The workes of that famous chirurgion Ambrose Parey translated out of Latine and compared with the French. by Th: Johnson

CHAP. VI. By using what cautions in Aire and Diet, one may prevent the Plague.

HAving declared the signes fore-shewing a Pestilence: now wee must shew by what meanes we may shun the imminent danger thereof, and * 1.1 defend our selves from it. No prevention seemed more certaine to the Ancients, than most speedily to remove into places farre distant from the infected place, and to be most slow in their returne thither a∣gaine. But those, who by reason of their businesse or employments, cannot change their habitation, must principally have care of two things: The first is, that they * 1.2 strengthen their bodies, and the principall parts thereof against the daily imminent invasions of the poyson, or the pestiferous and venenate Aire. The other, that they abate the force of it, that it may not imprint its virulency in the body; which may be done by correcting the excesse of the quality inclining towards it, by the opposition of its contrary. For if it bee hotter than is meet, it must bee tempered with cooling things; if too cold, with heating things: yet this will not suffice. For wee ought be∣sides, to amend & purge the corruptions of the venenate malignity diffused through it, by smels and perfumes resisting the poyson thereof. The body will be strengthe∣ned and more powerfully resist the infected Aire, if it want excrementitious hu∣mours, which may be procured by purging and bleeding, and for the rest a conveni∣ent diet appointed, as shunning much variety of meats, and hot and moyst things, and * 1.3 all such which are easily corrupted in the stomacke; and cause obstructions, such as those things which be made by Comfit-makers; we must shun satiety and drunken∣nesse, for both of them weaken the powers, which are preserved by the moderate use of meats of good juice.

Let moderate exercises in a cleare Aire, and free from any venemous tainture, pre∣cede your meales.

Let the belly have due evacuation either by Nature or Art.

Let the heart, the seat of life, and the rest of the bowels be strengthened with Cor∣dials and Antidotes applyed and taken (as wee shall hereafter shew) in the forme of epithemes, ointments, emplasters, waters, pills, powders, tablets, opiates, fumigations, and such like.

Make choice of a pure Aire & free from all pollution, & far remote from stinking places, for such is most fit to preserve life, to recreate and repaire the spirits; where * 1.4 as on the contrary, a cloudy or mistie Aire, and such as is infected with grosse and stinking vapours, duls the spirits, dejects the appetite, makes the body faint and ill coloured, oppresseth the heart, and is the breeder of many diseases.

The Northern wind is healthfull, because it is cold and dry. But on the contrary, the Southerne wind, because it is hot and moyst, weakens the body by sloth or dul∣nesse, * 1.5 opens the pores, and makes them pervious to the pestiferous malignity. The Westerne winde is also unwholesome, because it comes neere to the nature of the Southerne: wherefore the windowes must bee shut up on that side of the house on which they blow, but opened on the North and East side, unless it happen the Plague come from thence.

Kindle a cleare fire in all the lodging Chambers of the house, and perfume the * 1.6 whole house with Aromatick things, as Frankinsence, Myrthe, Benzoine, Ladanum, Styrax, Roses, Myrtle-leaves, Lavender, Rosemary, Sage, Savory, wilde Time. Mar∣jerome, Broome, Pine-apples, pieces of Firre, Juniper berries, Cloves, Perfumes: and let your cloathes be aired in the same.

There be some, who think it a great preservative against the pestilent Aire, to keep a Goat in their houses, because the capacity of the houses, filled with the strong sent which the Goat sends forth, prohibits the entrance of the venemous Aire: which same reason hath place also in sweet smels; and besides, it argues, that such as are hun∣gry * 1.7 are apter to take the Plague, than those who have eaten moderately: for the bo∣dy is not onely strengthened with meat, but all the passages thereof are filled by the vapours diffused from thence, by which otherwise the infected Aire would finde a more easie entrance to the heart.

Yet the common sort of People yeeld another reason for the Goat, which is, that one ill sent drives away another, as one wedge drives forth another; which calleth to my mind that which is recorded by Alexander Benedictus, that there was a Scythian * 1.8 Physician, which caused a Plague, arising from the infection of the Aire, to cease, by causing all the dogs, cats, & such like beasts which were in the City, to be killed, and cast their carcasses up & down the streets, that so by the comming of this new putride vapour as a stranger, the former pestiferous infection, as an old guest, was put out of its Lodging, & so the Plague ceased. For poysons have not onely an antipathy with * 1.9 their Antidotes, but also with some other poysons.

Whilest the Plague is hot, it is not good to stirre out of doore before the rising of the Sunne: wherefore wee must have patience, untill hee have cleansed the Aire with the comfortable light of his Beames, and dispersed all the foggy and noctur∣nall pollutions, which commonly hang in the Aire in dirty, and especially in low places and Vallies.

All publike and great meetings and assemblies must be shunned.

If the Plague begin in Summer, and seeme principally to rage, being helped for∣ward * 1.10 by the summers heat, it is the best to performe a journey begun, or undertaken for performance of necessary affaires, rather upon the night time, than on the day, because the infection takes force, strength and subtlety of substance, by which it may more easily permeate and enter in, by the heat of the Sun; but by night mens bodies are more strong, and all things are more grosse and dense. But you must observe a cleane contrary course if the malignity seeme to borrow strength, and celerity from coldnesse. But you must alwayes eschew the beames of the Moone, but espe∣cially * 1.11 at the full: For then our bodies are more languid and weake, and fuller of ex∣crementitious humours. Even as trees which for that cause must be cut down in their season of the Moone, that is, in the decrease thereof.

After a little gentle walking in your Chamber, you must presently use some means that the principall parts may be strengthened by suscitating the heat & spirits, & that the passages to them may be filled, that so the way may bee shut up from the infecti∣on comming from without. Such as by the use of garlick have not their heads trou∣bled, * 1.12 nor their inward parts inflamed, as Countrey people, and such as are used to it, to such there can can bee no more certaine preservative and antidote against the pe∣stiferous

fogs or mists, and the nocturnall obscurity, than to take it in the morning with a draught of good wine; for it being abundantly diffused presently over all the body, fils up the passages thereof, and strengtheneth it in a moment.

For water, if the Plague proceed from the tainture of the Aire, wee must wholly * 1.13 shun and avoyd raine-water, because it cannot but bee infected by the contagion of the Aire. Wherefore the water of Springs, and of the deepest Wells are thought best. But if the malignity proceed from the vapours contained in the earth, you must make choice of Raine-water. Yet it is more safe to digest every sort of water by boi∣ling it, and to preferre that water before other, which is pure and cleare to the sight, and without either tast or smell, and which besides suddenly takes the extremest mu∣tation of heat and cold.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Change of pla∣ces the surest prevention of the Plague.
• * 1.2

  Two things of chiefe account for prevention.
• * 1.3

  Diet for preven∣tion of the Plague.
• * 1.4

  Discommodi∣ties of a cloudy or toggy aire.
• * 1.5

  Why the South wind is pesti∣lent.
• * 1.6

  The efficacy of fire against the Plague.
• * 1.7

  Moderate re∣ple••ion good for prevention.
• * 1.8

  A strange art to drive away the Plague.
• * 1.9

  The antipathy of poysons with poysons.
• * 1.10

  Whether in the plague time one must travell by night or by day.
• * 1.11

  Why the Moon is to be shun∣ned.
• * 1.12

  Garlick good a∣gainst the Plague.
• * 1.13

  What water to be made choice o•• in the Plague time.