A treatise of the plague containing the nature, signes, and accidents of the same, with the certaine and absolute cure of the feuers, botches and carbuncles that raigne in these times: and aboue all things most singular experiments and preseruatiues in the same, gathered by the obseruation of diuers worthy trauailers, and selected out of the writing of the best learned phisitians in this age. By Thomas Lodge, Doctor in Phisicke.

The causes and cures of the Plague.

CHAP. 1. Of the nature and essence of the Plague.

THe Diuine Philosopher Plato (declaring vnto vs in diuers of his Dialogues, the perfect way and path, whereby we may rightly intreat, and skilfully procéede, in the discouery of any thing) saith, That it behoueth euery man, that indeuoureth by Art and methode to attaine the perfect knowledge of that whereof he standeth in doubt, or is desirous to instruct an other in any Science what∣soeuer, to begin with the definition of the same, without the perfect grounds and vnderstanding whereof, nothing may be either worthily knowne, or truly explicated: (which lesson of his, both Tully in his Offices, and Gallen in his Booke of the differences of sicknesses haue very carefully obserued:) Since therefore in this Treatise of mine, I am purposed (by the grace and assistance of Almightie God) to manifest vnto you the na∣ture, malignitie, and accidents of the Plague, to the intent and purpose that I may instruct you after what manner you may withstand a sicknesse so gréeuous, and accompanied with so diuers and dangerous accidents, by those meanes and medi∣cines, which God of his mercy hath left vs, by the noble Art of Phisicke, it shall not be amisse, if for your better vnderstanding what the plague is, I take my beginning from the definition

of the same. But before I prosecute this my intended pur∣pose, let vs inuocate and call vpon that diuine bountie, from whose fountaine-head of mercy euery good and gracious be∣nefit is deriued, that it will please him to assist this my labor, and charitable intent, and so to order the scope of my inde∣uour, that it may redound to his eternall glory, our neigh∣bours comfort, and the speciall benefite of our whole Coun∣trey: which being now vnder the fatherly correction of Al∣mightie God, and punished for our misdéeds by his heauy hand, may thorow the admirable effects and fruites of the sacred Art of Phisicke, receiue preuention of their daunger, and comfort in this desperate time of visitation: To him ther∣fore king of kings, inuisible, and onely wise, be all honor, ma∣iestie and dominion, now and for euer, Amen.

The Plague then (as Galen witnesseth, is a pernicious and daungerous Epidemie, (that is to say, a generall, or po∣pular sicknesse) which violently rauisheth all men for the most part to death, without respect or exception of age, sexe, com∣plexion, gouernment in life, or particular condition whatso∣euer: And therefore is it worthily called pernicious, because there can be nothing more daungerous then the same, which by the malignitie and violence therof, inforceth sodaine death, and by the proper nature, proprietie and contrarietie it hath with our bodies, killeth mankind no lesse readily, then violent∣ly. But that you may more exactly vnderstand what y^e plague is, you ought to note that there are diuers sorts of sicknesses; that is to say Epidemick, Endemick plague, and priuate dis∣ease, (as Galen witnesseth in diuers places:) An Epidemick plague, is a common and popular sicknesse, hapning in some region, or countrey, at a certaine time, caused by a certaine in∣disposition of the aire, or waters of the same region, producing in all sorts of people, one and the same kind of sicknesse; as namely burning Feuers, Tertian Agues, Opthalimes, or in∣flammation of the tunicle of the eies, Carbuncles, or Collicks, or general and gréeuous coughes, accompanied with shortnes of breath, or disenteries, or fluxes of blood, which vniuersally and very often times raigne in some countries about the end

of sommer: All which sicknesses when as they are common in any particular place or region, are called Endemick, which is as much to say, as sicknesses happening publikely & popularly in the same region or country, by a certaine euil qualitie of the aire that raigneth therein, and produceth such like infirmities in mens bodies. For as both Galen and the diuine olde man Hypocrates do testifie, euery sicknesse that procéedeth from the aire infected with a venemous qualitie, that is the cause which produceth and begetteth the same, is in his essence Epi∣demick, popular, and pestilentiall. Thus farre according to the fathers of Phisicke haue I truly discouered what Epidemick is. Endemick is a common sicknesse, and yet for all that pro∣per to some one country or region: which is as much to say, as a regional, or prouincial sicknesse: For there are certain re∣gions and places which by a peculiar propertie in themselues engender certaine kindes of infirmities, which are particular only to the inhabitants of that region, either by occasion of the aire, or the waters in that country. As in the new found land (discouered by the Portugalls and Spaniards) in that Iland which is called Hispaniola, and other places of India, there raigne certaine pustules or broad seabs, (not much vnlike the French poxes) wherewith almost all the inhabitants of the country are infected, the remedy whereof they haue gathered from the infusion of the wood of Guaiacum, whence the vse thereof with very fruitfull successe hath bene discouered and proued forcible here in Europe. In Sauoy and the valley of Lucernes, the most part of the inhabitants haue a swelling in the throate. In Pouille and Calabria, for the most part all the inhabitants haue y^e Iaundis. And such sicknesses as are these, are called Endemiques, prouintiall or regionall infirmities, yet for all that they are not to be accounted pestilentiall or conta∣gious: The Plague as I haue said, is a pernicious Epidemie, that is to say, a common and popular sicknesse, which is both contagious & mortall. A priuate sicknesse is that which is parti∣cular & proper to any one in priuate, procéeding from particu∣lar indisposition of the body of him that is attained, or by rea∣son of some disorderly dyet by him obserued, or rather by some

excesse committed by him, or through the corruption of the hu∣mours in his bodie, yet not contagious; but such an infirmitie as neither is frée from daunger, nor exempted from mortalitie. These are the differences of such sicknesses as serue for our purposes to declare the nature of the Plague, which in her proper signification is a popular and contagious sicknesse, for the most part mortall, wherein vsually there appeare certaine Tumors, Carbuncles, or spottes, which the common people call Gods tokens: which Plague procéedeth from the vene∣mous corruption of the humors and spirits of the body, infected by the attraction of corrupted aire, or infection of euil vapours, which haue the propertie to alter mans bodie, and poyson his spirits after a straunge and daungerous qualitie, contrary and mortall enemy to the vitall spirits, which haue their residence in the heart: by reason whereof it suddainly rauisheth & shortly cutteth off mans life, who for the most part is attainted with such a venemous contagion: And for that we haue saide that the plague is a popular and contagious sicknesse, it shall not be amisse to declare and plainly discouer, what these wordes Popular, and Contagious, do signifie. Popular and Epide∣mich, haue one and the same signification; that is to say, a sick∣nesse common vnto all people, or to the moste part of them. Contagion, is an euil qualitie in a bodie, communicated vnto an other by touch, engendring one and the same disposition in him to whom it is communicated. So as he that is first of all attainted or rauished with such a qualitie, is called contagious and infected. For very properly is he reputed infectious, that hath in himselfe an euil, malignant, venemous, or vitious dis∣position, which may be imparted and bestowed on an other by touch, producing the same and as daungerous effect in him to whom it is communicated, as in him that first communica∣teth and spreddeth the infection. This sicknesse of the Plague is commonly engendred of an infection of the Aire, altered with a venemous vapour, dispearsed and sowed in the same, by the attraction and participation whereof, this dangerous and deadly infirmitie is produced and planted in vs, which

Almightie God as the rodde of his rigor and iustice, and for the amendment of our sinnes sendeth downe vppon vs, as it is written in Leuiticus the 26. Chapter, and in Deuteronomy the 28. If you obserue not my Commaundements saith our Lord, I will extinguish you by the Plague which shall consume you. To the like effect is that of Celsus (a man of fa∣mous memorie amongst our Phisitions) who very learnedly saith, that all straunge sicknesses befall mortall men, by rea∣son of the wrath and displeasure of the Goddes, and that the necessary meanes to finde recouery and remedie for the same, is to haue recourse vnto them by intercession and prayer••. The same also testifieth Homer (the soueraigne of all diuine Science & Poeticall perfection) in the first booke of his Iliades. Since therefore it is euident by the testimonies abouesaid, that the Plague is a manifest signe of the wrath of God conceiued against vs, the first and most wholesome remedie is to haue recourse vnto him, who is the Father of mercy, and soueraign Phisition of all infirmities, imploring his grace and mercy, by fastings, praiers, and supplications, by almesdéeds, good works, and amendment of life, to the ende we may appease and pa∣cifie his wrath, and reconcile our selues vnto him, and ob∣taine his grace and mercy, according to the example of peni∣tent Dauid, and the contrite Niniuites. In imitation of whome, if we shall haue our recourse vnto his mercy seat, we may rest assured that he will beholde vs with his eye of pittie, and graunt vs both health of soule and bodie, accor∣ding vnto his promises made vnto those who call vpon him in humilitie and sinceritie of hart and conscience. Sée here the first rule.