CONCERNING THE CONSTITUTION OF AN air INFECTED.  
And how to know Plague-sores and Carbuncles.  In tantâ calamitate magnus est sumendus animus, quaerenda trepidis solatia, demendus ingens timor. Nullum malum sine effugio. Sen. 
OXFORD, Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD, Printer to the university. 1644.   

Concerning the Constitution of an air infected; and how to know Plague-sores and Carbuncles.  
IS this Constitution of the air pestilential?  
Hippocrates gives a Description of a pestilential Constitution. Carbunculi in Cranone aestivi, circa Arcturum pluviae multae flante Austro. Much Rain about the middle of August, the south-wind blowing; a Southerly Constitution and much Rain, the Spring before; the Winter before that Southerly and moist, thence Carbuncles and hot Blisters. I think the Seasons of this year have not been such. 'Tis true that in epidemical Diseases, which take many away, some are pestilential, some only malign of an ill Nature; yet their ill Seminaries easily become venomous. So malign spotted fevers may precede pestilential; yet a pestilential fever may be without a Plague, and a Plague without a pestilential fever. 
1. De differ. Feb.  So Galen says. A Plague follows all Diseases, and may strike you suddenly without a fever. The last year more died of those spotted fevers than now, as our Sextons say.  
These fevers now are pestilential, from the putrefaction of the humours in a high degree, which the tumors and Sores witness: the Plague than is in the humours now, as erst it was in the spirits, in the sweating sickness which was Ephemera pestilens, according to the best physicians. Now putrid humoral fevers may be either malign or pestilential, according to the several degrees of putrefaction in the humours. And the Ancients, says Galen, not knowing the great cause of corruption in the blood; referred it to the Gods for their sins: 'twere well if we did so too; for a high degree of corruption in the humours is argued by Plague-sores; yet all that die here, die not of the Plague. Public Authority hath carefully provided for it, even in their care to lessen our fears: and we must be heedful not to increase them, by thinking that each man dies, to die of the Plague. Though this Town be infected, which I deny not, yet we must not increase the Infection. The Spots last year were contagious, yet none shut up for them, I hereby persuade none to stay here, but rather advise them to answer their fears and be gone. Aesculapius' his Temple was out of the City; and a recess thence may be for health, especially when fear exposes the heart to danger, and betrays the Fort: only the extent of our apprehensions in dangers may be rightly bounded, considering by the true signs, whither the affliction which happens to particulars be pestilential or otherwise.  
Valesius sometimes Physician to the King of Spain, 
In Epid. Hip.  a learned man, carefully considers of humoral fevers, whither they be malign or pestilential. In rotten pestilential Diseases, now Nature would disburden herself, and therefore would vent those putrid matters by the common sinks; it appears in Sores in the glandulous parts, the groin, the armpits, yet tumors in these parts are not always pestilential. Some quickly come up, and increase, are red, and suppurate quickly; a true sign of an inflammation only.  
So it may not perhaps be useless to describe what Sores are truly pestilential.  
There are either large black 
* vulgarly Tokens.  Spots in the Plague, or pestilent tumors in the glandulous parts, as groin, armpits, &c. for so Bubones pestiferi are designed to be, or Carbuncles.  
Pestilent tumors are worse than Carbuncles according to Ficinus, 
Bubo pestifer.  for the expulsion of the matter into the Tumour argues the principal parts to have been charged with it: but if it be a critical Tumour, Nature is eased by it. Bubones in Febribus male exceptis diariis. 
Hip.  If in colour they be yellowish, livid, or black, they are the worse; if they go back they are most dangerous; those under the armpits, are worse than elsewhere; next those in the neck, and under the ears.  
1. 
signs.  Sudden faintings in the beginning of a continued fever, without any manifest Cause is a true sign of Infection, bleeding, vacuations, want of sleep, sadness, fears, are evident causes.  
2. If with these tumors and Carbuncles livid and black Spots appear, with black excrements, and excessive thirst, 'tis evidently pestilential.  
3. The body seems not to be hot, neither pulse or urines bad, yet they are unquiet and burn inwards. As it was in the Plague Thucydides describes: 'tis so in all pestilential Constitutions.  
Some would have these tumors to be the same with the Carbuncle, but men experienced distinguish them. The more there comes forth of those tumors the better it is; but this holds not in Carbuncles.  
A Carbuncle (Ignis Persicus, Pruna) hath in the middle a crust like a coal, and thence 'tis so called: 'tis a fire and burns the circumjacent parts. The crust is not always black, but sometimes a blackish yellow, so Galen; the black colour is with a kind of shining; so Paulus Aegin. It hath a pitchy colour in the brightness: the pain is so great that the Patient thinks himself girded with irons: some find an itching in the middle part of it, and scratching, a pimple arises, under which the flesh is burnt, and of a livid colour: and if it be pestilential he nauseates and vomits: Lesser Carbuncles are worse than greater, harder and livid, worse than soft. Those in the upper parts above the other former tumors are worst of all, near the heart and stomach. The farther off from the principal parts the less dangerous: so Celsus. A delirium is an ill sign, when the Carbuncle is in the upper parts, for the membranes of the brain may be inflamed. The plainest Cure for these Swellings is to apply Cupping-glasses to them, than the bare breech of a Pullet, for it draws the poison: after the death of the Pullet, scarify the place. Some cautenze it. Some use this vulgar caustic, they wrap a few ashes in a linen cloth, and boil it in oil, and rub the Tumour with it a good while; when it is sufficiently burnt, they cure it as they do a Carbuncle. They suppurate the Crust with mallows, lily-roots and Butter: they keep it open as long as possible, and cleanse it with juice of Smallage, and honey of Roses. Sometimes these Spots, tumors and Carbuncles appear in dead men, which in their sickness did not appear, as 'twas observed in a Plague at lions. If they be driven back, the Spots are brought again if the Body be washed with hot water.  
FINIS.