An Authentick Account of the Measures and Precautions Used at Venice / By the Magistrate of the Office of Health, for the Preservation of Publick Health

by Anonymous

For what regards the Quarantine of Passengers, and of the Vessel, when they have begun it in this Method, and it continues without any Accident intervening; I need not add, that it is regularly brought to an End. But if any Sickness happens, I have already given an Account of the Conduct that is in that Case observed.

Something must be added about Goods. I have already observed, when I said they are disposed differently upon their Receipt into the Lazarettos, that they are also differently treated.

Therefore ’tis necessary to say somewhat of that. Wooll and Woollen Goods are the chief Things, of which two Sorts arrive: One Sort is called Lane Succide, because they come just as they were taken from the Animals when shorn: The others are called Lane Pelate, i. e. such as are taken from the Hide of the Animal when dead, by the Means of Lime. Both of them are put à Monte, which is a Form mentioned before. Putting Things à Monte, is as much as to say, taking them out of the Bags or Cases they were in, and laying them in Heaps of about Four Feet high, with some Distance between each Heap, that they may the better be come at to be handled: And the handling of them, consists in removing them from one Place to another every Day; in often stirring them, and heaping them up again in the same Manner; so that at the End of the Forty Days, there be a Certainty that no Lock of the Wooll has been untouched. All the Wooll may be treated in the same Manner; but the first Sort is usually examined with the greater Care; for as they consist of the Fleece, that is, of the entire Wooll as taken from the Body of the Animal, they are most carefully searched, Thread by Thread; and thus, at the same Time that they are purified, they are also cleaned. By which Care, the Proprietors of them save the Pains and Trouble they must afterwards have been at to cleanse them. And this Care is also sufficient, and especially as at the Time of putting them again in the Bags, another Tryal is made.

The same Form is observed for all Silks, Linnens, Raw Silks, Ferret, Ribond, and such like, emptying them in a scattered Manner in Heaps, and then Bale by Bale separately, handling them twice a Day, and every Week removing them to another Place.

Other Goods, such as Cottons, Thread, Camels Hair, and Castor, which come in Bags, are differently purified; for the Bags are unsowed from one End to another in the Middle, and so they are left open for Half the Time of Quarantine, that is, for the Space of Twenty Days, being every Day handled by the Bastazi, who put in their naked Arms in all Parts of them, as they are moved daily, so that no Part of them can be unhandled. The Twenty Days being expired, in which is not included the Day they were opened, the Sacks are turned, and unsowed on the other Side, and they are handled in the same Manner, till the Expiration of the Forty Days, in which is not reckoned the Day they were turn’d; for which Ceremony, there are required a Notice from the Prior, and a particular Order from the Magistrate; and this being done, they set about sowing them up again, and they are accounted clean.

All other Goods, viz. Camblets, Mohairs, Cloaths, and every Thing else that comes folded in Pieces, are first loosened and undone; that Fold by Fold the naked Arms of the Bastazi may rummage them, and then they are moved about from Place to Place; and those that are uppermost one Day, are the next Day moved to the Bottom: The same Thing is done to Woollen Cloaths. But when any of the above Things come from infected Parts, over and above the aforesaid Precautions, they are also stretched out upon Ropes, in the open Air, turning and handling them every Day. The Sorts of Stuff called Felt, Quilts for Beds, Rugs, Thick Coverlids; those made of Lambs Wooll, Carpets, Capots, and, in general, every Thing made of Wooll and Silk, Books and Flax, Parchment, all Kinds of Paper, Hair Sacks, or Linnen Bags, and such Things, remain continually exposed to the Air, and are continually handled; and the Bastazi’s are even obliged to sleep amongst some of them. Skins, being the most dangerous, are purified with a most exact Attention, exposing them to the Air, and continually handling them; so also Hair for Wigs, and Pens, or Fans of Feathers; which, Bundle by Bundle, are also exposed, and are twice a Day handled and rummaged, as being looked upon to be the most difficult to be fully purified. Tobacco, Morocco Leather, Damasks, &c. and all Sorts of dry Skins, which have been properly dressed and cured, are sent all à Monte, and are all handled: But being thought to be Things rather less susceptible, such Kind of Merchandize generally are allowed the Indulgence of but Half Quarantine.

There is another Kind of Quarantine for Wax and Spunges, being thrown into Running Water, and left to soak there 48 Hours, and then they are clear, there being a particular Guardian and Water near the Place for that Use: However, Wax and Tallow Candles must go through a full Quarantine, because of the Cotton in them. But if it is agreed to have them soaked in Water, they are cleared. All Woolly Animals perform the full Quarantine of Merchandizes. Those that have short Hair are passed through Water, and so purified. Feathered Animals must be sprinkled often with Vinegar, so as to be quite wet through, and are then free.

Having now described the Kinds of Goods that by their own Nature are subject to very exact Expurgation, there remains to mention another Kind, which, though not so of itself, becomes so from Circumstances: Of this Sort are salted Buffalo’s Hides, which come from Constantinople, Alexandria, &c. which, when salted, and very moist, may be delivered out; but when dry, and ill soaked, they go through the full Quarantine of Goods. The Wild Safran, which is in itself looked upon as free, might be also delivered out; yet, as it is apt to grow mealy, the Consideration of its being lapt up in Cases, subjects it to a Quarantine; and consequently every Thing in general incurs Expurgation, which cannot, or must not be separated from its Envelop.

It has been said, that there are many Things that may be taken away from the Ships, or out of the Lazarettos, i. e. all Things of a Nature not susceptible, and that come loose, or else come inclosed in such Things as are free, being probably purified by the volatile Nature of what they contain.