A Succinct Account of the Plague at Marseilles: Its Symptoms and the Methods and Medicines Used for Curing ItChicoyneau, François
History
A Succinct Account of the Plague at Marseilles: Its Symptoms and the Methods and Medicines Used for Curing It
Chicoyneau, François
Plague -- France -- Marseille -- Early works to 1800
This Fifth and Last Class contains all such infected Persons, as without
perceiving any Emotion, or there appearing any Trouble or Lesion of their
natural Function, have Buboes and Carbuncles, which rise by little and
little, and easily turn to Surpuration, becoming sometimes scirrhous, or
which is more rare, dissipate insensibly, without leaving any bad Effect
behind them; so that without any loss of Strength, and without changing
their manner of Living, these infected Persons went about the Streets and
publick Places, only using themselves a simple Plaister, or asking of the
Physicians and Surgeons such Remedies as are necessary to these sorts of
suppurating or scirrhous Tumours.
The Number of the infected contained in the two last Classes, were so
considerable, that one may affirm, without any exaggeration, that more
than fifteen or twenty Thousand Persons were found in these sorts of
Cases; and if the Distemper had not often taken this turn, there would not
have been left in this City the fourth Part of its Inhabitants.
We may very well admit a Sixth Class of such as we have seen perish
without any Forerunner, or other manifest Hurt, than only a decay in
Strength; and who being asked concerning their Condition, answered, that
they were not sensible of any Disorder, which for the most part denoted a
desperate Case, and an approaching Death; but the Number of these were
very small in Comparison of such as made up the preceding Classes.
Besides all these Observations, it has happened that amongst so great a
Number of infected Persons, we have seen many particular Cases, wherein,
contrary to our Expectation, and all the Appearance of Reason, the Sick
have perished or recovered; but we are of Opinion that it would be useless
to relate them here, and to give of them a long and tedious Account;
being moreover persuaded that these Sorts of particular Events can serve
as no sure Rule to form a Prognostick, or how to proceed in the like
Distemper. It is therefore more proper to keep to the Observations we have
made, and that the rather, since they are found conformable to those of
our Collegues who have laboured in concert with us in this so painful and
dangerous Work; and who have always professed to relate what they have
seen and observed themselves, without suffering themselves to be
prejudiced by all the Reports that a vain Credulity, a popular
Superstition, the Boastings of Empericks, and the Greediness of making
Profit by the publick Calamity, have spread through this City.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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