The workes of that famous chirurgion Ambrose Parey translated out of Latin and compared with the French. by Tho: Johnson. Whereunto are added three tractates our of Adrianus Spigelius of the veines, arteries, & nerves, with large figures. Also a table of the bookes and chapters.

CHAP. III. Of the Natural causes of the Plague, and chiefly of the Seminary of the Plague by the corruption of the Air.

* 1.1THe general and natural causes of the Plague are absolutely two, that is, the infection of corrupt air, and a preparation and fitness of corrupt humors to take that infection; for it is noted before, out of the doctrine of Galen, that our humors may be corrupted, and degenerate into such an alienation as may equal the malignity of poyson.

The air is corrupted, when the four seasons of the year have not their seasonableness, or dege∣nerate from themselves, either by alteration or by alienation: as if the constitution of the whole year be moist and rainy,* 1.2 by reason of gross and black clouds; if the Winter be gentle and warm, without any Northerly winde, which is cold and dry, and by that means contrary to putrefaction; if the Spring, which should be temperate, shall be faulty in any excess of distemper; if the Au∣tumn shall be ominous by fires in the air, with stars shooting, and as it were falling down, or ter∣rible comets, never seen without some disaster; if the Summer be hot, cloudy and moist, and without winds, and the clouds flie from the South into the North. These and such like unnatu∣ral constitutions of the seasons of the year, were never better, or more excellently handled by any, then by Hippocrates in his Books Epidemion. Therefore the air from hence draws the seeds of corruption and the pestilente, which at length, the like excess of qualities being brought in, it sends into the humors of our bodies, chiefly such as are thin and serous; although the pestilence doth not alwaies necessarily arise from hence, but some-whiles some other kind of cruel and in∣fectious disease.

* 1.3But neither is the air only corrupted by these superiour causes, but also by putrid and filthy stinking vapors spread abroad through the air encompassing us, from the bodies and carkasses of things not buried, gapings and hollownesses of the earth, or sinks and such like places being ope∣ned: for the sea often overflowing the land in some places, and leaving in the mud or hollow∣nesses of the earth (caused by earth-quakes) the huge bodies of monstrous fishes, which it hides in its waters, hath given both the occasion and matter of a plague. For thus in out time, a Whale cast upon the Tuscan shore, presently caused a plague over all that country,

But as fishes infect and breed a plague in the air, so the air being corrupted often, causeth a pestilence in the sea among fishes, especially when they either swim on the top of the water, or are infected by the pestilent vapors of the earth lying under them, and rising into the air through the body of the water, the later whereof Aristotle saith, hapneth but seldom.* 1.4 But it often chan∣ceth, that the plague raging in any country, many fishes are cast upon the coast, and may be seen lying on great heaps. But sulphureous vapors, or such as partake of any other malign qualiy, sent forth from places under ground, by gapings and gulfs opened by earth-quakes, not only corrupt the air, but also infect and raint the seeds, plants, and all the fruites which we eat, and so transfer the pestilent corruption into us, and those beasts on which we feed, together with our norishment. The truth whereof Empedocles made manifest, who by shutting up a great gulf of the earth, opened in a valley between two mountains, freed all Sicily from a plague caused from thence.

If winds rising suddenly shall drive such filthy exhalations from those regions in which they were pestiferous, into other places, they also will carry the plague with them thither.

If it be thus, some will say, it should seem that wheresoever stinking and putrid exhalations a∣rise, as about standing-pools, sinks and shambles, there should the plague reign, and straight suffocate with its noysom poyson the people which work in such places: but experience finds this false.

We do answer, that the Putrefaction of the Plague is far different,* 1.5 and of another kinde then this common, as that which partakes of a certain secret malignity, and wholly contrary to our lives, and of which we cannot easily give a plain and manifest reason. Yet that vulgar putrefacti∣on wheresoever it, doth easily and quickly entertain and welcome the pestiferous contagion, as often as, and whensoever it comes, as joyned to it by a certain familiarity, and at length, it self degenerating into a pestiferous malignity, certainly no otherwise then those diseases which arise in the plague-time, the putrid diseases in our bodies, which at the first wanted vi••ulency and contagion, as Ulcers, putrid Fevers, and other such diseases,* 1.6 raised by the peculiar default of the humors, easily degenerate into pestilence, presently receiving the tainture of the plague, to which they had before a certain preparation. Wherefore in time of the Plague, I would advise all men to shun such exceeding stinking places, as they would the plague it self, that there may be no preparation in our bodies, or humors to catch that infection (without which, as Galen tea∣cheth, the Agent hath no power over the Subject, for otherwise in a plague-time, the sickness would equally seize upon all) so that the impression of the pestiferous quality may presently follow that disposition.

But when we say the air is pestilent, we do not understand that sincere, elementary,* 1.7 and sim∣ple, as it is of its own nature, for such is not subject to putrefaction; but that which is polluted with ill vapors rising from the earth, standing-waters, vaults, or sea, and degenerates, and is changed from its native purity and simplicity. But certainly amongst all the constitutions of the air, fit to receive a pestilent corruption, here is none more fit then an hot, moist and still season; for the excess of such qualities easily causeth putrefaction. Wherefore the south winde reigning,* 1.8 which is hot and moist, and principally in places near the sea, there flesh cannot long be kept, but it presently is tainted and corrupted.

Further, we must know, that the pestilent malignity which riseth from the carkasses or bodies of men, is more easily communicated to men; that which riseth from oxen, to oxen; and that which comes from sheep, to sheep; by a certain sympathy and familiarity of Nature: no other∣wise then the Plague which shall seize upon some one in a Family, doth presently spread more quickly amongst the rest of the Family, by reason of the similitude of temper, then amongst o∣thers of an other Family, disagreeing in their whole temper. Therefore the air thus altered and estranged from its goodness of nature, necessarily drawn in by inspiration and transpiration, brings in the seeds of the Plague, and so consequently the Plague it self, into bodies prepared and made ready to receive it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  THe general causes of the Plague. Lib 6. de loc. affectis.
• * 1.2

  How the Sea∣sons of the year may be said to want their seasona∣bleness.
• * 1.3

  How the air may be cor∣rupted.
• * 1.4

  Lib. 8. hist ••∣nim.
• * 1.5

  Pestiferous putrefaction is far different from ordinary putrefaction.
• * 1.6

  In a pestilent constitution of the air, all diseases become pestilent. Lib. 1. de differ•• f••b.
• * 1.7

  How the air may be said to putrefie.
• * 1.8

  A Southerly constitution of the air is the fuel of the Plague.