. Dos. ad quant.i.tatem nucis Jugland. maj. mane, & vesperi_.

_An Electuary for the Poor._

? _Conserv. lujulae, galegae ana +lib. [ss.]+ calendulae +lib. j.+ Theriac.

Londin. +? iij.+ boli armen. vitriol. +? iv.+ c.u.m syr. limonum q. s.

conficiatur Elect. Dos. ad +? ij.+ vel +iij.+_

_An Antipestilential Confection._

? _Radic. scorzon. Hispan. petasitid. contrayerva ana +? ij.+ helenii, tormentillae ana +? [ss.]+ angelicae, chelidoniae, mai. ana +? j. [ss.]+ bacc.

Junip. praep. +lib. [ss.]+ summit. rutae +p. j.+ sem. cardui, citri ana +?

ij.+ quibus praep. affunde p. duas aceti sambuc. & tertiam spir. vini opt.

infusione peracta & expressione, liquor igne lento evaporetur fere ad mellaginem: extracti +lib. j.+ adde theriac. Londin. +? ij. [ss.]+ boli arm.

terrae sigillatae ana +? j.+ flor. sulphuris +? v.+ succi Kermes +? ij.+ conserv. lujulae +lib. j.+ c.u.m syr. limon. q. s. F. Elect. molle, Dos. ad quant.i.t. nucis myristicae mai. ter, vel saepius de die._

_Antipestilential Pills._

? _Extract. rad. helenii, angelicae, contrayerva ana +? j.+ adde extract.

alb. glycyrrh. +? iij.+ flor. sulph. ad quatuor altem vices sublim. +?

ij.+ C. C. philosoph. calcin. sem. citri pulveriz. ana +? j. [ss.]+ salis scordii, absynth. ana +? ij.+ c.u.m s. q. picis liquidae F. ma.s.sa pro pilulis, Dos. ad +? [ss.]+ vel +? ij.+ mane, & hora somni._

_Antipestilential +Elixir Proprietatis+._

? _Croci Angl. opt. +? [ss.]+ extrah. tincturam c.u.m aq. ulmariae, scabiosae, cardui; vel melissae s. q. additis spir. sulphuris aliquot guttis ad leviusculam aciditatem: liquor per chartam emporeticam agatur, in colatura ad lentum B. calorem dissolve Aloes pellucidae e vesica +? iv.+ per satacc.u.m linteum haud ita rarum trajiciatur liquor; deinde F. condensatio ad eundem calorem, acquisita pilularum molliuscularum consistentia, adde myrrhae purissimae +? vij.+ flor. vel. magisterii praecipit. Benzoin +? iij.+ salis C. C. +? ij.+ c.u.m syr. sambuc. q. s. F. ma.s.sa unde pilulae formentur, Dos. ad +? ij.+_

_Lozenges against the Plague._

? _Extract. rad. angelicae, & contrayerva +? j.+ extr. alb. liquiritiae +?

iij.+ flor. sulphuris myrrhat. h. e. c.u.m myrrha sublim. +? v.+ ol. cinnam.

gutt. +viij.+ saccharum crystallin. ad duplum omnium pondus, c.u.m mucilag.

gum. tragacanth. aq. scordii parat. q. s. F. Tabellae parvae subling._

SOME used every Morning to swallow a Clove or two of _Garlick_; and many eat unripe _Walnuts_ pickled. The following Draught was of admirable Service:

? _Aq. rosar. rubr. camphoratae +? ij.+ aceti opt. +? j.+ in quibus dissolve bol. arm. opt. +? ij.+ adde syr. scabiosae simpl. +? iij.+ M. S.

F. haustus._

SOME old Nurses, as themselves have informed me, for an Antidote gave human Excrements; but for the Efficacy of this Secret, I have nothing to say. Some found Benefit by drinking of Urine; but many who have thought themselves by these Means so well fortified, would venture themselves too inadvertently into Danger, without any necessary Occasion, to the great Hazard of their Lives.

BUT in these precautionary Directions, it is to be particularly advertised, that Astringents of any Kind whatsoever, as _Bole_, _sealed Earth_, _Lemnian Earth_, _Coral_, &c. are not to be given to Maidens, and Women in their monthly Courses, for Fear they should occasion Obstructions, and other bad Disorders: Those Remedies also are as much to be blamed which force this Evacuation by thinning the Blood too much, and irritating the Uterine Vessels: And lastly, in the Preservation as well as the Cure, the Seasons of the Year, s.e.x, Const.i.tution, Age, _&c._ are carefully to be attended to.

BUT before I proceed further, Grat.i.tude obliges me to do Justice to the Vertues of _Sack_, as it deservedly is ranked amongst the princ.i.p.al Antidotes, whether it be drank by it self, or impregnated with _Wormwood_, _Angelica_, &c. for I have never yet met with any Thing so agreeable to the Nerves and Spirits in all my Experience. That which is best is middle-aged, neat, fine, bright, racy, and of a Walnut Flavour; and it is certainly true, that during the late fatal Times, both the infected and the well found vast Benefit from it, unless they who used it too intemperately; many indeed medicated it with various _Alexipharmick Simples_.

IT remains that we now say somewhat concerning the Use of _Tobacco_, whose Vertues for this Purpose are extreamly cried up by _Diemebrooeck_, and some others; but whether we regard the narcotick Quality of this _American_ Henbane; or the poisonous Oil which exhales from it in Smoaking; or that prodigious Discharge of Spittle which it occasions, and which Nature wants for many other important Occasions; or, lastly, the Exercise it gives to the Lungs in drawing it; besides the Apt.i.tude of the pestilential Poison to be taken down along with it, and the Irksomeness of its Scent; I must confess my self at Uncertainties about it; though as to my self, I am its professed Enemy, and was accustomed to supply its Place as an Antidote with _Sack_.

WE now then come to external Remedies, amongst which _Amulets_, and Characters, demand the first Notice: It must indeed be granted, that it is no new Custom or Contrivance to hang these Charms, made various Ways, about many Parts of the Body, but what Vertues these Things have, is worth some Enquiry.

IT hath obtained with many, that Nature, or the Soul of the World, hath impressed upon some certain Bodies a very diffusive magnetick Vertue; whereupon some _Adepts_ have ascribed to many of these Bodies a Faculty of expelling Poisons. Others conceit, that both artificial and natural Poisons do, by a certain Sympathy, when outwardly applied, draw away every Thing that is detrimental to the Const.i.tution; after the Manner as _Amber_ attracks Straws, and (as they report of the _Snake-stone_) imbibe its Venom: Some others again contrive _Amulets_ of Spices, to invigorate Nature, and support her against the Enemy.

I think it proper to give my Opinion of this Matter; with Submission therefore to these great Men, I cannot easily come into a Belief of any Advantages to be had from this Practice; for most of the Efforts ascribed to them, is rather from the Power of Imagination, or owing to some manifest Property. Furthermore, it hath religiously obtained amongst many People, that Diseases are to be driven away by painting Characters upon the Body; but it is strongly to be suspected, that this Practice hath been altogether owing to _Jugglers_, and Persons addicted to infernal Arts; for what medicinal Virtue can there be in a Figure? It seems to me, that because the _Sacred Mysteries_ of our _Art_ were anciently described by _Hieroglyphicks_, the Populace, who were ignorant of their Significations, mistook them for Charms against a _Plague_, and other grievous Diseases, and they propagated their Delusion down to Posterity.

THERE are innumerable Preparations of these Charms or _Amulets_ to be met with in the Writings of several Physicians; but I shall take it to have sufficiently discharged my Duty here, to mention those only which were used by our own Country People; the princ.i.p.al of which was a _Walnut_ filled with _Mercury_; for it is certain that many did promise to themselves Security from the Dignity of this Metal, which to them seemed to be the Parent of all others; others again expected great Matters from its Volatility, notwithstanding it was thus inclosed, thinking that the natural Heat of the Body would draw such Vertues, as would secure them from the Infection. But much the greater Number were supplied with a.r.s.enical _Amulets_, from Empiricks and Mountebanks; these were compounded of _a.r.s.enick_ alone, with Wax; or had many other Things added thereunto, appropriated to the Disease. One of the chief Forms of this Kind is the following:

? _Dictamni cret. pulv. +? vij.+ pulv. sinapi +? [ss.]+ Benzoin. +? ij.+ a.r.s.enici veri +? iij.+ ol. cinnam. gutt. +vij.+ cerae opt. +? v.+ c.u.m mucilag. gum. tragacanth. aceto rosac. parat. F. pasta, unde placentae multiformes depsaticae parentur, ad pondus +? ij.+ vel +iij.+ cordis regioni admovendae, linteo serico prius involutae._ For it commonly prevailed amongst the Populace, that _a.r.s.enick_, by some magnetick Vertue, draws away all Poison, especially that of a Pestilence. The wearing also of a dried Toad was a mighty Secret with some.

BUT to give my Thoughts concerning the good or bad Effects of these appended Remedies, I do not remember any one who had their Expectations answered thereby; but many confiding too much in them, neglected other more necessary Means of Preservation, and brought themselves into great Hazard of their Lives by wearing them; a remarkable Instance of which I met with in an elderly Lawyer, who upon wearing an a.r.s.enical _Amulet_ upon his Breast, had a pestilential Carbuncle rise under it, the third Day after which he died. In some others large Vesications appeared, not from any Venom drawn out, but from the Caustick Quality of the Charm it self, and the Communication of its own Poison to the Part: What Madness was it, in such a terrible Calamity, to put the Hazard of Life upon such idle and ridiculous Experiments?

BUT to pa.s.s over such Baubles, and proceed to Means that are conformable to Reason, and the Rules of Medicine, _Issues_ are not to be forgot; for by these all kinds of Impurities are allowed to flow out along with the pestilential Poison, as through an open and ready Pa.s.sage; and the more of these little Ulcers are made, the better, although their Largeness may answer as well as more in Number; that is, if they are big enough to hold 4, 6 or 8 Peas together. If any one hath a Mind for two Issues, let one be made in the left Arm, and the other in the opposite Leg. And as for the Usefulness of these, I can speak it of my own Experience, that whensoever I was most beset with pestilential Fumes, in the Course of my Business, I could then immediately perceive a shooting Pain in my Issue, and had a great deal of an ill conditioned Matter discharge from it; and this I always looked upon as a sure Warning to have timely recourse to _Alexipharmicks_.

GREAT Service was likewise found in the Preservation against the Pestilence, as well as in its curative Part, by the Application of _Blisters_, and keeping them open a good while.