IS this Conſtitution of the Aire peſtilentiall?

Hippocrates gives a Deſcription of a Peſtilentiall Conſtitution. Carbunculi in Cranone aeſtivi, circa Arcturum pluviae multae flante Auſtro. Much Rain about the middle of Auguſt, the South-winde blowing; a Southerly Conſtitution and much Rain, the Spring before; the Winter before that Southerly and moiſt, thence Carbuncles and hot Bliſters. I thinke the Seaſons of this Yeare have not been ſuch. 'Tis true that in Epidemicall Diſeaſes, which take many away, ſome are Peſtilentiall, ſome onely Maligne of an ill Nature; yet their ill Seminaries eaſily become venomous. So Maligne ſpotted Feauers may precede Peſtilentiall; yet a Peſtilentiall Feaver may be without a Plague, and a Plague without a Peſtilentiall Feaver.1. De differ. Feb. So Galen ſayes. A Plague followes all Diſeaſes, and may ſtrike you ſuddenly without a Feaver. The laſt Yeare more died of thoſe ſpotted Feavers than now, as our Sextons ſay.

Theſe Feavers now are Peſtilentiall, from the putrefaction of the humours in a high degree, which the Tumours and Sores witneſſe: the Plague then is in the humours now, as earſt it was in the ſpirits, in the ſweating ſickneſſe which was Ephemera pestilens, according to the beſt Phyſitians. Now putrid humorall Feavers may be either Maligne or Peſtilentiall, according to the ſeverall degrees of putrefaction in the humours. And the Ancients, ſayes Galen, not knowing the great cauſe of corruption in the bloud; referred it to the Gods for their ſinnes: 'twere well if we did ſo too; for a high degree of corruption in the humours is argued by Plague-ſores; yet all that die here, die not of the Plague. Publique Authority hath carefully provided for it, even in their care to leſſen our feares: and we muſt be heedfull not to encreaſe them, by thinking that each man dies, to die of the Plague. Though this Town be infected, which I deny not, yet we muſt not increaſe the Infection. The Spots laſt Yeare were contagious, yet none ſhut up for them, I hereby perſwade none to ſtay here, but rather adviſe them to anſwer their feares and be gone. Aeſculapius his Temple was out of the City; and a receſſe thence may be for health, eſpecially when feare expoſes the heart to danger, and betrayes the Fort: onely the extent of our apprehenſions in dangers may be rightly bounded, conſidering by the true ſignes, whither the affliction which happens to particulars be peſtilentiall or otherwiſe.

Valeſius ſometimes Phyſician to the King of Spaine, In Epid. Hip. a learned man, carefully conſiders of humoral Feavers, whither they be Maligne or Peſtilentiall. In rotten peſtilentiall Diſeaſes, now Nature would disburden herſelfe, and therefore would vent thoſe putrid matters by the common ſinkes; it appeares in Sores in the glandulous parts, the Groine, the Arme-pits, yet Tumours in theſe parts are not alwayes peſtilentiall. Some quickly come up, and increaſe, are red, and ſuppurate quickly; a true ſigne of an inflammation onely.

So it may not perhaps be uſeleſſe to deſcribe what Sores are truly peſtilentiall.

There are either large blackevulgarly Tokens. Spots in the Plague, or peſtilent Tumours in the glandulous parts, as Groine, Arme-pits, &c. for ſo Bubones peſtiferi are deſigned to be, or Carbuncles.

Peſtilent Tumours are worſe than Carbuncles according to Ficinus, Bubo peſtifer. for the expulſion of the matter into the Tumour argues the principall parts to have been charged with it: but if it be a criticall Tumour, Nature is eaſed by it. Bubones in Febribus male exceptis diariis. Hip. If in colour they be yellowiſh, livid, or blacke, they are the worſe; if they go backe they are moſt dangerous; thoſe under the Arme-pits, are worſe than elſewhere; next thoſe in the necke, and under the eares.

1.Signes. Sudden faintings in the beginning of a continued Feaver, without any manifeſt Cauſe is a true ſigne of Infection, bleeding, vacuations, want of ſleep, ſadneſſe, feares, are evident cauſes.

2. If with theſe Tumours and Carbuncles livid and blacke Spots appeare, with blacke excrements, and exceſſive thirſt, 'tis evidently peſtilentiall.

3. The body ſeemes not to be hot, neither pulſe or urines bad, yet they are unquiet and burne inwards. As it was in the Plague Thucidides deſcribes: 'tis ſo in all peſtilentiall Conſtitutions.

Some would have theſe Tumours to be the ſame with the Carbuncle, but men experienced diſtinguiſh them. The more there comes forth of thoſe Tumours the better it is; but this holds not in Carbuncles.

A Carbuncle (Ignis Perſicus, Pruna) hath in the middle a cruſt like a Coale, and thence 'tis ſo called: 'tis a fire and burnes the circumjacent parts. The cruſt is not alwayes blacke, but ſometimes a blackiſh yellow, ſo Galen; the blacke colour is with a kinde of ſhining; ſo Paulus Aegin. It hath a pitchy colour in the brightneſſe: the pain is ſo great that the Patient thinkes himſelfe girded with irons: ſome finde an itching in the middle part of it, and ſcratching, a pimple ariſes, under which the fleſh is burnt, and of a livid colour: and if it be peſtilentiall he nauſeates and vomits: Leſſer Carbuncles are worſe than greater, harder and livid, worſe than ſoft. Thoſe in the upper parts above the other former Tumours are worſt of all, neare the heart and ſtomacke. The farther off from the principall parts the leſſe dangerous: ſo Celſus. A delirium is an ill ſigne, when the Carbuncle is in the upper parts, for the membranes of the brain may be inflamed. The plaineſt Cure for theſe Swellings is to apply Cupping-glaſſes to them, then the bare breech of a Pullet, for it drawes the poyſon: after the death of the Pullet, ſcarifie the place. Some cautenze it. Some uſe this vulgar Cauſticke, they wrap a few aſhes in a linnen cloath, and boyle it in oyle, and rub the Tumour with it a good while; when it is ſufficiently burnt, they cure it as they do a Carbuncle. They ſuppurate the Cruſt with Mallowes, Lillyrootes and Butter: they keep it open as long as poſſible, and cleanſe it with juice of Smallage, and honey of Roſes. Sometimes theſe Spots, Tumours and Carbuncles appeare in dead men, which in their ſickneſſe did not appeare, as 'twas obſerved in a Plague at Lyons. If they be driven backe, the Spots are brought again if the Body be waſhed with hot water.