Leaving then Doctor _Mead_ and his _Contagion_ under the Restraint of a very good Argument, we will consider in the next Place, after what manner he conveys it to a sound Person, and he _supposes_ the way to be commonly this: _These contagious Particles—taint the salival Juices_ (or Spittle) which being _swallowed down into the Stomach, presently fix their Malignity there_; as appears from _the Nausea and Vomiting, with which this Distemper often begins its first Attacks_. But all this is acknowledged to be a Supposition, and not of sufficient Strength to bear so weighty a Building upon it. _Secondly_, If a Man does nor swallow his Spittle, or if he gargles his Throat very well before he does swallow it, there would be no danger from the _Pestilence_; but this slye Plague should be easily evaded. To what Purpose is this silly Supposition to bring it into the Stomach, and then to suppose it _fixes its Malignity there_, because People are often troubled with Vomiting when they are ill of the Plague. An admirable Way of Reasoning: and as Admiration begat Philosophy, so Dr. _Mead_’s Philosophy cannot fail of begetting Admiration: For if the Stomach must needs be the first Place affected by the Plague, and the Doctor is gone over to _Van Helmont_, cannot he convey it thither down by the Nose, or even through the Mouth, without infecting the Spittle. Dr. _Mead_ is grosly out in his Observation, for the Symptoms of the _Heart_, our _Strength_ at least, being affected, are previous to his supposed _Nausea_ and Vomiting; so that he not only ought _to make no Question_, but to be sure that the _Blood is also more immediately affected_; as the Multitude of Physicians besides _Van Helmont_ and him have always believed: But I find his Fancy lies much in odd Conceits. I know a very honest Man, and a good Observer in Physick, who has fallen into this very Error in explaining this Symptom of _Vomiting_; but every Body will acknowledge that his Philosophy is no where the best: And when this Symptom is truly explained, we shall find that it is a Symptom of a _Malignant Fever_, as well as of the Plague, without any manner of Irritation, or of any other Hurt of that Nature, in the Stomach. And therefore as this Way of conveying the Plague, is a Supposition grounded upon no manner of Observation (as the Doctor argues in this Paragraph) so I think there is no need to have recourse to it.