A N ACCOUNT OF THE PRINCIPAL LAZARETTOS I N E U R O P E j WITH VARIOUS PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE p L A G U E : TOGETHER WITH FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON SOME FOREIGN PRISONS and HOSPITALS; AND ADDITIONAL REMARKS ON THE PRESENT STATE OF THOSE IN GREAT BRITAIN and IRELAND. By JOHN HOWARD, F. R. S. O let the forronuful Jightng of the prisoners come before thee. WA RR1NGT0N, PRINTED BY WILLIAM EYRES) AND SOLD BY T. CADELL, J. JOHNSON, C. DILLY, AND J. TAYLOR, IN LONDON. M DCC LXXXIX. ■JM CONTE NTS. Introduction ------ SECTION I. /IN ACCOUNT OF THE PRINCIPAL LAZARETTOS IN EUROPE - SECT. II. PROPOSED REGULATIONS AND A NEW PLAN FOR A LAZARETTO SECT. III. PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE PLAGUE SECT. IV. AN ACCOUNT OF FOREIGN PRISONS AND HOSPITALS - SECT. V. SCOTCH PRISONS AND HOSPITALS - SECT. VI. IRISH PRISONS AND HOSPITALS - SECT. VII. CHARTER SCHOOLS IN IRELAND - PACE I. 3- - z 3 . 3 Z. 5 2 . 75- 78. 101 . SECT. INTRODUCTION. IN my lateft tours, I had with pain obferved, that notwithstanding the regulations which had been made in our own country, and elfewhere, for preferving health in prifons and hofpitals, yet that infeftious difeafes continued occafionally to arife and fpread in them. I had alfo been led, by the view of feveral lazarettos in my travels, to confider how much all trading nations are expofed to that dreadful fcourge of mankind which thofe ftruftures are intended to prevent, and to refleft how very rude and imper- feft our own police was with refpeft to this objeft. It likewife ftruck me, that eftablifh- ments, effeftual for the prevention of the moft infeftious of all difeafes, mull: afford many ufeful hints for guarding againft the propagation of contagious diftempers in general. Thefe various confiderations induced me, in the laft edition of The State of the Prifons &c. to exprefs a wifh, “ that fome future traveller would give us plans of the lazarettos at Leghorn, Ancona and other places.” At length I determined to procure thefe plans, and acquire all the necelfary information refpefting them, myfelf: and towards the end of the year 1785, I went abroad for the purpofe of vifiting the principal lazarettos in France and Italy. To the phyficians employed in them, I propofed a fet of queries refpefting the nature and prevention of the plague; but their anfwers not affording fatisfaftory inftruc- tion, I proceeded to Smyrna and Conftantinople. For, although the fubjefts of the Turkifh empire be little enlightened by the modern improvements in arts and fciences, I conceived that from their intimate acquaintance with the difeafe in queftion, and from the great difference between their cuftoms and manners, and ours, fome praftices might be found among them, and fome information gained, not unworthy the notice of more polifhed nations. I alio pleafed myfelf with the idea, not only of learning, but of being able to communicate fomewhat to the inhabitants of thefe diftant regions, if they fhould B have ■MNH INTRODUCTION. have curiofity enough to inquire, and liberality to adopt the methods of treating and of preventing contagious difeafes which had been found mod fuccefsful among ourfelves. Such were my views. That merciful Providence which had hitherto preferved me, was pleafed to extend its proteftion to me in this journey alfo. One confequence of my inquiries has been a full conviftion of the importance to this country, of properly-conftituted lazarettos; and this, too, for commercial reafons of which, I confefs, I had before no idea. The circumftances from which 1 drew hr conclufion will be found in their proper places in the narrative; for I lhall this publication, as I did in my former ones, confine myfelf chiefly to the narration of fafts What attention thefe fafts deferve, and what meafures it may be advifeable adopt in confequence of them, I leave to the determination of the proper judges. Upon my return from the Levant, I was felicitous to know what improvements had been made in our prifons during my abfence, and how far the numerous abufes and ckfefts which I had Lid before the public had been redrelfed. Therefore, after vifiting the London prifons and the Hulks, I went to Ireland, and, returning by way of Scotland, travelled over a great part of England. It is not my intention to tranfcribe my whole journal, and minutely relate all I faw When I firft printed my review of prifons, a particular and explicit account Weemec neceflary, on a fubjeft fo new to the public, and where fo many things wanted alter at on Many changes for the better have been made, and are ftill making, o w • Hadly give the reader an account; and it will be my duty alfo to note what I have found ftill needing reformation. Of thefe two parts of my bufinefs, I beg it may be believe , that with reluftance I cenfure, but commend with pleafure. , Marseille. W • /t//r/urra;j,,.„ __/aiarf/,/■ /„ Z/o,/ r /f/W/Z/r i. Ported Entree. ■j. Barrieres des Par loirs . 3. Ze grand Enclos. 4. Petit Enclos. 5 . Ztifirrne/iesHiuves. ti- Porte Marine de Midy. 7. Porte Marine dehlbrd. 8. Enclos des Coirs . . 9 - Quay des Cuirs. jo. Quay des In/irmcries Hem u. Cimetre tr . Echellc de Toifes. unities Isle de. Tbinmegue// cinqMille duPortdeMarseille. 3 UMt.\r,u 4 Fond k domir a. Entrepot pour la Poudre. 1>. Tours quarters. c. Gra nde Pierre sur laquelle on fait la visite des c/ftts non susceptibles. cL Casernes gut seevent au.c Ecrivains & aurZbrte/ais e. Sources dean,Fontaines,!avoirs, Pass ins. f. Ma tson du Capitaine. 2". Jardins. 6Lieu du debanpument de sous la matron du Capitaine. Jbfauon du Capihtine , 8 Colonhes crauies dans le roe du rnont pour tier les BalimalU 9 Chop,He m on dit laMesseala \ viiedet raisjiux quisont dans leRrt loLa grande prise UFcrttf,cations arec une. tour, ou ili/adu Joldatr m. Petit enclos pour des Hetea,Btru/s.Mott tons. \ ^ n. Car lots. \ ^ o Halle sent a rneftre a convert pendant la purge les Chevau.r p. Halles sous lesquelles on me let/ purge les Marcltandiscs . cp Banquettes de pi Sur lesqact les on r. Galerie, ou Grand Co/ps de Ba/intentpour loger les Pq/sagers de Pa ten te nette. s. C/tapellc. Ti. Enclos pour trader Its Malades attaques depeste. i. Enclos pour les Convalecens . It. Trots erne Enclos pour les Besot ns. 1. Belveder sett a loger les Pa/sagers distingues venus aver Paten/e Brute. t. Maison du Zieutenant. VL-Jardin. x, Rnmpes pour Monter. y Entrepot pour les Maladesj z. Double Enceinte deMurialles taine. LAZAR E T T O S. SECTION I. AN ACCOUNT OF THE PRINCIPAL LAZARETTOS IN EUROPE. The firft Lazaretto 1 vifited was at Marseilles. The Health-office, Le Bureau de Same, is in the city at the end of the port. It has an outer room and two council chambers. In the outer room, the depofitions of captains of fhips are taken, who come in their boats to an iron grate. At two feet diftance there is an iron lattice with a door, which is opened only by the fervants of the intendants, or directors, who are here in waiting, in a blue livery trimmed with white lace. Here alfo letters, or orders for lupplies, from the captains who are performing quarantine in their lhips, are received with a pair of iron tongs, and dipped in a bucket of vinegar Handing ready for that purpofe. Over the book in which the depofitions of the captains are inferted for public view, there is hung up an advertifement, to defire that the leaves may not be torn, and if they be torn, that information may be given to the office. In this room were hung up alfo orders, that when captains are examined, none but thofe who belong to the office fhall be prefent; and that captains of merchant-fhips, who have no bills of health, fhall be obliged themlelves to perform quarantine in the lazaretto. In the firft of the two council chambers, there were hung up a plan of the lazaretto, and the pifture of a perfon dying of the plague; alfo the names of the directors, and the weeks of their attendance. Two or more of them are prefent every day to take the depofitions of the captains as they arrive, to fix the guards and porters, and for the other bufinefs of this extenfive lazaretto. The lazaretto is on an elevated rock near the city, at the end of the bay, fronting the foi.t.i veil, and commands the entrance of the harbour. It is very Ipacious, and its B 2 fituation Mar- SEILLES Health- Office. Laza¬ retto. lazarettos. Sect. I- Ma r- SEILLES Laza¬ retto. Parloirs. fixation renders it very commodious for the great trade which the French carry on in the Levant Among other apartments for paflengers, there are twenty-four large rooms, of which feme are above ftairs, and open into a fpacious gallery enclofedbylatt.ee. In thefe rooms are clofets for beds, which the paflengers and guards are required to bring with them. The guards are fent by the Health-office, and their number » regulated by the number of paflengers of each fhip who perform quarantine. A number of paf- fengers not exceeding three, are allowed one guard, the expenfe of whom (namely twenty foi/s per day and his victuals) they are obliged to bear. A paflfenger, therefore, who Iras no companion, has no afliftance in bearing this expenfe. To four, five, or fix paf- feno-ers two guards are afligned; and to feven, three guards. Thefe guards perform the offices of fervants; and will cook for paflengers, if they do not choofe to have their viftuals from the tavern. _ r . . Within the lazaretto, is the governor’s houfe; and a chapel, in which divine lervice is regularly performed; as alfo a tavern, from which perfons under quarantine may have their dinners'and flippers fent them, and which has likewife tire exclufive pnv.lege of Apply¬ ing them with wine. Two days before the quarantine is finiffied, the bills are fent in, which being paid to the caffiier, they receive a clean patent.* The quarantine of paflengers who come with a foul bill, or in one of the two firft fliips from the fame place with a clean bill, is thirty-one days, including the day they go out. If any account arrive of the plague having broke out in the place from which they came with a clean bill, after they left it, they are allowed no advantage from their clean bill; for, in this cafe, they muft be confined fifteen days, and alfo fumigatedf before they come down ftairs, and are permitted to go to the parloirs. In cafe any of the company to which they belong die, their quarantine recommences. The parloirs are long galleries with feats in them, fituated between the gates, and feparated by wooden baluftrades and wire lattice, beyond which there are other baluftrades, diftant about ten feet, at which the perfons in quarantine may fee and con- verfe with fuch friends as may choofe to vifit them. The wires are intended to prevent any thing from being handed to them, or from them. And that nothing may be thrown over, and no efcapes be made, there is a double wall round the lazaretto. At the gate there is a bell to call any perfon in this enclofure; and by the num er and other modifications of the ftrokes, every individual knows when he is callet. The Ihips are moored at the ifle of Pomeque, where a governor refides, and other officers to keep the crews of Ihips in order, and prevent them from having any . If bills are overcharged, there are magnates in the city who fhould examine and tax them : but thefe ma- giftrates do not always difeharge their duty. The chaplain of the Dutch conful at Smjrm applied to them, as many others have done, without obtaining redrefs. f The fumigation is three times repeated, at the expenfe of nine hvres , and by many is thought unnec y It was not ufed in the lazarettos at Vtttict. . communication. Sect. I. communication.* From thence, goods are conveyed to the lazaretto in large boats kept for that purpofe. Cottons with a foul bill muft remain on deck fix days; and the next fix days, the firft bales muft remain on the bridge in the lazaretto, before any others can be received by the porters; f after this, the cargo of that Ihip is brought in. But if the Ihip have a clean bill, it is unloaded much quicker, and fubjeft only to twenty days quarantine: unlefs it be one of the two firft Ihips, or there have been an account that the plague had broke out after it had failed from the port where it was loaded, in which cafe, it is obliged to perform quarantine as before faid of paflengers. And if the plague be in other cities of the Levant, five days are added to the twenty days of the quarantine : this the French call pied de mouche. The bales of cotton are expofed to the open air; and every ten days, a feam of the bags is opened. Precious goods are placed in ware- houles with open baluftrades for the air to pafs freely. J At Genoa, the lazaretto is fituated on the fea fliore, near the city, and detached from other buildings. The plan is regular ; the centre-row equally dividing the areas, which are three hundred and ten feet by twenty-five. In the middle of one of the areas there is a little chapel, which has three fides open, that the elevation of the hoft may be feen in the oppofite rooms. At the entrance there is a guard-room for ten foldiers, and a fpacious bake-houfe. Towards the areas are many vaulted rooms for paflengers, which open into a corridor, where there are doors to feparate the paflengers of different Ihips. Thefe rooms are Genoa Laza¬ retto. * Sometimes the governor is obliged to fend Tome of the French failors to the prifon in the lazaretto, becaufe, having no pay during their quarantine, they are often quarrelfome. f The porters are, in like manner with the guards, fent by the office, as ffiips arrive. Their number is pro¬ portioned to the cargo ; and four are allowed to a common Ihip. X The French in every ffiip have a fecretary, who always performs his quarantine on fhore, and fees that none of the efiefls of different perfons are mixed or embezzled by the porters. He fometimes a£ts as doctor, and is otherwife ufeful on board. Such a fecretary I alfo found in a Triejle fhip. The admiffion of perfons to vifit the lazaretto at Marfeilles is Jtrittly prohibited : but I have the pleafure of giving the firft engraved plan of it. See plate I. The fcale is of French feet. And as I ffiall have occafion in other plans to mention the feet of different countries, I here give their proportions. If the French foot be divided into 1440 equal parts; The foot in England ■ 35 1 at Amfterdam 1258 Bern 1300 Florence 2440.95 in Greece' is 1360 at Rome 1306 in Spain 1240 at Venice 1540 Vienna 1401.3 of thofe parts - fifteen LAZARETTOS. Sect. I. fifteen feet and feven inches, by fourteen feet, three inches, and eleven feet and a half high. The corridor is ten feet and nine inches wide, and is feparated from the areas by high wooden palifudes. Above ftairs there are thirty-fix rooms in front, befides twelve be¬ longing to the prior or governor. On one fide there are eleven, and on the other, ten rooms. All the rooms are nearly fimilar in length and breadth, about fixteen feet, nine inches, by fourteen feet, nine, and eleven feet, fix inches high; with two oppofite win¬ dows, about four feet by three, and fix feet above the floor. The windows of all the rooms are too fmall. The floors are brick, and the roofs vaulted. Each room has in one corner, a chimney, and in another, a fewer fliut in like a clofet. Thefe rooms open into a corridor eleven feet wide, w'hich has (pacious windows towards the areas, and doors which can fhut up three or four rooms according to the number of paflengers from each (hip. All the windows have iron bars and flutters, but none are glazed. Adjoining to the back of the governor’s apartments is a neat and convenient chapel. When a confiderable number are confined by ficknefs, the chaplain refides in the go¬ vernor’s apartments; and then the phyfician and furgeon are alfo obliged to refide in their rooms, at the corner of one of the areas. On the fecond floor there are ranges of warehoufes. Thefe are too narrow, being only fixteen feet and a half wide; and the windows are too fmall, being, on one fide, only two feet fquare ; and on the other, three feet, by two feet, nine inches. The floors are of (lone ; but fuch floors are improper; white bricks, well burnt, being bed for goods, be- caufe lefs apt to become damp. To thefe warehoufes there are Ipacious brick afcents on the outfide, on which bales of cotton are opened and aired. The doors are (ingle; but large folding doors would have been better; and there fhould have been a fmall partition in each of the warehoufes, that the porters might pafs with lefs danger of in¬ fection. The ftaircafes in the infide leading to thefe warehoufes, and to thofe on the firft floor, are likewife too narrow, being only three feet and a half wide. In the centre, behind the chapel, there are two fpacious rooms, one hundred and twenty-five feet by twenty-five. The afeent for bales is good, being ten feet wide; but the door way is only four feet wide. Thefe would make good rooms for the fick ; being frefh and airy, and having each twenty windows, with (hutters to them, and without glafs. There are in the front three towers, or elevated rooms. That in the middle is called the governor’s, becaufe it adjoins to his apartments. From the windows he has a full view of both the areas and corridors. But this lazaretto derives a peculiar advantage from a fine fpring of water which comes from the mountains, and contributes much to its falutarinefs. The channel is full fix feet wide at its entrance into the area, and this renders it very convenient for wafhing linen. Being alfo properly conducted through all the fewers, it prevents the rooms from being offenfive. There are three prifon-rooms, intended for riotous failors who may be fent from the quarantine (hips, and for the guards and porters, fhould they happen to be diforderly, or Genoa. r/'ZCM ’e/tf} w//' v. Sect. I. LAZARETTOS. or guilty of embezzlement. The chief punifhment is folitary confinement; and thefe Genoa. rooms are not ill fuited to this purpofe.* See plates II. Ill.f Another lazaretto, belonging to the Genoefe, is fituated on a rifmg ground at Varignano, Spezia near the gulf or noble port of Spezia. Here fhips ride fafe in fourteen feet of water, and Laza ' have every convenience for landing their cargoes. Having been minute in my account of the lazaretto at Genoa, I will give no delcription of this. The plan and views of it will give fufficient information concerning it.J See plates IV. V. VI. At Leghorn there are three lazarettos. One of them is new. I was there in 1778, Leghorn and faw forty-feven (laves employed in building it. [| Ships which have the plague on Laza ‘ board are now received here, and not chafed away or burnt, as is praftifed in tocTmany RETT ° 5 ’ places. The greateft attention is given both to the health and convenience of the paf- fengers, and the merchandife is kept in the exafteft order. This lazaretto is called San Leopolds, in compliment to the prefent Grand Duke; and at the upper end of one of the courts is placed his ftatue. The repeated vifits I have paid to his prifons, hofpitals, &c. have given me the fulled: conviftion that he is the true father and friend of his country. The very worthy governor of the city, Federigo Barbolani, did me the favour to ac¬ company me to this new lazaretto, and to that of San Rocco. He alfo favoured me with the plans of the three lazarettos (two of which I have copied, plates VII. VIII.) and with the regulations, &c. which He publifhed in quarto 1785, entitled, Ordini di Sanila. The Grand Duke, before the publication of thefe regulations, had fent a perfon to the Levant, on purpofe to gain information by returning from thence and performing quarantine at Marfeilles, and there making the molt careful obfervations. Our ambaflador at Conftantinople, Sir Robert Ainjlie,% told me, that the lazarettos at Leghorn are the bed in Europe. This was confirmed to me by two gentlemen who had performed quarantine both there, and at Marfeilles., * This lazaretto has a double wall like that at Marfeilles. Between the walls there is a burying-ground for Proteftants, but no tomb-ftones or infcriptions are allowed. Here our late conful Mr. Holford was interred. And while I was at Genoa , a Scotch failor died in the great hofpital, who continuing to the laft Heady in his religious principles, was buried here. Adjoining to this lazaretto there is a fpacious garden which formerly belonged to it, but was fold by the magiftrates on the condition, that if any epidemical ficknefs fliould happen to prevail in the city, and the ground be wanted for tents, &c. it ftiall be returned to the lazaretto. . ™ s flate and the remai “ n S ones referred to in this page, as they could not all be conveniently inferted here, will be found at the end of the book. t My peculiar thanks are juftly due to the very worthy magiftrates of Genoa, for their kind permiflion to fee their lazarettos, and to copy the plans; and for the regulations which they gave me. See State of Prifons , third edit. p. 109. § I cannot mention the name of Sir Robert Ainjlte without exprefling the fonfe I have of my obligations to him for his kind afliftance, and the generous offer he made me of a refidence at his houfe, when I was at Confantinople. lazarettos. Sect. I. Naples. Malta Quaran- TINE. The lazaretto at Naples is very final!, and I am informed that too little attention is paid there to paflengers and flapping, under quarantine. I have therefore only given a view of the health-office.* See flate IX. At Malta there are two kinds of quarantine performed: one by Ihips with clean bills of health, and the other by Ihips with foul bills. The firft, called the petty quarantine, lafts eighteen days, and the Ihips which perform it lie at the entrance of the port near the health-office. In order to enable the paflengers and crews, without producing danger, to buy provifions and converfe with their friends, there are enclolures feparated by ftone polls,' with rails and palilades; and two foldiers Rationed to prevent any improper communication. Here, fome of the Ihips from the Morea, and other places, unload their grain. At Laz a- R ETTO. a little diftance there is a church, fituated on high ground, and intended for the accom¬ modation of the perfons who perform this quarantine. A letter brought by a flup juft arrived from Turkey, was, I faw, received with a pair of iron tongs, dipped in vinegar, and then put into a cafe, and laid for about a quarter of an hour on wire grates, under which ftraw and perfumes had been burnt: after which the cafe was opened, and the letter taken out by one of the direftors of the office. And this is the ufual method ot receiving letters here. The other, called the great quarantine, is performed at a lazaretto which is fituated on a peninfula near the city. On the moft elevated part of this peninfula is Fort Manueh the lazaretto, being on the ffiore, is lefs airy. Additions have been made to it at dif¬ ferent times. The old part is inconvenient, and too clofe to admit of a proper venti¬ lation of cottons and other merchandife. It has fixteen rooms on two floors. On the higher floor there are eight, which open into a balcony, and have oppofite windows: but all were very dirty. In the other part of this building there are two courts, with rooms and ffieds much more convenient for paflengers, and airy for merchandife. Both thefe courts are one hundred and one feet by fixty-three. Two other buildings and a chapel were juft begun; and thefe ereftions, when finilhed, will make the lazaretto capable of allowing a proper reparation of the cargoes of fix or feven Ihips on quarantine together. At the end of the lazaretto there is a large court, with ftone troughs for beads, which often come from the Barbary coaft. At the upper part of this court, on a pleafant rifing ground, there are feveral large and good Iheds, with ftone mangers, and two or three rooms over them. There is here a burying ground, where there feemed to have been fome recent burials; and alfo a place for burning the bodies of l'uch as die of the plague. . The lazaretto at MeJJina is on an ifland near the city, of which I had a full view at Sea. I did not vlfit it, becaufe this city is almoft depopulated, and its trade deilroyed by the late dreadful earthquakes: but being formerly a place of great trade, I was glad of an opportunity, by favour of our conful Mr. Grttn, to copy the plan of the lazaretto, which I found hung up in the health-office at TrieJU. See plates X. XI. DEI LA SA.Y/TA . O TF17.1 A Sect. I. LAZARETTOS. 9 The greatefl care is taken to deftroy infedtion fliould there be any. Ships with foul Malta. bills are required to perform quarantine eighty days: but at the end of forty days they may change their ftation, and the captains are allowed to come on fbore. The differ¬ ent kinds of goods are feparated, and placed in proper order under cover. The cottons are taken out of the bags containing them, and placed in rows of piles, upon boards laid on done pillars about eighteen inches from the floors ; and in repacking they are flung over a man who gets into the bags, in order to tread down the cotton; the confequence of which muft be expoflng him to great danger fhould any infeftion remain. This, though the fureft way of expelling infedtion from cotton, is not the moil agreeable to merchants, not only becaufe more expenfive, but alfo for the following reafon. The bales of cotton, in conveying them on camels to the fea-ports, are often taken off on the roads, and laid in wet and dirty places where their outfides are injured. In confequence of being taken to pieces and repacked in the lazaretto in the manner now defcribed, the injured parts get among the inner parts, and the cotton acquires the appearance of being wholly damaged; and, therefore, is rendered lefs marketable. — Thefe are obfervations which thiee large Englifh fhips performing quarantine while I was here gave me an opportunity of making. The health-office at Zante is in the city at the water fide. In this office the depofi- Zante. tions are taken from the captains as they arrive. If they come from the Levant, or from the Barbary coaft, they perform forty-two days quarantine; if from the Morea, only twenty-one days; if from any other part, they and the paffengers are generally permitted to pafs through the office into the city, as I did when I arrived here from Malta. Three gentlemen in this office give daily attendance for one year without falary or emolument. The old lazaretto * is diflant about half a mile from the city, and fituated on a rifing ground near the fea. The merchandife is brought hither in a large boat belonging to the office, and rowed by the crew of the lhip under quarantine; a fmaller boat of the office attending at fome diftance. The entrance is by a covered gate-way ten feet wide, and convenient for the admiffion of packages. On one fide there is a room for the guard confifting of a corporal and four foldiers, on the other, a room for the fub-prior. The prior himfelf refides in the rooms over the gate-way, and is appointed by the directors of the health-office at Venice. Between the outer and inner-gate one of the guards at night commands the middle court, the gate into it being palifaded. This cc. -t is about one hundred and thirty feet long and thirty-five wide. The doors of the other courts (three on each fide) open into this. On one fide they are chiefly defigned for paffengers, and in each there are four here is another called the rn-w lazaretto, which is appropriated to a numerous body of peafants, who pafs over to the Morea to work in harveft time : on their return they perform here a feven days quarantine • and at tins time, other perfons from the Morea perform only fourteen days quarantine in the old lazaretto. c rooms, 10 LAZARETTOS. Sect. I. Zante. Corfu. Castel- Novo. rooms, one of which having a fire-place is called the kitchen *. On the other fide there are large, deep, open flieds for goods, with a partition wall. In each of thefe courts there is a well of water. At the farther end there is a fmall paved court, a little elevated above the other courts. On one fide of it, there is a neat enclofed garden belonging to Roman Catholic friars, who have a convent at a little diftance; and on the other fide, a chapel in which three of the friars officiate; and alfo a Greek chapel. — I am the more particular in the defcription of this lazaretto, as its fituation and general plan [truck me as affording fome good ideas for the conftruftion of a houfe of correftion. The lazaretto at Corfu is finely fituated on a rock furrounded with water, about a league from the city. The lazaretto of Castel-Novo in Dalmatia is on the ffiore about two miles from the city. At the back of it there is a delightful hill, which belongs to a convent of friars. Perfons in quarantine, after a few days are allowed to walk there, and divert themfelves with [hooting, &c. But, being in a [hip with a foul bill, I could not fee either of thefe lazarettos. Their officers are dependent on the health-office at Venice, and their regulations are fimilar. After vifiting the lazarettos now defcribed, I failed to Smyrna, and from thence to Conilantinople. Here I had once intended to travel by land to Vienna. This is a journey capable of being eafily performed in twenty-four days, no quarantine being now re¬ quired to be performed at Semlin, the place on the confines of the Emperor’s Hungarian dominions, where formerly travellers ufed to be detained for this purpofe. But on far¬ ther confideration I determined to leek an opportunity of performing quarantine myjelf ; and with this view to fubmit to the inconveniences of a fea-voyage to Venice, the place where lazarettos were firft eftablifhed. And, in order to obtain the beft information by performing the ftridteft quarantine, I farther determined to return to Smyrna, and there to take my paffage in a [hip with a foul bill. Contrary winds and other caufes made this a tedious and dangerous voyage, and it was fixty days from the time of leaving Smyrna before I arrived at Venice. Here, after our [hip had been conducted by a pilot-boat to her proper moorings, a meffenger came from the health-office for the captain ; and I went with him in his boat to fee the manner in which his report was made, his letters delivered, and his examination condufted. The following morning a meffenger came in a gondola to conduft me to the new lazaretto. I was placed, with my baggage, in a boat fattened by a cord ten feet long to another boat in which were fix rowers. When I came near the landing-place, the cord was loofed, and my boat was puttied with a pole to the ffiore, wheie a perlon met me, who faid he had been ordered by the magiftrates to oe my guard. Soon after * Here the late Mr. Montague performed his quarantine ; after which he refided for fome time in the con¬ vent of the friars. But there being an earthquake while he was there, he afterwards lived in a tent in the garden of thefe friars, and would never enter a houfe on the iiland. unloading Sect. I. LAZARETTOS. unloading the boat, the fub-prior came and fhewed me my lodging, which was a very dirty room, full of vermin, and without table, chair, or bed. That day and the next morn¬ ing I employed a perfon to walh my room: but this did not remove the offenfivenefs of it, or prevent that conftant head-ach which I had been ufed to feel in vifiting other laza¬ rettos, and fome of the holpitals in Turkey. This lazaretto is chiefly afligned to Turks and foldiers, and the crews ofthofe fliips which have the plague on board. In one of the enclolures was the crew of a Ragufian flip, which had arrived a few days before me, after being driven from Ancona and Triefte. My guard fent a report of my health to the office, and on the reprefentation of our conful, I was conduced to the old lazaretto which is nearer the city. Having brought a letter to the prior from the Venetian am- baffador at Conftantinople, I hoped now to have had a comfortable lodging. But I was not fo happy. The apartment appointed me (confiding of an upper and a lower room) was no lefs difagreeable and offenfive than the former. I preferred lying in the lower room on a brick floor where I was almoft furrounded with water. After fix days, however, the prior removed me to an apartment in fome refpefts better, and confiding of four rooms. Here I had a pleafant view; but the rooms were without furniture, very dirty, and no lefs offenfive than the fick wards of the worft hofpital. The walls of my cham¬ ber, not having been cleaned probably for half a century, were faturated with infedion. I got them waffied repeatedly with boiling water, to remove the offenfive fmell, but without any effeft. My appetite failed, and I concluded I was in danger of the flow hofpital- fever. I propofed white-waffiing my room with lime flacked in boiling water, but was oppofed by ftrong prejudices. I got, however, this done one morning through the affift- ance ot the Britilh conful, who was fo good as to fupply me with a quarter of a bulhel of frelh lime for the purpofe. And the confequence was, that my room was immediately rendered fo fweet and frelh, that I was able to drink tea in it in the afternoon, and to lie m it the following night*. On the next day the walls were dry as well as fweet, and in a few days I recovered my appetite. Thus, at a /mail expenfe, and to the admiration of the other inhabitants of this lazaretto, I provided for myfelf and fucceffors, an agreeable and wholefome room, inftead of a nafty and contagious one. Over the gate-ways of two large rooms or warehoufes, were carved in Hone the images of three faints, (San Sebaftiano, San Marco, and San RoccoJ reckoned the patrons of this lazaretto. Formerly, when perfons who had the plague were brought from the city, they * This room was lime-whited in November, and in a very rainy feafon. This 1 mention, becaufe in the fol- lowmg March on complaining to the under-lheriffs in Newgate of their inattention to the clanfe which orders thts m the Aft of Parliament for Teeming the health of prifoners, their excufe was, that they were afraid of dampnefs which feemed to me as reafonable as it would be not to allow towels for thofe whofe feet, hands and face are dirty, left by waftiing them they Ihould catch cold. C 2 I 1 Venice. were 12 LAZARETTOS. Sect. I. Venice. Rules. Health- office. were put into one of thefe rooms for forty days, and afterwards into the other for die fame time, before they were difcharged *. The Rules and T ariffs of the other lazarettos in Europe having been evidently formed from thofe eftablifhed at Venice, I lhall be more particular in my account of the regula¬ tions here for performing quarantine. The following account has been, for the mod part, copied from the Jketch of an information lent to our government in 1770, the perufal of which I owe to the favour of Mr. Richie our conful at Venice. I carefully examined this fketch during my quarantine of forty-two days, and I have here given it with a few correftions and obfervations. The health-office at Venice was inftituted by decree of the fenate in the year 1448, in the midft of a very deftruiftive peftilence, and afterwards confirmed and regulated by various fubfequent decrees, till reduced to the excellent order in which it Hands at prefent. This important office is governed by three commiffioners, annually chofen by the fenate, whofe duty it is to attend every day to the bufmefs of the office; and to them are added two affiftant commiffioners, and two extraordinary, who have formerly ferved as junior commiffioners, or are gentlemen of wifdom and experience: thefe laft take their feats at the board when they think it requifite, or when cafes of difficulty and danger require their counfel. The power or authority of this court is very extenfive ; for, when all the feven magiftrates fit together, their judgments are decifive and without appeal, as well in civil as criminal affairs that relate to public health, all which fall under their cognizance; by which means this court is one of the moft refpetftable in the government, and accord¬ ingly is always filled by perfons of approved integrity and reputation, and in eafy circum- ftances, in order to be lefs expofed to corruption, as their emoluments are very fmall, although it is a ftep towards more lucrative employments. — I ffiall not enter into an elaborate defcrip- tion of every particular circumftance relative to this office, only fo far as is neceffary to form an idea of its regulations and order in the expurgation of merchandife, or paffengers coming from places fufpedled of peftilential infection. I fhall therefore firft take notice of the office itielf, the duty and authority of its magiftrates, &c. and afterwards fucceffively give a particular account of the lazarettos, priors of the lazarettos, guardians of health, meffengers, porters, the method of receiving captains of fnips from fufpe&ed parts, taking their reports, quarantine of paffengers, and expurgation of goods in the lazaretto; taking notice occafionally of other circumftances of lefs moment, which have a relation to, or connexion with thofe above mentioned. ’ Many of the windows in thefe rooms, and alfo in fome other ancient peft-houfes which I have Teen, are now bricked up. This thews, that in the laft century, phyficians were fenfible of the importance of freih air, and a free circulation of it in Tick wards. A different practice, particularly in the fmall-pox and the gaol-fever, was afterwards adopted by medical gentlemen ; but we feem now to be returning to the ancient and more falutary practice. Formerly alfo, it feems probable that men did not entertain thofe abfurd prejudices againft the free ufe of water in waftiing themfelves and their rooms, which are now prevalent; for, in feveral of the old peft-houfes, I have obferved the marks of a greater attention to the means of gaining plenty of water than has been thought neceffary in many of the hofpitals built within thefe fifty years. The V E >: i CE. (/ fr>rttu/. J/'Z/// Y (>// L J Z 1R K r T O . A ./Yiurhou/rs. B. !'ourfa (’ . fyarfrni’nts. D. Powder Magazines. E. PriorsJfoust'xQmfenr. T. ( W/arJor fK/.r G Par/our. H. ('omman e/rfra/ur. T. Zasu/rnffi/aa's - . •/■■ rr-Ttf/uzn ' / Sect. I. A R E T T O S. The court is always attended fifcal, and feveral clerks, who a fecretary, who is a notary public, advocate for life or during good behaviour, and have their refpedtive falaries. The priors of the lazarettos are fubjedted to this board, as are the guardians of health, and melfengers, whofe particular duties I lhall after¬ wards defcribe. It maintains overfeers in different parts of the city to inlpcct the provifions fold in the public markets, fhops or otherwife, who make their report of whatever they find that might have a tendency to affedt the public health ; their bufinds is alio to fuperintend beggars, to prevent loathlome and noxious diftempers being derived from want and milery, or other obvious caufes ; they keep an exadt regifter of deaths, and the bodies of thofe who die without any previous malady, are accurately ex¬ amined by the phyfician and furgeon immediately belonging to the office; both thefe have a fixed falary, and are confulted by the board in cafes relating to their relpedtive pro- feffions; they are alfo obliged in contagious emergencies to fhut themfelves up in the la¬ zaretto to take care of the fick *. The city of V r enice has two lazarettos appropriated to the expurgation of merchandife fufceptible of infedtion, coming from fufpedted parts, and for the accommodation of paf- fengers in performing quarantine; as alfo for the reception of perfons and effedts infedted in the unhappy times of peftilence. The old lazaretto is two miles, and the new about five miles diftant from the city, both on little iflands, feparated from all communication, not only by broad canals furrounding them, but alfo by high walls ; they are of large ex¬ tent, being about four hundred geometrical paces in circumference. They have only a ground floor and one over it, and are divided and fubdivided into a great number of apart¬ ments, greater and imaller, for the reception of paflengers; all thefe apartments have their feparate entries and Hairs, and every range of them has an open court in front, with plats of grafs which is not fuffered to grow too high, and no kind of trees or vegetables are per¬ mitted within this diftridt, nor within a good diftance from it. There are lfieds againft fome of the walls, and in other proper places (but not mixed with the apartments of paf- fengers) fo contrived that the merchandife is not expofed to damage by rain or otherwife, and at the fame time, that the air is not confined. A more minute defcription would be tedious, and as the plan of the old lazaretto may be feen (in plate XII.), is not neceffary. The internal government and diredtion of thefe lazarettos is committed in each to an offi¬ cer called a Prior, who is chofen by the board of health, and accountable to it alone for his management; he has an affiftant chofen by himfelf, and confirmed by the magiftrates; both thefe have a competent falary, and are obliged to refide in the lazaretto, where a con¬ venient habitation is affigned them. The priorlhip is an office of great truft, and the ma- * Befides the health-office at Venice, every city or town of any note or commerce has one of its own, upon the fame plan as that of the metropolis, direfted by gentlemen of the place not concerned in trade, who ferve gratis, and think it an honour to watch over the health of their fellow-citizens ; the neceffary minifters and clerks are paid by the refpeaive communities ; and all thefe courts of health are dependent on that of Venice, and account¬ able to it in every refpeft. See Zante. gill rates Lazaret¬ tos. Prior’s Duty. 7 Ri M.) Sect. I. Venice, giftrates are careful to confer it upon none but fuch as are fuitably qualified ; he muft not be related to any in the magiftracy, nor to any of its minifters; muft have no intereft or concern in (hipping, nor in trade; and in the exercife of his office he is fubjefted to the ftrifteft rules, the mod material of which are as follow. Rules. He muft fee all the gates and doors of the different apartments locked every evening by fun-let, as well the outward gates as thofe of the apartments occupied by paifengers, mer- chandife, and porters; he takes the keys into his polfeffion, and differs them not to be opened before fun-rife. And where there is any fufpicion of infeflion, the gates muft be kept con- ftantly locked, and opened only for neceffary occurrences, in the prelence of the prior. Prior’s He muft not differ dogs, cats or other domeftic animals to go loofe in the lazaretto. Dutv- He muft neither buy nor fell, nor make bargains or contrafts with paffengers or others within the lazaretto, nor permit others to do fo; neither are contrafts of any kind, pur- chafes or fales, nor even powers of attorney or other notorial afts allowed there, without ex- prefs leave from the board; otherwife they are null and void. He differs no fifhing boats, nor other fmall craft to come within a certain diftance of the lazaretto, nor any communication between thofe in quarantine, and fuch boats. He keeps a book wherein are regularly noted all perfons who perform quarantine, together with a general inventory of their effefts, and a particular diftinft one of all goods and mer- chandife, copies of which he tranfmits to the health-office, at lead: once a month. He cannot receive perfons nor effefts to perform quarantine without a mandate from the office, which mandate muft be always accompanied by a meffenger, and in the fame form at their difcharge. Neither can he admit vifitors to thofe in quarantine without fuch a mandate, which (for vidts) is given gratis from the office*. But public brokers are ex¬ cluded from thefe vifits, even if they had obtained a mandate for that purpofe. He is to take care that quiet and good order be maintained among the paffengers and por¬ ters, and muft not permit gaming, drinking, nor even iuch exercifes and diverfions as might produce a mixture of perions in different quarantines, or offend the cu cumfpeftion of the place. When a paffenger or porter falls dick, the prior by means of the refpeftive guardian takes cate that he is feparated from others in the fame apartment as much as poffible, and immediately gives notice to the board, who fend their phydcian to examine diligently the nature of the difeafe, and any other phydcian may be called jointly with him; but they are not to tranfgrefs the cautions prefcribed, or they would be detained in the fame apartment, till the quarantine ended. The prior is authorized to execute the office of notary public in cafes of neceffity, for no notary is admitted without exprefs order from the board ; he there¬ fore may draw up wills and teftaments of thofe within his territory, but it muft be done in the prefence of five witneffes. When any perfon dies there, unlefs the phyfician of the * Adjoining to the prior’s houfe, there are parloirs , where thefe vifits are made generally in the prefence of the prior, fub-prior or guardian, and fometimes of all of them. office, Sect. I. LAZARETTOS. *5 office, together with the furgeon declare that his death proceeded not from any contagious caufe, and that they are quite clear and explicit in their report, all thofe in his quarantine mull: begin it anew, and that as often as any fufpefted death happens in it. There is a burial place within the lazaretto, and the dead are all buried naked, by thofe of their refpec- tive apartments, and if there is any fulpicion of infeftion, a quantity of quick-lime is thrown upon the corpfe in the grave, which is digged five or fix feet deep. It is the prior s duty to fee that the guardians of the relpedtive quarantines caufe the paflengers to expofe their apparel, and other effefts to the open air every day, and that they give all proper affiftance to thofe under their guard. He ought to vifit every apartment under quarantine at leaft twice a day, once in the morning, and once after noon, to fee that the paflengers are properly ferved and fupplied with neceffiaries, and that every thing goes on according to the rules and cautions of health. He is to take into his pofleffion all lorts of arms belonging to paflengers, which are to be reftored when the quarantine is finifhed. No fullers are admitted, but thofe appointed by the board, on purpofe to fupply the lazaretto with provifions and other neceflaries; thefe are obliged to come every day, and to bring whatever the paflengers order, at a fixed price; extortion is feverely puniffied ; they are not to enter the lazaretto, but have a convenient place affigned them, where the guardians and paflengers can come to fee their provifions, and to give their orders; the futlers have balkets fattened to poles of feven or eight feet long, in which they reach eveiy thing to thofe within, and in prefence of the prior or his fubftitute, who caufe the money to be dipped in vinegar or fait water, before the futlers take it. Thefe futlers are fubjefted to the magiftracy, and liable to punifhment for every contravention of its rules and orders, which are hung up *. When letters are written from the lazaretto they mutt be fumigated in the ufual way by the guardian who fuperintends the apartment, then reached to the prior by means of a cane, or other flick fplit m the end for that purpofe, and by him fometimes perfumed and fent away. He caufes the porters employed in expurgation of goods, to fweep and keep clean their refpedtive fheds, and all around them, flittering no bits of wool, cotton, or fuch like to fly about, or to lie on the ground when there is any paflage; and attends with the moft vigilant exaftnefs to the porters in the difcharge of their daily duty, as will be more fully explained under another head. The piior cannot be arretted, during his office, by any other magiftrate but thofe of health, nor is fubjeft to civil or criminal profecution in any other court of juftice: neither can perfons or effedts be arretted or attached in the lazaretto during quarantine. The prior is ftriftly enjoined not to exadt money, or any other confideration whatever from the paflengers, by way of recompenfe for his trouble or attendance, nor ought he even, * Every morning two futlers came in their boats with provifions, wood, &c. to the old lazaretto. The price read, butter, milk, fruit, and fuel, which I purchafed, was about one third more than the price in the city. (according Venice. Prior’s Duty. Sutlers. Prior’s Duty. L \ v- 16 LAZARETTOS. Sect. I. Venice. (according to the laws) to accept of prefents from paflengers who perform quarantine, or from merchants whofe goods are under his infpe&ion; only he is entitled to a fmall recognition for every bale or parcel, as regulated by the magiftrates. But he and his affiftants expeft a gratuity *. Prior’s The prior and his fubftitute muft carefully avoid touching either goods or paflengers - Duty - in quarantine, and for that end, in their walks and viflts always carry a cane to keep paflengers at a proper diftance; but if by an unfortunate accident they fliould be contaminated by touch, they mult perform the quarantine from whence the fufpicion of infeftion was derived, and others would be appointed in their room, pro tempore. If they were touched by malicious defign, the perfon offending is liable to fuch punifhment as the nature of the offence requires, and the magiftrates of health judge adequate. Neither the prior nor his fubftitute muft leave the lazaretto, except when called by the magiftrates, or upon bufmefs with them relative to his office; and not without exprefs permiflion, on his private affairs f. Guardi- There are fixty guardians belonging to the health-office of Venice, of whom part are ANS - appointed to infpeft the quarantines of paflengers, merchandife, and the porters attend¬ ing it in the lazaretto, and part fuperintend the quarantines of Ihips and their companies, on board which they are fent immediately on their arrival, and continue till their dif- charge; all thefe have a fixed daily allowance, from the paflengers, mafters of ihips or merchants in whofe fervice they immediately are. Their duty in the lazaretto is to attend on paflengers, to affift them in their accommodation and otherwife, and ftriftly to obferve that no mixture of different quarantines happens ; as every apartment of paflen¬ gers by the fame fliip, or if goods and porters have their refpeftive guardian, none of them are permitted to go without the limits of their allotted apartment, unlefs accom¬ panied by the guardian, who has his cane to keep others at a due diftance. On the arrival of paflengers he muft fee all their trunks, chefts &c. opened, put his hands in every one of them, take a note of the general contents, and if he finds any thing contra¬ band, the prior muft acquaint the magiftracy, who determine accordingly. They are to be very watchful about the health of their paflengers, and give notice to the prior whenever they perceive fymptoms of ficknefs. They muft keep the ftrifteft eye over the porters, that they negled not their daily labour in airing and moving the goods under their care, and in cafe of negligence, want of punftuality or difhonefty, they inform the prior who complains to the magiftrates, and the porters are punifhed. The guardians » To the prior I gave fix fejuim, to the fub-prior three, and to the guardian one, which was thought proper by thofe whom I confulted. (A fryuin is about nine (hillings.) f On defiring the prior to Ihcw me the rules for the officers of the lazaretto, he prefented me with a printed copy, entitled ComntiJJicm in via d’ijlruaone, al eletto Prim del lascarelto. ‘ ‘ ' In Venezia 1726, quarto, 48 pages. alfo alfo are under the eye of the prior, and in cafes of collufion or wilful negledt, they are punilhed feverely and fometimes capitally *. The duty o {guardians on board fhips is hill more fti'ict, and requires greater attention; for, not having the prior to direct them in any emergency, as in the lazaretto, they mull correlpond direftly with the office, and give an account of every thing that happens immediately. On their going aboard, they mull take an exaft roll of all the lhip’s crew, which they tranfmit to the office, and they muff fee them all muflered every day, that no ficknefs be concealed, nor elopement made. They muft alfo take a diftindt and minute note of all goods and effetfts on board without exception, a copy of which they alfo tranfmit to the office, in order to prevent contraband goods being clandeftinely retained. After this they mull on no confideration allow any thing to go out of the fhip, nor mull they luffer any bark or other velfel to come near without a mandate; and when vifits are permitted to the captain or crew, the guardian muft always be in fight of the interview, that the due cautions of health be carefully obferved. They are to take care that the futlers appointed to ferve fhips in quarantine, perform their duty faithfully, and with due regard to die rules of health, in like manner as in the lazaretto. They are to permit no paffen- gers to perform quarantine on board the fhip, under any pretence whatever, and if any fhould remain on board in failors’ difguife, he or they muft be fent to the lazaretto, and the fhip begins her quarantine anew from the day after their departure ; as happens in the fame manner if goods fhould be concealed on board, after the reft of the cargo is fent to the lazaretto. MeJJengers or fervants are employed by the magnates of the health-office to conduft all captains of fhips to the office, to make their report, and back again on board, the cap¬ tains going in their own boat, and the meffengers in theirs; they muft alfo attend all paf- fengers to the lazaretto, as well as every lighter of merchandife fent thither, and fee the boat s crew return on board again, without communication with others. They are obli¬ ged alio (or rather the eldeft of them) to receive, open and perfume or fmoke all letters that come by fhips from fufpefted parts, and all captains, failors or paffengers, are ftridtly prohibited from keeping letters on board, or fending them afhore without this requifite formality at the health-office: they are afterwards fealed again, and diftributed according to their direftions. Thefe meffengers or fervants (in number feven) are alfo employed m S eneral 011 a11 meffages from the office, whether to the lazaretto, or veflels in quaran¬ tine, or on bufmefs relating to the department of health in the city. They have no fixed falary, but are paid fo much for conducing captains of fhips, paffengers, f or merchandife. Messe N- GERS. * Several 0f thefc S uardians are old and infirm, and of no ufe in waiting on paffengers. The daily pay of each is three lives and a half, as engraved on a ftone in the lazaretto. But my guardian was very crofs till i made him an extra-allowance of a fejuin a week for provifions. t Being firft fent to the new lazaretto, and afterwards condufted to the old, the demand by the mejenger on the day I came out was ftxty lire, and a half. Finding that he expefted a gratuity, I gave him a fejuin over and above his demand. D All ■'IT; LAZARETTOS. Sect. I, ♦ Venice. Porters. All porters employed in purging goods in die lazaretto, are immediately under the infpeftion and jurifdiftion of the magiftrates of health, fo long as they remain there, being fuperintended by the prior and guardians, and if found deficient in doing their duty, are punifhed according to the rigour of the law, as indeed all other delinquents are in matters of health. Every merchant muft have his own porters, but their names muft be given into the office, and approbation obtained ; neither is it permitted to agree with them by the lump, but they muft have their fettled daily wages; the number of porters muft alfo be proportioned to the number of bales or large parcels, and for every forty bales or large parcels, there muft be a porter. Of receiving Captains of Ships from suspected Parts, and taking their Report. It is here proper to premife, that all fhips are received at Venice, even thofe which are known to have the plague on board ; the rules of health are very exactly attended to in every' circumftance ; in this they are naturally fomewhat more ftrift, but for the reft do not de¬ viate from the eftabliffied courfe. It is alfo requifite to obferve, that all Ihips and merchan- dife coming from any part of the Ottoman dominions, are indifpenfably fubjefted to the full quarantine of forty days; for, as the Turks take no precautions to prevent this diead- ful calamity, or to preferve or deliver themfelves from it; the Venetians very juftly con¬ clude that it is precarious and highly dangerous to truft to any certificates of health what¬ ever, whether from their own confuls or others, in places where, although the contagion do not openly appear, it may lie lurking in bales of merchandife tranfported from other parts. Befides, Ihips from Zante, Zepholonia, and the other Venetian ifiands are always liable to a quarantine of thirty days, or three weeks at leaft, and frequently to forty days; be- caufe, lying fo near the Morea, and having daily communication with its inhabitants, they often negleft the ftrift rules of health, or connive at the breach of them, though all of them have an office; on which communication they principally depend for their lubfiftence, the pro¬ duce of thefe ifiands not being fufficient for a third part of their inhabitants. To prevent therefore the fatal confequences that fuch negligence might produce, it is an eftabliffied rule, to treat all Ihips and merchandife on their arrival at Venice from thefe fufpefted places, with the fame caution and referve, as if they were aftually infefted ; and to obviate all danger before their arrival, the pilots are ftrictly charged, on capital penalty, not to go on board any ffiip from Turkey, or the adjacent ifiands, nor to mix with the people; nay, even no pilot is permitted to go on board any ffiip whatever till cleared at the health-office, or if necefiity requires it, they are not to return to their own boats, but to remain on boaid, till the ffiip is declared free at the health-office; and in cafe of performing quarantine, the pilot muft do the fame. They are alfo ftriftly ordered to ufe none but tarred ropes, and if the ffiip they attend comes from fufpefted parts, they are to put the captain in mind to hoift the ufual fignal of fuch Ihips, that no other boats or veflels may inadvertently hold intercourfe with them. When therefore the Ihip enters the port, or as foou as the above-mentioned fignal is difeovered, (and the health-office keeps a perfon onpurpofe to give notice of the approach of thefe and all other Ihips) a guardian is defpatched on board, whofe office and duty com- mences Sect. I. A R T O S. mences from that moment, and continues till the fhip has performed quarantine: belides, in dangerous cafes, as foon as the fhip comes to anchor in the fituation appointed, a bark with a party of foldiers is fent to lie at a proper diftance, and to obferve that nothing is done againft the eftabliihed laws. Then one of the meffengers goes to conduft the cap¬ tain to the health-office; his boat keeps a proper diftance before that of the captain, clears the way, and takes care that no communication is held between thole in the fufpedted boat and others. When they arrive at the landing place of the office, which is fo contrived that the captain and people may talk with thofe on fhore without approaching too near, he is forthwith conduced into an enclofed entry for that purpofe, adjoining to the office, where his report is taken by a clerk, from a window at due diftance; the ufual quejlions are afked, fuch as, from whence he comes; when he left his port; whether he has a clean bill of health or not; what kind of voyage he has made ; if he touched intermediate ports; if he had produft in them, or not; if he met veflels at fea; and of what nation; if he were aboard of them, or they of him; how many hands he has on board, and if any paflengers; if they have been all the voyage in health, or if any be dead, or fick; what his loading con- fifts of; if he took it in all in one port: this report is written down by the clerk, and then all his papers and letters are demanded. The firft papers to be examined (after previous fumigation) is the bill of health, which is compared with the report given in by the cap¬ tain, both in regard to the health of the place from whence he came, and to the number of feamen and paflengers on board: and if any captain prefent himfelf without a bill of health, it is the unalterable rule of the office, to oblige fhip and cargo to perform full quarantine. If there fhould be any difference between the bills of health, and the captain’s report, in the number of perfons on board, it is very ftriftly examined into, and the fhip although coming from a place without the leaf!; fufpicion of infeftion, is kept in referve till the matter is fufficiently cleared up; and if any malicious intention be difcovered in the captain to deceive the magiftracy, by giving falfe reports, it is a capital crime, and punifhed accordingly ; for if the number on board be greater than that in the bills of health, there is ground to fufpeft that the fupernumerary perfon or perfons have been taken from on board another fhip, or from fome place, without the requifite documents of health : and if the number be lei's, it might have been diminilhed by fome contagious difeafe ; but fuppofing thofe points fatisfaftory, all fliips with clean bills of health are at liberty to un¬ load diredlly after the captain’s report, and he may return on board, without the mefien- ger. But when the fhip is from any part of the Turkifh dominions, or other fufpefted parts, the captain is rc-conclucted on board with the lame formality as he came. The guardian being already on board, begins immediately on the captain’s return to exercife his office, by taking an exaft roll of all the crew, and a particular note of their clothes and other effefts, both which he tranfmits to the office, to be compared with the captain’s repoit; and when permiifion is given to unload, he keeps an exact regifter of every par¬ cel that goes out of the fhip, which he tranfmits to the office, in order to be compared with the captain’s manifefto delivered in writing on making his report. D 2 When Questions to Captai ns. Venice. LAZARETTOS. Sect. I. QjJ ARANTINE of PASSENGERS. When there are paffengers on board, as foon as the above formalities are over, a man¬ date is fent from the office, to remove them to the lazaretto, where they ufually go in the ffiip’s boat, the mefienger always keeping near them in his; when they arrive at the lazaretto, the mefienger configns them to the prior, and conduits the Ihip’s boat back . The paffengers find their guardian of health at the lazaretto before them; their apartment is affigned, their clothes and other effefts for ufe are vifited, and noted, and they beffin to count their quarantine from the day after their arrival at the lazaretto, with the precautions and regulations already defcribed. Unloading Merchandise, and removing it to the Lazaretto. All goods and effefts fufceptible of infeftion from fufpefted parts, mud go to the lazaretto to perform quarantine, none being permitted to remain in the fltip; but luch as are not fulceptible, and in built may be unloaded on the fliip s arrival, aftei obtain¬ ing a mandate, and in prefence of a mefienger, who muft be always within fight, as well as the fhip’s guardian on board. Great caution is ufed in tranlpordng merchandife to the lazaretto; the lighters mull have no fails, or the prior detains them along with the goods; the ropes are well tarred; the failors belonging to the fliip load them, and take them in tow with their own boats to the lazaretto, always accompanied by a mefienger in going and coming. The prior receives them, as before obferved, delivers them to the care of the porters and guardians, and they are accountable. One of the ffiip- mates or feamen remains in the lazaretto for further guard to the goods, and to be anlwerable for the bills of lading, performing his quarantine there. When the whole cargo is unloaded, and properly difpofed and ranged in the lazaretto, the quarantine of both fliip and goods commences, and not before. Expurgation of Goods in the Lazaretto. Goods for expurgation are ranged under fheds for that purpofe in the lazaretto, in different order according to the kinds and marks of the parcels, fo that no confufion infues in diftinguifhing the refpeftive properties. Wool is taken entirely out of the bags or bales, and ranged in heaps, not above four feet high, thefe are all moved twice every day, turned, and the heaps mixed by the porters with their hands and arms bare, during forty days fuccefiively, and every five days are befides the ufual labour, moved out of the places they were in. Silk, flax, feathers and fuch like, are managed in the fame manner. Cotton wool and yarn, camel’s hair and beaver in bags are purged in a different way. The bags are all unripped at one end, and the porters are obliged every day, to thruft their naked hands and arms into them, in different places as far as the middle of the bag, for twenty days fuccefiively; then the bags are fewed up, turned over, and the other end unripped, and managed in the fame manner the twenty fubfequent days, which complete the quarantine; but neither of the days wherein the bags are opened, are reckoned among the forty. Woollen Sect. I. Venice. Woollen Cloths. Furs. Tobacco. Candles. An i m als. Woollen and linen cloths, and all goods that are folded in pieces, are unloofed, and the porters turn them over fold by fold, thrufting their naked arms between the folds, and drifting them often, under and above. When there is a certainty of infe&ion, befides this daily motion, they are unfolded, and extended on cords to the open air, as often as the weather permits. Carpets, blankets, bed covers, quilts, and other manufaftures of wool and filk, flax, books, vellum, and all kinds of paper, hair bags, and fuch like, are continually expol'ed to the air, moved and turned two or three times a day. Furs are among the moft dangerous articles, and very carefully purged, kept conftantly expofed to the air, and very often moved and lhaken; in like manner hair, and oftrich feathers are very diligently attended to. Tobacco, cordouans, Iheep and goats Ikins, drefied, and all other dry drefled fkins, are ranged in heaps, and now and then moved; but being articles lefs fubjeft to infeftion they are ufually liberated in twenty days. Bees wax and fponges, are purged by putting them in fait water (not ftagnated) for BeesWax forty-eight hours, and then they are free. There is a place formed in the lazaretto for this purpofe, and a guardian to fuperintend the operation. Wsx and tallow candles are fubjedt to full quarantine, on account of the cotton in them, but if the proprietor lubmits to let them be immerged as above, they are free. Animals with wool or long hair, are liable to the whole quarantine; but tliofe with fhort ftraight hair are purged by caufing them to fwim alhore. The feathered animals are purged by repeated Iprinkling with vinegar till well wet. There are other articles not fufceptible of infeftion, and of confequence not liable to quarantine, though fometimes they become liable by attendant circumftances, fuch as falted hides, which when fufficiently ialted and moift, are free; but if dry, they mull: un¬ dergo the formalities of quarantine. AJpher is in itfelf free, and may be landed, but its being wrapt or packed up in fuf¬ ceptible matter, fubjedts it to quarantine; and in like manner, other free articles which cannot be feparated from their package, or if the proprietors do not choofe they lhould be, are liable to the cautions of the lazaretto. Many articles are always free, when they come in the lump, and others though in package, either becaufe the package itfelf is free, or purified by the volatile qualities of the contents, or can be removed or rendered harmlefs. Of the firft fort, are all kinds of gram, Vallonia or bark, fait, flax feed, and in general all feeds, marble, minerals, wood, earths, fand, allum, vitriol, elephants’ teeth, &c. Of the fecond fort are fugars, cheefe, butter, pignoli, fruits frelli and dried, all falted and fmoked meat, &c. Bottorghh drugs, colours, and fuch like, that can be feparated from the packages. Of the third fort, are liquors of all kinds, brandies, oils, wines, after pitching the bungs, left there lhould be canvafs or any thing of that nature in them, currants, raifins and pitch, although in can- vafs packages, are free, becaufe it is fuppofed their nature, or the effluvia proceeding from them prevent^contagion, only the feams and corners, are tarred. The Hides. Aspher. Articles FREE. 12 Ve nice. Modok. Zante. Caste l- Novo. Mol ita. LAZARETTOS. Sect. I. The Venetians were forinerly one of the firft commercial nations in Europe, and the re¬ gulations for performing quarantine in their lazarettos are wife and good-, but now>, in al- moft every department into which I had opportunity to look, there is fuch remiifnefs and corruption in executing thefe regulations, as to render the quarantine alrnoft ulelefs, and little more than an eftablifhment for providing for officers and infirm people. In coming from Smyrna in a Venetian fliip with a foul bill, we firft anchored at Modon in the Morea, for water. Here a Turkifh officer came on board, and attended us till we were out of the port, to fee that this alone was our objeft *. Afterwards we anchored at Zante, where fome paffengers difembarked, and we were detained a day or two extraordi¬ nary, that the captain might retail coffee, &c. to the inhabitants. We next anchored at an ifiand north of Corfu, where the captain and paffengers went afhore, and the inhabitants came on board to traffic for quilts, &c. Oppofite Castel-Novo, at about two miles diftance is the health-office, where all fhips that come from the Levant into that port are obliged to anchor. Here the owner of the fhip lived; and the captain and paffengers went alrnoft every day into the city; and employing themfelves in unloading and loading goods day and night, caufed a delay of eight days. The mate openly in the day time took goods to his friends in the country, and continued with them till the next day. A Ragufian (hip alio, and others which anchored here with clean bills, freely affociated and traded with us. I obferved that a half naked man (a foldier) came to us, in a boat rowed by a boy, twice a day, and that he received bifcuits and hot viftuals. I at firft imagined that he came for cha¬ rity ; but foon learnt that he was the guard for our fhip, appointed by the officer who refided at the health-office. At the ifle of Molita, near the coaft of Dalmatia we anchored again, and the captain and two of the paffengers wentdireftly afhore. Three days were fpent here in trading with the inhabitants, and the opportunity of a fine wind was loft, to gratify the avarice of the captain. Such occurrences convinced me of the juftnefs of a remark, which was made by a Greek merchant who had confiderable property on board this (hip; that all captains and crews of Levant fhips fhould be ftridtly prohibited from trading in their voyages. In confequence of this practice, the goods are often detained fo long as to lole a market ; and the paffengers and crews are expofed to more danger, fhould there be any infeftion in the fhip. But above all; it expofes the inhabitants of the ifiands and coafts of the Mediterranean to peipetual danger of the importation of the plague. This was dreadfully verified in Dalmatia a few years ago; and I was informed that lately, in a hamlet belonging to the Ragufian ftate, all the inhabit¬ ants died of the plague thus imported, except two or three, who were themfelves fhot, by the order of the magiftrates to the furrounding guard. * A few day/, after leaving Modon, we had a fmart flurmilh with a Tunifian privateer. In this (kirmilh one of our cannon charged with fpike-nails, &c. having accidentally done great execution, the privateer immediately, to our great joy, hoirted its fails and made off. This inU.poftion of Providence faved us from a dreadful fate; for I underftood afterwards, that our captain, expeTing that either our immediate death, or perpetual flavery at Turns would be the confequence of being taken, had determined to blow up the (hip rather than furrender. At Sect. II. LAZARETTOS. 23 At Trieste there are two lazarettos; one new, but both clean, and a contrail to thole I had lately feen at Venice. The plan of the new one I give in plate XIII. The floors above were boarded, thofe below were of white bricks; the rooms were eighteen feet and a half by fifteen, had a neat bedllead, chair and table. It is furronnded at the diftance of about twenty yards by a double wall, within which are feparate burying places for Roman-Catholics, Greeks and Proteftants. There is a current of water from the adjacent hills, which, were it properly conduced within the walls, might be very ufeful. I am under peculiar obligations to the Direftor of the health-office for the rules and tariff's of this lazaretto (printed in German and Italian at Trielle, 1769) and for permiffion to copy its plan; and alfo the plans of the lazarettos at Marleilles and Venice, which I hap¬ pened to difcover here. SECTION II. PROPOSED REGULATIONS AND A NEW PLAN FOR A LAZARETTO. HAVING now given the plans of the principal lazarettos in Europe, I fhall in what follows take the fame liberty that I took with refpeft to prifons, and draw the outlines of a proper lazaretto*. —Many lazarettos are clofe, and have too much the afpeft of prifons ; and I have often heard captains in the Levant trade fay, that the fpirits of their paflengers fink at the profpeft of being confined in them. In thofe of them which 3 have vifited, I have obferved feveral pale and dejeSled perfons, and many frelh graves. To prevent as much as poffible thefe difagreeable circumllances, a lazaretto Ihould have the molt cheerful afpeft. A fpacious and pleafant garden in particular, would be convenient as well as falutary. See plate XIV. But waving this obfervation, I will offer a few remarks refpefting quarantines and laza¬ rettos in general; after which I will take notice of fome advantages in refpeft of commerce as well as health, which may accrue from fuch an eftablifhment in England. I will farther, in the fequel, give the anfwers of fome phyficians abroad to a fet of queftions which I was led to propofe to them, by confidering that fhould a lazaretto be erefted among us, and this country be ever vifited with a fcourge fo dreadful as the plague, the opinions of eminent phyficians experienced in this calamity might be of particular fervice. OBSERVATIONS upon QUARANTINES and LAZARETTOS. 1. All veflels fubjeft to a quarantine, arriving on our coaft, fhould be obliged to hoift a red flag, or fome other fignal, at the main top-gallant maft head ; in order to warn all * By the Aft, 12th of Geo. III. cap. 57. certain perfons were empowered to build a lazaretto. And the Aft recites “ that in the fifth year of the reign of his prefent Majefly a fum was granted by Parliament, not exceed¬ ing five thoufand pounds, towards building a lazaret.” But nothing has been done in confequence of this Aft. other Trieste. Sect. II. other fhips againft all communication with them; and all perfons coming on board not- withftanding fuch warning, Ihould be detained to perform the quarantine. 2. All boats belonging to any fhip in quarantine, as well as all craft employed in un¬ loading the fame, Ihould be obliged to carry a red pendant at the mail; head, whenever fent from the lhip. 3. The Ihip’s hatch-ways ought not to be opened till the captain and mate have given in their depofitions; and all the palfengers, the fecretary, and fuch of the failors who may be permitted to leave the fhip, Ihould be landed at the lazaretto, under a very ievere penalty. '['he place appointed for receiving depofitions Ihould be lo contrived, that the perlon who takes them may at all times place himielf to windward of thofe who make them. This Ihould alfo be obferved as much as poffible, at the barrier of the lazaretto, where people are permitted to (peak with thofe in quarantine. But il not, they fhould be placed on this account at a greater diftance from one another. 5. A fort of quarantine having been performed during the long voyage to England, and there being, in my opinion, a great probability that the infedlion cannot remain in am perfon without Ihewing itfelf, beyond forty-eight hours, the perfons under quarantine ought to be allowed to quit the lazaretto fooner than is now cuftomary in other countries. Perhaps a refidence of twenty-two days may be fully fufficient. 6. Fumigating of palfengers as praftifed at Marfeilles is an advantage; for a perfon may carry the infeftion in his clothes, and communicate it to others, without taking it him- felf, as in the gaol-fever. But this implies, that it ought to be done at the end of the quarantine, to thofe only who go out with the clothes which they wore when they came in. 7 . Great care Ihould be taken, to keep at a proper diftance from perfons performing quarantine, all failors and palfengers as well as others. My reafon for giving this caution is, that I halve feen perfons juft arrived in fhips with foul bills, permitted at the bar of a lazaretto, to come very near to perfons whofe quarantine was almoft over ; and thus dan¬ ger was produced of communicating the plague.—And here I Ihall take occafion to ob- ferve, that in my opinion, this diftemper is not generally to be taken by the touch, any more than the gaol-fever or lmall-pox; but either by inoculation, or by taking in with the breath in refpiration the putrid effluvia which hover round the infefted objeft, and which when admitted fet the whole mafs of blood into a fermentation, and fometimes fo fuddenly and vio¬ lently as to deftroy its whole texture, and to produce putrefaftion and death in lefs than forty-eight hours. Thefe effluvia are capable of being carried from one place to another, upon any fubftance where what is called fcent can lodge, as upon wool, cotton, &c. and in die fame manner that the fmell of tobacco is carried from one place to another *. ^ ^ * I am here reminded of a Angular faft, which I gladly mention in honour to the memory of a worthy cha- rafter When the plague raged in London, in the year 1665, the infeftion was conveyed by means ol a parcel of clothes to the remote village of Eyam near Tidefwell in the Peak of Derbylhire. In this place it broke out m September r665,and continued its ravages upwards of a year, when two hundred and fixty of the inhabits had died of it. The worthy reftor, Mr. Momp'Jfon, whofe name may rank with thofe of cardinal Bornm.co of Milan, and the Sect. II. A R E T T O S. It is by thefe ideas of the communication of the plague that the foregoing rules have been luggefted; and were the regulations for performing quarantine directed by them ,/ome of the reftridtions in lazarettos would be abolithed, and more care would be taken to im¬ prove and enforce others. * It may be alked, how is it poffible, if the plague be communicated by infedted air, that a whole body of men in a town where it rages lhould be capable of being preferved from it, as is the cafe with Englifhmen in Turkey; and alfo, why every individual in fuch a town is not taken with it ? In anfwer to the firft of thefe queftions, it may be obferved, that the infection in the air does not extend far from the infedted objedt, but lurks chiefly 1 , (like that near carrion) to the leeward of it. I am fo affured of this, that I have not fcru- pled going, in the open air, to windward of a perfon ill of the plague and feeling his pulfe. The next queftion may be anfwered, by afking why, of a number of perfons equally ex¬ pend to the infedtion of the fmall-pox, or of the gaol-fever, fome will not take it ? Per¬ haps phyficians themfelves are not capable of explaining this fufficiently. It is, however, evident in general, that it muft be owing to fomething in the ftate of the blood and the conftitutions of fuch perfons which renders them not eafily fufceptible of infeftion.—The rich are lefs liable to the plague than the poor, both becaufe they are more careful to avoid infedhon, and have larger and more airy apartments, and becaufe they are more cleanly and live on better food, with plenty of vegetables; and this, I fuppofe, is the reafon why Proteftants are lefs liable to this diftemper than Catholics during their times of faftina- and, hkewife, why the generality of Europeans are lefs liable to it than Greeks, and particu¬ larly Jews, f And would not the former be ftill more fecure in this refpedl, were they more attentive to the qualities of their food, and lived more on plain and fimple diet? the good bifhop of Marfeilles, at Its breaking out, refolved not to quit his pariffiioners, but ufed every argument to prevail with his wife to leave the infeded fpot. She, however, refufed to forfake her hulband, and is fuppofed rintTh ^ f f f. P ' agUe - fent their Mr. Mompejfon conftantly employed himfelf, du- nn the dreadful v.fitation m his paftoral office, and preached to his flock in a field where nature had formed a or: of alcove m a lock, which place/,// retains the appellation of a church. He furvived, and the entries in the panfli regifter relative to this calamity are in his hand-writing, ,665, in Sept. 6 died; Oft. 22 • Nov c- Dec. 7 . .666, in Jan. 3 died; Feb. J; March a ; April „ ; May 5; J une 2Q • July ’ Aug. 78 ; Sept. 24; Oft. 1 / ; Nov. I. In the fields furrounding the town are many 'remains de- dLoLCpeftile n r c e e! entS ^ “ d “’"h’ “ “ ^ ^pt away by * It is remarkable, that when the corpfe is cold of a perfon dead of the plague, it does not infeft the air by any noxious exhalations. This is fo much believed in Turkey, that the people there are not afraid to handle fuch corpfes. The governor at the French hofpital in Smyrna told me, that in the laft dreadful plague there his houle was rendered almoft intolerable by an offenfive feent (efpecially if he opened any of thofe windows which kl on “f-r c 7 ^; 8 T d ; Where nUmbCrS EVery day WEre ,Cft Unburied > ; b « that '* had "o ef- I s f 7 h d rn “w ° f blmfelf ° r . hlS faml,V - An 0 P“ lent in this city hkewife told me, that he ana his iamily had felt the fame inconvenience, without any bad confequences. r K + T! r T7 ° f GreekS and JeWS mUCh 0il wlth tbdr food; and this 1 reckon a difadvantage to them 77 °. r CeS ° r f e r ntS in El,r ° pean famUieS ' Wll ° thr0Ugh im P‘'“d carelefsnefs! have been attacked with the plague, while the reft of the family have efcaped it. E OBSERVATIONS jHfi l r i n' m a M Sect. II. OBSERVATIONS ON THE IMPORTANCE LAZARETTO IN ENGLAND. Having been led by the fimilarity of the fubjeft to extend my views from prifons and hojpitah to lazarettos, my chief intention in my laft tour was to colleft the regulations and plans of the lazarettos in Europe. On finding three Engliih fiiips performing a long and tedious quarantine at Malta, it occurred to me, that a lazaretto in England might lave time and expenfe, and for this real'on prove an advantage to our commerce. I therefore confulted on this fubjeft our confuls at Zante and Smyrna, Chancellor Boddington, and feveral intelligent and refpeftable merchants ; and requefted they would give me their opinions. The relult was their unanimous recommendation of fuch a defign. From the merchants I received the following letter at Conftantinople, of which they have given me leave to make what ufe I pleafe. SIR, Smyrna. Mer¬ chants Letter “ WE flatter ourfelves that no apology is neceflary for troubling you with this addrefs, calculated to convey to you every information we are mailers of, which we think may be of ufe to you in the attainment of the laudable end you have in view, to forward the interefts of fociety in general, and thofe of the nation in particular. We underftand that when the building of a lazaretto was agitated in England feme time ago, the chief obje&ion to it was the great expenfe it would be to the nation, which did not reap any adequate advantages by the Turkey trade. We are as much perfuaded that die want of a lazaretto in England has been the caufe of the Turkey trade not being, till now, more worth the notice of government, as that the eftabhfhment of one will render it an objeft of great importance to the nation. It will not only be produftive of the imme¬ diate advantages which flow from an extenfive and flourilhing trade, but will free the kingdom from the rifle it now runs of the plague being introduced into it. [ lazaretto will be produftive of thefe two ends, we hope to prove to your fatisfaftion by what we are now going to lay before you. It is enadled by Aft of Parliament, that when any vefifel loads for England, in any of the ports of Turkey, and departs with a foul bill of health, fuch veflels fhall perform quarantine at Malta, Leghorn or Venice: * the numberlefs hardfhips which this fubjefts » '• And be it further enaded-That no goods or merchandizes liable to retain the infeftion of the plague, • and coming from the Levant, without a clean bill of health, (hall be landed in any part of Great Britain or - Ireland - unlefs it (hall appear-that the faid goods-have been (efficiently opened and atred in the lazarets ■ of Malta, Ancona, Venice, Medina, Leghorn, Genoa, and MarfeUles, or one of them.” 26th G«. II. p.300. Sect. II. LAZARETTOS. our export trade to, amount almoft to a total fuppreflion of it. A Angle accident of the Smyrna. plague in this large city and its environs, or one brought from any other infected place, though this city may be entirely free from it, obliges the conful to iflue foul bills of health. Mer- As no information, to be depended upon, can be procured from the Turks concerning the CHANTS plague, and as the Greek nation is the next molt numerous one in the city, the confuls apply to the deputies of it for information, when there are any reports of the plague, and according to the anfwer they receive, they either iflue clean or foul bills of health. It often happens that the Greeks themfelves are authors of falfe reports concerning the plague, and that their deputies inform the confuls of accidents having happened in their nation, when in reality there is no plague in the city or its environs. The motive which induces them to give this falfe information is obvious. The Greeks carry on three- fourths of the Dutch as well as Italian trade : it is therefore their intereft (and unfortu¬ nately that of every other nation) to deprefs ours as much as poffible; and there is not a more effeftual method of doing this, than by obliging our veflels to go to perform a long and expenfive quarantine in the ports of the Mediterranean, by which means the cottons which form their principal loading, as well as the chief article of both trades are no lefs than Jeven months on their way to London. This long interval gives the Greeks time to load their fhips, and as they perform a very fliort quarantine in Holland (of the nature of which we fhall fpeak more particularly hereafter) they fupply our markets by copious exportations of the cottons that were loaded here at the fame time with ours, two or three months before our veflels can reach England. It is by this means that more than half the Turkey cottons confumed in England, are fupplied by the Dutch to the great fupport of their Turkey trade, and the ruin of ours; and it is by this means that, whilft our trade is facrificed by rigorous quarantine laws, to confiderations of national fafety, the plague may be introduced into the kingdom by the Dutch. To prove that this rilk actually exifts, and in no fmall degree, we need only inform you of the method in which Dutch veflels, loaded here m the height of the plague, perform quarantine in Holland. On their arrival at Helvoetfluys a doctor is fent on board of them to vifit the crew, which he does by feeling their pulfe; after which he immediately returns to the fliore, and reports the ftate of their healths: three or four days after this, the veflel is ordered to a place at a diftance from the reft of the lhipping, and two or three lighters are fent along fide, into which are only emptied the cottons that are in the ’tween decks, and the hatches are opened on pretence of airing the goods in the hold, which form the principal part of the cargo, and which remain untouched till the forty days are over; when they are un¬ loaded into the merchants warehoufes, or into the veflels deftined to tranfport them to England. Thus you fee Sir, that one part of the goods perform a flovenly quarantine, and the reft may be faid to perform none at all; for, as the air cannot penetrate into holds fo clofely flowed with cottons as they always are, the forty days they remain in the veflel after her arrival can only be confidered as forty days added to her paf- fage. In this manner cottons are brought into England that have undergone no purifi- E 2 cation 23 LAZARETTOS. Sect. II. S M Y R N A . cation at all; and if it fhould happen that they are infefted, nothing is more eafy than the infection’s being introduced into England by their means. Englifh veflels can only begin to load here direCt for England, forty days after the laft accident of the plague, and if any accident happen whilft they are in loading, they mult either go away immediately with the few goods they may have on board, or elfe they mult wait in port, on a cruel uncertainty, forty days after the lalt reported accident, whether real or invented, if they do not prefer the hard alternative of continuing their loading, and ooing away with a foul bill of health, to perform quarantine in fome of the lazarettos in the Mediterranean; on the contrary, Dutch veflels may be three months in loading, they may have taken the greateft part of their cargo in whilft the plague raged, and notwithftanding this, if they are in port forty days after the laft accident, clean bills of health are granted them, in virtue of which they only perform twenty- one days quarantine in the (lovenly manner above mentioned. Our government, has reafonably laid a quarantine on cottons imported into England from Holland; but we underftand that when this has been the cafe, the quarantine in Holland, fuch as it is, has been curtailed by the connivance of thofe who fhould regu¬ late it : by this manoeuvre, the end of our government in laying a quarantine, is entirely defeated. This total difregard of fo lerious an objeCt, as the regulation of qua¬ rantines muft be, to all nations, gives fo great an advantage to the Dutch Turkey trade over ours, that it induces their government, to overlook the rifles the nation incurs by it; and when reprefentations were made in Elolland on the neceflity of eftablifhing a lazaretto to obviate this rilk, and the fatal confequences which the introduction of the plague might be of to all Europe, the thrifty Hollanders, ever preferring the interefts of their trade, to thofe of humanity, would not allow fo forcible an argument to have any weight .with them; but gave for anfwer, that it would be time enough to think of a lazaretto ' when the Englifh had built one. The Dutch traders have fo decided a fuperiority over us at our own markets, that it is only the neceflity gentlemen are in to have returns, which can induce us to {hip any cottons at all during the exiftence of the plague here; for by arriving after our markets are fupplied, loaded befides with ten per ce „t. extra charges, incurred in the ports where they perform quarantine, they are fold to a confiderable lofs. This circumftance alone is fufficient to account for the prefent infigmficance of our trade, and the confequent little advantage the nation reaps from it. In what a different fituation would the eftablifhment of a lazaretto put it? By depriving the Dutch of the advantages they now enjoy, we fhould be able to fupply the whole quantity of cottons demanded at our markets; inftead of only lending five thoufand bales, we fhould fend more than double that quantity annually; and as by a fixed regulation of the Levant company, we can only purchafe the pro¬ ducts of this country with the produce of goods fent from England, the importation of our manufactures would increafe in the fame proportion. The quantity of fhipping employed in the trade would likewife be doubled, and by earning the freight which Sect. II. R E T T O S. is now paid to the Dutch, on the cottons they fend to England, it would be fo much clear gain to the nation, added to the advantages which would attend the exten- fion of its navigation, and the increale of the confumption of its manufactures; advan¬ tages which are now enjoyed by our rivals the Dutch, the profperity of whofe trade is founded on the ruin of ours. We are aware that the building of a lazaretto would coft the nation a confiderable fum of money; but we think the commercial advantages it would derive from it would alone be more than a compenfation for fuch a charge. It would not only be the fhips which load in the ports of Turkey, but thofe from all the ports in the Mediterranean, which would contribute to its fupport. Admitting, however, that the T urkey trade is not fo far worth the notice of govern¬ ment as to induce it to build a lazaretto for it, the confideration alone of its preferv- ing the nation from the great rifle it now evidently runs of fuch a great calamity as the plague being introduced into it, we prefume is of fufficient importance to make government determine on a mealure which every ftate in Italy has confidered fo neceflary, that the moft infignificant amongft them have their lazarettos. The know¬ ledge you have acquired of the plans and regulations of thefe, and every other lazaretto in Europe, in your prelent tour, is fo much luperior to any information we can give you, that we do not prefume to trouble you on the fubjeft. Should your reprefentations meet with the fuccefs they will deferve, the nation at large will experience in a new inftance, the advantages that can be derived from the purfuits of a individual, who, from the nobleft motives dedicates himfelf to the interefts of humanity, and we, as well as every other member of the Levant company, fhall confider ourfelves as indebted to you for the revival of our drooping trade.” CHANTS Letter. Smyrna, July 3, 1786. WILIAM BARKER, JOSEPH FRANEL, RICHARD LEE, jun. EDWARD LEE, ISAAC MORIER, JAMES HICKS GRIBBLE, ANTHONY HAYES, jun. FREDERICK HAYES, GEORGE PERKINS, THOMAS J. BARKER. I *1 I !' | I I This letter I /hewed to the two Engti/h houjes at Salonica for their approbation or diffent , and received the following anfwer. SIR, "WE have carefully read the above letter addrefled to you from the Faftory of Smyrna on the fubjeft of eftabliihing a lazaretto in England, and find the reafons given by thofe gentlemen in favour of the fame, fo ftrong, and fo exaftly our own opinion on the lubjeft, that we have nothing to add thereto, but to allure you that we fincerely wifh your endeavours may be crowned with fuccefs; as we are convinced the eftabliihing a lazaretto in England will be a means of greatly increafing our trade to the Levant, and of guaranteeing the nation from the rifle it now runs (in our opinion) of the plague being Sal 3 ° LAZARETTOS. Sect. II. being introduced from the negligent manner the (hips from Turkey perform quarantine in Holland. We have-&c.” JOHN OLIFER, Salonica, fitly 21, 1786. BARTHOLOMEW EDW. ABBOTT. To the foregoing letters, I will add the following reafons for a lazaretto in England, which I received from a very intelligent merchant in the Levant. Firjl. Our cotton manufadtories will then be regularly fupplied with Turkey cotton direftly from the place of its growth, and confequently there will no longer be any occafion for their being fupplied from Holland, France and Italy, as has been too much the cafe fince the confumption of this article in England has become fo very confiderable, to the no fmall prejudice of the nation: * as fuch cottons purchafed * Perhaps the trade to Turkey is more beneficial than to any other country ; for we there receive raw mate¬ rials, which we return manufactured : for cottons, by articles of agreement with the Ottoman court, are not paid for in money, (as hemp, iron See. are in Ruflia) but by our manufactured goods. This trade though dogged is dill confiderable, as may appear from the exports in the year 1786. t Account of Goods exported from London to T URKEY in the Tear 1786. 289 Bales qt. 1590 Cloths - £>5 0 O per Clo. £23850 0 0 1333 Bales -- 50140 Stuffs (Shalloons) 3 0 O - I5O42O 0 0 171 Bales — 17143 Muflins and Calicoes I 10 O - 25714 10 0 1642 Barrels and Chefts of Tin - 18 0 O - 29556 0 0 650 Boxes Tin Plates - 2 12 O - 169O 0 0 5330 Pieces Lead, 700 Fodder - - 19 0 O - 13300 0 0 1316* Barrels Lead Shot 230 Tons - 20 0 O - 4600 0 0 204 Parcels Cutlery and Hardware - - 40 0 O - 8l6o 0 0 45 Calks Refined Sugar 450 erwt. - 3 0 O - • 35 ° 0 0 66 Cafes Clocks and Watches - — 200 0 O - 13200 0 0 221 Bags Ginger 250 c-tvt. - — 2 0 O - 5OO 0 0 12 Calks Cochineal 2400/A - O 16 O - I92O 0 0 83 Calks Indigo 25000 - O 6 O - 75 °° 0 0 243 Bags Pepper 72900 - O 1 3 - 455 6 5 0 50 Barrels Gun-Powder - 3 0 O - 150 0 0 37 Cafes Fire Arms - - 40 0 O - O OO "t* 0 0 12 Cafks Coffee 100 c-vjI. - 4 0 O - 400 0 0 94 Parcels Earthen Ware - IO 0 O - 940 0 0 109 Coils Cordage - 10 0 O - IO9O 0 0 62 Puncheons Rum - - 15 0 O - 93 ° 0 0 130 Tons Logwood - IO 0 O - 1300 0 0 40 Tons Brazilletto Wood - 12 0 O - 480 0 0 49 Cafks of Pimento - - 40 0 O - i960 0 0 40 Calks Copperas - IO 0 O - 400 0 0 Total ,£295,446 15 o Sect. II. LAZARETTOS. in Turkey with the manufactures of the three nations above mentioned, are gene¬ rally (I believe we may fay always) again purchafed for the London market with bills of exchange upon London; whereas, the cottons imported by the Levant company can only be purchafed with the products of goods imported from England. 2. As it is calculated that at leaft one half of the cottons that are manufactured in England are purchafed in Holland, France and Italy ; * and as thefe cottons, it is prefumed will, after a lazaretto is built, be imported diretly from the place of their growth, there will confequently be employed near double the tonnage now employed by the Levant company, to tire no fmall advantage of the nation, arifing from the cleat- profit of the freights, the increafe of our navigation, and the increafe of our ex¬ ports in goods inftead of fpecie. j- 3. In anfwer to the objection that Turkey will not take off any more of our fabrics and ftaple commodities, than are now confirmed there, it fiiould be obferved, - that, as the importation of cotton into Holland, France and Italy, will decreafe for want of the ufual demand for the London market, their exports will alfo decreafe in propor¬ tion ; and confequently make room for a greater quantity of ours. The Dutch will no longer fend our tin and lead adulterated to the Turkey markets. They and the French will fend thither a lefs quantity of their cloth, and this will make more room for our fhalloons, which have already begun to give a fatal blow there to the French cloth trade. We may alfo fupply the Turks with part of thofe Eaft and Weft Indian commo¬ dities, which they now receive from the French, Dutch and other nations. 4. The building of a lazaretto in England, and the prohibition of the importation of any Turkey goods, any other way than direCtly, will be the efffeaual means to pre¬ vent the introduction of the plague, of which there is now very great danger, on account of the cottons that come to us by way of Holland. Thefe, though Ihipped in the Levant, in time of the plague, are while under quarantine in Holland never opened and aired, as is done in all the lazarettos in the Mediterranean, but forwarded to England in their original packages, where they perform again the fame flovenly qua¬ rantine; and are then fent down to our manufacturing towns, where they are firft un¬ packed, and where by this means the plague may very eafily be introduced. With regard to the danger of the introduction of the plague from Holland, the following mandated quotation from Dr. Hodges 's Treatife on the Plague of London in 1665, will confirm the opinion above ftated. “ With refpeCt to the origin of our * I am informed, that of eighteen thoufand bags of Turkey cotton ufed in England, fix thoufand only are imported from Turkey in Englifh bottoms. The reft we owe to Holland, Marfeilles and Leghorn. + The employment of ftamen is a point of importance to the public ; for great numbers of thofe who were difcharged at the conclufion of the late war, having been improvident, and not readily finding employment, fell into vices which terminated in their ruin. Of this I was convinced by my late vifits to the prifons. lIlL'n 32 THE PLAGUE. Sect. III. “ peftilence, I do not hefitate to affirm, from the fulleft authority of undeniable tefti- “ mony, that it firft entered this ifland by means of contagion, and was brought from « Plolland in merchandife imported from that country, where it had made great ravages « t he preceding year ; and if any one is defirous of inquiring further into its origin, I “ inform him, that if any credit is to be given to report, its feeds were brought into “ Holland from the Turkifh empire, along with cotton, which is a moft faithful pre- “ ferver of contagion.” Seftion II. I will add that a lazaretto in England would prevent the following danger. Some merchants in the Levant, when the fhips muft come out with foul bills, fend the cottons to the iflands, or fome other places which arc clear of infettion, there to perform quarantine. But this quarantine being (as 1 have feen) a very flight one, of only twenty days, and yet entitling the fliips to clean bills witii which they come to England, is by no means a fufficient fecurity. PAPERS SECTION III. RELATIVE TO THE PLAGUE. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE PLAGUE. O N my departure for my late tour, I was furnilhed by two of my medical friends. Dr. Aikin and Dr. Jebb, with a fet of queries refpefting the plague, to be put to fome of the moft experienced praftitioners in the places which I meant to viflt. I fulfilled this commiffion as well as I was able, and brought back the refult in feveral papers in the French and Italian languages, which Dr. Aikin, to whofe afiiftance I am indebted for a variety of profeffional matter in this work, has methodized and abridged lo as to form one connefted article. I here give it to the public; with a view of fhewing the opinions prevalent concerning that difeafe in the countries where it is beft known by experience, and thereby eftablifhing fome of the moft important falls relative to its prevention. Quest ion First. 1. Is the lnfellion of the Plague frequently communicated by the Touch ? Raymond, Phyfician, Marseilles. It is iometimes fo communicated. Demollins, Surgeon, Marseilles. There are inftances of perfons in the lazaretto who touch infected things and bodies without catching the difeafe; which is to be attii buted to their temperament of body. Giovanelli Sect. III. THE P L A G U E. Giovanelli, Phyjician to the Lazaretto at Leghorn. The plague cannot be com¬ municated without very near approach or touch of an infedted body or fubftance; and the air cannot be the vehicle of this infedtion. They, Pbyftcian to the Lazaretto at Malta. All who approach the atmofphere of a peftilential body may receive the infedtion by refpiration; and it is almoft always obferved that the contagion is received before approaching or touching the ftck perfon. Yet it may happen that a perfon may inhabit the fame chamber with, and even toucli a patient in the plague without being infedted; inftances of which I have known, Morandi, Phyfician, Venice. Contadt is one of the mod powerful and danger¬ ous means of communicating the infedtion; but for the developement of its eftedts a predifpofition in the receiving body is necelfary. Verdoni, Phyjician, Trieste. It is mod: frequently communicated by the touch. It has been given by a flower held and fmelt at, firft by two perfons who remained free, then by a third, who was feized and died in twenty-four hours. A Jew Physician of Smyrna. The infedtion is in reality communicated by the touch alone ; for all who keep from contadt of infedted perfons or things remain free. To the effedt of contadt, however, a certain difpofition of the air is neceflary ; for we often fee infedted perfons arrive from other countries, yet the difeafe does not lpread. But what this difpofition is, can fcarcely be conceived. Commonly, in this climate, the difeale appeals at the end of ipring, and continues to the middle of fummer, with this particularity, that in cloudy weather, and during the firocco wind, the attacks are more frequent. Alfo, in the fame diathefis of the air, fome receive the infedtion, while others expofed to the fame dangers efcape it. From obfervation it appears, that cachedtic perfons, and thofe of conftitutions abounding in acid, do not readily take it. The contagious miafms may lie dormant in the body for iome time without doing the leaft harm, till fet in motion by fudden fear, or the exceffive heat of a bath. Fra. Luigi di Pavia, Prior of the Hofpital of San Antonia at Smyrna. The plague is communicated by contadt, according to all the obfervations I have been able to make for eighteen years. 2. Does the Plague ever rife JpontaneouJly ? Raymond. Inconteftible experience daily proves that it only proceeds from contadt. Demollins. From all ages, the plague has only been brought to IVlarfciIles by merchan- dife, or perfons from beyond fea. Giovanelli. As the difeafe always appears with the fame fymptoms, it is probably not fpontaneous, but the confequence of a particular contagion. They. Some contagious fevers come of themfelves; others proceed from the commu¬ nication of contagion. The plague is thought to have originated in Egypt, and fpread itfelf from thence. Morandi. Question Second. 11 y THEPLAGUE. Sect. ILL Morandi. Contagious fevers do not arife of themfelves, but are always the produft of a peculiar poifon. Verdoni. I know no fever that can properly be called contagious, and doubt if even the plague can be confidered as fuch. My reafons are drawn from the very different manner in which the plague appears in different years ; and the different degree in which it fpreads. I therefore conclude that contagious fevers come of themfelves. Jew Physician. According to the moft ancient authorities, the plague has always been brought to Smyrna by contagion, and was never produced here. Fra. Luigi. Ancient and common obfervation in this city proves that the plague is derived folely from contagion. Question 3. To what diftance is the Air round the ■patient infchled? How far does aSiual contaSl— Third. -wearing infeEled clothes, or touching other things—produce the dijeafe ? Raymond. The infefted are converfed with without danger acrofs a barrier whiciT feparates them only a few paces. Demollins. The air round the patient is infefted more or lefs according to the degree- of the poifon which exhales. Here, in the lazaretto, they are fpoken with acrofs two barriers a few paces from each other, without fear of contagion. Hence it would appear that the plague is communicated only by the touch, or ftill' more by wearing infefted clothes. Giovanelli. If one fpeaks of an infefted perfon Ihut up in an unventilated chamber, it may be faid that the whole atmofphere is dangerous 5 but if one fpeaks of a patient ex- pofed to the open air, it lias been proved that the fphere of infeftion does not extend be¬ yond five geometrical paces from his body. Beyond this diftance one is in fafety. The actual touch of an infefted peribn or thing is proved to be very dangerous by fatal expe¬ rience ; but to what degree, is not afcertained. They. The infeaion only extends fome paces; and the miafrns at the diftance of about ten paces are fo correfted by the air, as to lofe all their aftivity. It may be communi¬ cated by touching infefted things, efpecially of a porous nature, as cloth, wool, fkins, &c._ Verdoni. From the moment of infeftion, to the time when nature has entirely difll- pated the contagious principle, which ufually happens in forty days, there is always a capa¬ city of communicating infeftion. The degree of infeftion is in proportion to the volume of air furrounding the patient; the air being what, abforbs, diffipates and deftroys the con¬ tagious principle. Infefted fubftances communicate the. difeat for many years, in pro¬ portion to the ventilation they have undergone, or of which they are futeptjble. Jew Physician. The degree of infeftion in the air about the fick depends upon the neater or lefs malignity of the difeafe, and other circumftances. The air about poor “atients is more infeftious than about the rich. Thefe things being eftabhfhed, I am of opinion,,. i SlCT. III. THE PLAGUE. 35 opinion, that in the greateft contagion one may fecurely fee a patient at the diftance of two ells (four braccia ) if the chamber windows be not all fhut. ■Fra. Luigi. The infedlion is greater or left i-n proportion to the virulence of the con¬ tagion ; but I have made no obfervation as to the diftance. The difeafe is communicated by contadl of all infedted things, and by clofe inlpiration of the breath of the lick. 4. What are the Seajons in which the Plague chiefly appears ; and what is the interval between the Infection and the Difeafe ? Raymond. The plague ihews itfelf at all feafons; but leis at the two folftices. Demollins. Great ravages may be made in all feafons, but principally in the greateft heats of fummer. From the infedtion to the difeafe is two or three days. Giovanelli. The plague appears at all times, in the fame manner as poifons at all times produce their effedts. But obfervation Ihews that its ravages are greater in hot fea¬ fons than in cold ; and it feems that fummer and the firft months of autumn are moft to be dreaded. There is no certainty as to the interval between the infedlion and the difeafe, as it depends on the particular conftitution of the patient. They. Warm moift feafons contribute to the produdlion of all contagious difeafes. The interval from the infedlion to the feizure is various, according to the virulence of the poifon and the conftitution of the patient. Sometimes it adls flowly, fometimes like a ftroke of lightning. Verdoni. The fpring is the principal feafon. Generally the difeafe Ihews itfelf at the inftant of the touch, like an eledlrical fhock. Sometimes a perfon retains the contagious principle without any fenfible effedt, and after feveral days communicates it unknowingly to a third, in whom, if predilpofed to the difeafe, it becomes adtive; or otherwife, it may be communicated to others fucceflively in the fame way, till it becomes diffipated and annihilated, as happened at Smyrna in 1783. In bodies predifpofed it very rarely conceals itfelf till the third day. Jew Physician. Anfwered in the firft. Fra. Luigi. The plague is moft fatal in Smyrna from April to July; and it is conftantly obferved that great colds and heats much diminifh it, and copious dews ■extinguilh it. The infedlion Ihews itfelf in twenty-four hours, more or left, according to the difference of temperament. 5. What are the first Symptoms of the Plague—are they not frequently a fwelling of the Glands of the Groin and Armpit ? F 2 Question- Fourth. Question Fifth, Raymond. THE PLAGUE. Sect. III. ) f. Raymond. The plague often conceals itfelf under the form of an inflammatory, ardent, or malignant fever. Tumours of the Glands are fometimes its firft fymptom. Demollins. The firft fymptoms of the plague vary; but the moll common are buboes in the armpit and groin, parotids, and carbuncles in various parts of the body. Giovanelli. The firft fymptoms are, debility, fever, exceftive thirft followed by great heat; after which, carbuncles or buboes appear in the parotids, armpits, and groin. This laft is fooner attacked than the armpit. They. Swellings in the armpits and groin are, indeed, the charafteriftics of the plague; yet they are neither the foie, nor the firft fymptoms; and often are not feen at all, as when the plague difguifes itfelf under the form of other difeafes. Morandi. Glandular fwellings are properly the fymptom of the fecond ftage, and are preceded by thofe febrile fymptoms which are immediately confequent upon the re¬ ception of the contagion; fuch as, pain in the head, drowfinefs, great proftration of ftrength, drynefs of the tongue, vomiting, hiccough, tremor, diarrhasa. Verdoni. Its firft fymptoms are relative to the conftitution of the year, and of the body leized, and the place where it was produced, or whence it came. In 1783 all the parts of Natalia were inferred; and the difeafe tranfported to Smyrna, which is in the centre, was extinguilhed without the death of a fingle perfon. Generally, the plague of Conftantinople tranfported to Smyrna does little harm. That of Egypt caufes havock as in every country. That of the Thebais is always cruel, and carried to lowei Egypt is fatal. The inguinal glands are the moft generally affected. Jew Pha'sician. The fwelling of the glands is feldom the firft fymptom. Patients are every day feen, who, being fuppofed ill oi another diforder, in two, three, or more days Anew glandular fwellings or carbuncles, by which the plague is manifefted. On the contrary, many, who from the ufual figns are fuppofed to have the plague, become well in a day or two without the leaft tumour or external appearance. The firft iymp- toms are, horripilation, or aftual fhivering, naufea or vomiting, lofs of ftrength, and fever. Thefe are common to many difeafes; but the pathognomonic figns are, a dif¬ ference in the pulfations of the two fides, with this circumftance, that fiom this diverfity a prognoftic arifes; it having been obferved, that if the pulfe on the fide of the tumour or carbuncle be greater or more frequent, it bodes well; whereas if it be fmaller, it fhews greater malignity, and there is more to be feared. Further, there is obferved among the firft fymptoms a vifible pulfation in the carotids, greateft on the affefted fide; and alfo a cryftalline vivacity m the eyes, with a kind of con tract ion and diminution of the eye on the fide affected. Fra. Luigi. The moft remarkable fymptoms of the plague are, turbidnefs and fpark- ling of the eyes, the tongue furred with a white mucus, and very red at its tip, fre¬ quent biting of the lips, violent pain in the head and inability to hold it up, a fenfe of Sect. III. THE PLAGUE of great cold in the loins, vomiting, debility. Swellings of the glands are not among the firft fymptoms. 6. Is it true that there are two different fevers with nearly the fame fymptoms, one of which is properly termed the Plague, and is communicated from a dijlance by the air, and without contain ; while the other, which is properly termed Contagion, is only communicated by the touch, or at leaf by near approach to infebled perfons or things ? Morandi. It is certain from multiplied obfervations, that there are two forts of pefti- lential fevers, fimilar in appearance; one of which proceeds from the contamination of the air alone, and is communicable to any diftance; the other is produced alone by contadl, or near approach. The former of thefe is properly termed a peftilential fever, the latter a contagious one. Verdoni. The diftin&ion of thefe fevers is ufelefs, fince the fame which is communi¬ cated by the touch is that alfo which is conveyed by the air to a certain diftance, efpecially in a clofe place. Jew Physician. That there are two kinds of plague is abfolutely to be denied ; yet fometimes it happens that perfons are attacked with the plague without knowing whence it came. Fra. Luigi. I hold it for certain that there is only one fpecies of plague, though differing in malignity. Question Sixth. 7. What is the Method of Treatment in the firft ft age — what in the more advanced Question periods — what is known concerning Bark, Snakeroot, Wine, Opium, pure Air, the appli- Seventh. cation of cold Water ? The difeafe is treated as inflammatory. No fpecific has been difcovered Raymond. for it. Demollins. At the beginning, bleeding, vomiting, purgatives, diluents, refrigerants and antifeptics are ufed; afterwards, antifeptics and cordials, relatively to the temperament and fymptoms. Giovanelli. The plague, caufmg always a difpofition to inflammation, and putrefac¬ tion, it is always proper to bleed proportionally to the ftrength, and to life a cooling regimen, with the vegetable acids. The repeated ufe of emetics is alfo propel both to cleanfe the firft paftages, and to difpofe the virus to pafs off by the fkin. In the progrefs, it is neceffary to favour the evacuation of the virus by that iffue which nature feems to point at. Thus, either antiphlogiftic purgatives are to be given, if nature points that way ; or fuppurative plafters are to be applied to any tumours which may ap¬ pear. Epifpaftics to the extremities are proper where nature wants roufing. The vitriolic acid in large dofes has been found very ferviceable in the plague with carbuncles, as was proved in the laft plague at Mofcow. When the inflammation is over, and marks of liip- puration Sect. III. puration appear, the bark with wine and other cordials is proper. The furgeon’s afliftance is requifite in the treatment of boils and anthraxes, which laft are feldom cured without the aftual cautery. They. In the beginning of peflilential fevers, bleeding is fometimes proper, and vo¬ mits almoft always. In their progrefs, frequent fubacid and cold drinks, the bark given liberally, and vitriolic acid, have been found powerful remedies when there was a diffolu- tion of the blood. Morandi. In the firft period, evacuations according to the peculiar circumftances of the cafe are proper. In the fecond, bark mixed with wine; and opium as a temporary fedative. Pure air is very neceffary; and fire, as a correftive, with the burning of antifep- tic and aromatic fubftances. Verdoni. As foon as a Chriftian finds he has got the plague, he eats caviare, garlic and pork ; drinks brandy, vinegar and the like, to raife the buboes. Upon thefe he ap¬ plies greafy wool, caviare, honey of rofes, dried figs &c. to bring them to fuppuration. The Turks and Arabs drink bezoar in powder with milk, and other fudorifics, to expel the virus. They vomit, and poffibly a fecond time. At Cairo they take opium, and cover themfelves with mattreffes in order to excite fweat; and though parched with heat and thirft, they drink nothing. They open the immature buboes with a red-hot iron. At Conftantinople and Smyrna they eat nothing, and drink much water and lemonade. The Jews drink a decoftion of citron feeds, lemon or Seville orange peel, and their own urine. They abftain fcrupuloufly from animal food. In 1700 a phyfician in Smyrna found bleeding very ufeful. Another, in another year, cured the plague by bleeding and an antiphlogiftic regimen. My brother in Cairo treated it like a pituitous biliary fever, with vomits, faponaceous attenuants, and antiphlogiftics, and fuccefsfully. Some failors in Conftantinople in the phrenfy of the plague, have thrown themfelves into the fea; and it is faid that on being taken out, they have recovered. My opinion upon the whole is, that the treatment ought to be relative to the particular conftitution of the year, and of the patient, by which the nature of the difeafe itfelf is greatly varied. Jew Physician. Bleeding in many cafes may be ferviceable, as I have known patients who were bled by miftake, recover; and others recovered from a mod defperate condition by a fpontaneous hsemorrhage. On the other hand, perfons have been apparently injured by both thefe circumftances. The difference of effea feems to depend on the ftate of the blood, whether it be difpofed to coagulation or diffolution. In the former, bleeding is ufeful! in the latter, hurtful. Vomits according to my experience have not fucceeded ; yet I fhould not hefitate to try ipecacuanha in fubftance, exhibiting half a fcruple at two or three times, in the expeftation that in this manner it would not run downwards. Bark may Sect. III. THE PLAGUE. 39 may be of ufe in diffolutions of the blood; and alfo fmall dofes of opium, and other medi¬ cines prudently adminiftered. In exceflive watchfulnefs I have known relief procured by anointing die temples with Ung. populeon. In a cafe of hiccough the Liquor Anod. Miner. Hoffmanni fucceeded with me. The Turks, in the violence of the fever, take handfuls of fnow and apply it over their bodies, and alfo eat it; and likewife fometimes throw cold water on their feet. But whether this is of fervice or no, cannot be determined ; as thefe people in other refpedts pay no regard to rules of diet. Fra. Luigi. They who pradtife empirically in the plague ufe none of the recited methods,, but only ftrong. fudorifics, and ventilation of the air; and complete the cure by proper treatment of the fores from fuppuration. S. When the Plague prevails, do the phyjicians prefcribe to thofe who have the diforder a more generous, or a more abjlemious diet ; and do they prefcribe any thing to the uninfected ? Jew Physician. In times of the plague, many are accuftomed to eat no flefh; others, no filh; but I know not whether from the advice of phyficians. For myfelf, I have been in many plague-years, but have made no alteration in- the management of myfelf. Fra. Luigi. In Smyrna, the plague is generally treated with a rigorous diet. They only ufe rice and vermicelli boiled in water; and fometimes, when the patient is too coftive, juices and herbs boiled without any feafoning. From time to time they give fome acid preferves, and raiffris, and in great heats feme (lender lemonade, and a dilh of good coffee with a bifeuit every day. For drink they only ufe toad and water; and they follow this abftemious regimen till the fortieth day of the difeafe is completed; after which they take chicken broth, lamb, and other food of eafy digeftion. 9. Are Convalefcents ftbjecl to repeated attacks from the fame infebiion ? Raymond. Not unlefs they touch fomething infedted. Demollins. Convalefcents are fent to fumigated chambers, and there are no- in- ftances of relapfe. Giovanelli. No inftances of relapfe after being well recovered from the firft attack have come to my knowledge; but they are liable to fail into other dborders; as con- fumption, hasmoptoe &c,. They. Convalefcents are without doubt liable to a relapfe, and authors are full- of inftances of it. In the plague of Medina, M. Cotogno fays that a man had fuccedively, fourteen buboes, and was cured at laft, Morandi. All convalefcents may relapfe. Verdoni. They have it not twice in the fame year. Jew Physician. Convalefcents are often attacked anew, and die; but this does not ufually happen from a frefli infedtion taken elfewhere,, but from fome remains of their own contagion, excited by intemperance in food, or the venereal act. QUESTION Eighth. Question Ninth. Fra. U E. Sect. III. Question Tje nth. Fra. Luigi. From irregularities in eating and drinking, bodily fatigue, affeftions of the mind, and efpecially anger, they are liable to repeated and very dangerous relapfes. io. What is the proportion of Deaths, and the ufual length of the difeafe ? Raymond. The mortality is different in different feafons and years. Demollins. In the plague of Marfeilles in 1720 half the inhabitants perifhed. The ufual length of the difeafe is that of other acute diforders, but longer when the tumours come to fuppuration. Giovanelli. The proportion of deaths is variable and uncertain. As to duration, when the difeafe is very acute and fatal, the patient generally dies within five days from the firft invafion of the fever, or firft marks of the plague. When he recovers, no cer¬ tain termination can be affgned. If the time of healing all the fores be reckoned, it may run on to three, four, five months, or more. They. The mortality is very various. Of ten whom I treated in the lazaretto, taree died. I have obferved that the fever ufually runs on to twenty or twenty-one days. Morandi. The bills of mortality of places vifited by the plague ufually amount to about thirty per cent, fometimes they rife to fifty. (Ide leems to mean of the whole number of inhabitants.) Verdoni. The proportion of deaths varies infinitely. It has been obferved that the Jews in Conftantinople and Smyrna lofe only one third, which is attributed to the care they take of their fick. At Cairo, on the other hand, they are the firft attacked, and lofe more than three fourths. The Turks lofe two thirds; other nations a little more or lefs: the Europeans at Cairo lofe five fixths. Sometimes it kills immediately; fometimes in twenty-four hours; commonly in three days. When the patient gets over the ninth day, there are great hopes of recovery, as the buboes are then fuppurated. They may, however, die within the fortieth day, efpe¬ cially if they commit any irregularity, the principal of which is eating flefh, which inftantly caufes a return of fever, and death. It never paffes beyond the fortieth day. Jew Physician. The mortality is various, as alfo the duration. Some die in two, three, or four days; fome hold out fix, eight or more. ripnemllv more die than furvive; but in our hnfoital of San Antonio of Smyrna, from the care taken of the fick, the number recovering has for eighteen years paft exceeded that of the dead. Quest,ON 11. What are the Means to prevent the Plague, to flop its contagion, and to purify Eleventh. infefted places ? Raymond. There is no other method of preferving one’s-felf from the plague, than avoiding the contaft of infefted things. Goods are purified by expofing them to the open air during forty days; and furniture by a ftrong fumigation with aromatics and ful P hur ' Demollins. Sect. III. Demollins. Here, in the lazaretto, infedted goods and furniture are expofed to current of air for forty days. The air of infedted places is purified by burning all forts of aromatic plants, and fulphur. Giovanelli. I he method of prevention is, to avoid all communication with infedted perfons or goods. The means of flopping the contagion form a body of police, too extenfive to be here mentioned. They. The means of prevention, befides avoiding infected things and perlbns, are, fobriety in living, the ufe of vinegar externally and internally, and an iffue. Infedted places are purified by fumigation and ventilation, by fcraping the lime from the walls (which is then thrown into the fea) and white-wafhing them anew with lime and fea water, by wafhing the floors, windows, doors &c. firft with fea water, then with vinegar; taking great care to leave nothing that is infedted. The bodies of the dead are buried in a place fet apart for that purpofe; and their beds and bedding are burned. As to other things, not ufed during the illnefs, the linen is wafhed with foap and ley; the woollen clothes are put into fea water for two days, and then ventilated for twenty days; thofe which would be fpoiled by water are hung on a line in the air for forty days, and fumigated from time to time according to their quality. Morandi. A fire is to be kept confbantly in the fick chamber, in all feafons. All feces &c. are to be immediately removed. Clean Ihirt and fheets daily. The healthy muft avoid commerce with the infefted; muft purge gently now and then, fmoke tobacco, drink pure wine medicated with wormwood, gentian, zedoary &c. and avoid fear and other paffions, and excefs of all kinds. Jew Physician. No means of prevention are ufed in the Turkifli dominions. Fra. Luigi. The means uled for flopping the contagion are purifying places and things by fire, water, and air. Verdoni. The beft prefervatives are reckoned to be, fprinkling the room with vinegar, perfumes, ventilation, and fumigation. The Greeks in Smyrna, during Lent, when they eat only vegetables, are very feldom attacked; while among thofe who eat flefli the contagion makes great havock. Hence the beft means of prevention are to eat moderately, and not at all of animal food; to drink water and vinegar ;* to fprinkle the chamber with the latter, and ufe frequent ventilation; to change the clothes, efpecially the linen, daily, hanging in the air for ten or fifteen days thofe that have been ufed. For fuppreffing the infedtion, every thing is to be wafhed that can undergo that operation, and the walls of the chamber to be whitened with lime; but after the 24th of June ijo further care is taken. A perfon m a very high ftation at Conftantinople, told me, that when he had the plague in that city, he lived almoft entirely on green tea ; to which he attributed his perfeft cure of that diforder: and I muft add, I have heard of fome who have made the fame ufe of brandy, and yet have recovered. G The I 42 THE PLAGUE. Sect. III. OBSERVATIONS. Observa- Though there are various points in which the anfwerers of the preceding queftions ti°ns. difagree, yet it is with pleafure I obferve that they all in the molt explicit manner concur in reprefenting the plague as a contagious difeafe, communicated by near approach to, or aftual contaft with infefted perfons or things. This is a fa£t of the greateft importance to be eftablilh- ed, as all the propofed means of prevention by cutting off communication with the fources of infeftion, muft depend upon it: it is a faft too, which one would fuppofe after fuch mani¬ fold and repeated experience, no one would now call in queftion. Yet a late medical writer of reputation. Dr. Maximilian Stoll of Vienna, has not fcrupled publicly to hazard an opi¬ nion, that the plague is not contagious; and this even with a view to the natural but mod dangerous confequence, that the ufual means of preventing its fpread from one country to another by reftriftions on commercial intercourfe, are unneceffary and improper. This do&rine is afferted in his Pars Jecunda Rationis Medendi , printed at Vienna in 177S (Vid. p. 59 and feq.). It does not belong to me to enter into a medical deputation on this head ; yet I cannot avoid obferving, that it appears very ftrange and fufpicious, that he fhould go back to Livy’s Roman Hiftory for proofs to eftablifh his point, totally neglefting all the fadts concerning the numerous vifitations of the plague recorded in modern medical books, or which had happened during his own time. I fuppofe profefiional men will lay very The ingenious Dr. Scbotte, in a treadle on a contagious fever, which raged at Senegal in the year 177S, and proved fatal to the greatef part of the Europeans, and to a number of the natives, (publilhed in 1782 by Murray in Fleet-ilreet) confident the following among the predifpofing caufes of the difeafe :—the garrifon fub id ft - ing, during the whole year, chiefly upon animal food, particularly upon frelh beef which is fupplied by the Moorsthe brackilh well-water in which their vifluals are boiled, and which ferves them as conftant drink the impure air breathed by many of the (laves, who are locked up together in the fame room during the nightand the leant of motion during the day time, which the irons on their feet impofe on them. Among the means of preventing the difeafe, the doftor mentions the neceffity of temperance in eating, drink¬ ing See. yet he acknowledges that governor Clarke lived very regularly in every refpefl; he took the tiniflure « of bark and bitters three times a day, and ufed every other precaution to avert the difeafe, but ineffeflually.” This German phyfician has faid much in praife of wine, and tells us : “ From my own experience I believe it ^at wine has in fome degree a power of expelling a newly-received infection, or at leaf of contributing towards “ its expulfion. And the ufe of this with farfaparilla he thinks was the means of curing himfelf of that difeafe It yet ’> hi adds, page 158; “as the only European, who efcaped this difeafe entirely, did not make the lead ufe of II any fpirituous liquor, I would confine my advice to fuch perfons only, as are accuftomed to it. The perfon in “ queltion, who affords this very ftriking exception, is a Mr. Hare, mailer of a merchant Ihip, who had been “ at Senegal backwards and forwards for feveral times, but was reliding there, at the time the difeafe raged, and n for two years before. He was more expofed to the infection than many others, for he lived in the houfe of a a dreadful-looking patient, who was fwelled and puffed up, before he died, like a putrid corpfe. He alfo waited a on him out of humanity day and night, becaufe the blacks were afraid of going near him, on account of his “ moll dreadful appearance. He never drank a drop of any fpirituous liquor, not even beer or cyder, and he “ told me, that he had not for ten years pall, but that he had made ufe of it before that time. His only drink