AS Fire goes out when its Fuel is wanting, or spent, so the pestilential Virulence continually wants somewhat to keep it up, and no longer than it is supplied with that necessary Pabulum will it last: Although I acknowledge that sometimes these fatal Sparks will lie as it were smothered in their own Ruins, for some Time, and after a certain Interval break out again into its first Fury, from the original Cause that as yet hath never been extinguished. And hence perhaps some may be led into an Error about the Plague’s being co-æval with the World, and its continual Subsistance in one Place or another, as external Circumstances favour its Propagation or Hindrance; for the very Increase of the pestilential Seminium, after every Interval of Recess, plainly shews it to take fresh Root; and upon the total Extirpation of it, I cannot see how the same can appear again:
And this is confirmed by the almost continual Varieties in different Infections.
WE now come in Course to speak of those Prognosticks, which regard the Death or Recovery of the infected.
Every Hemorrhage is bad, but a Flux of the Menses always fatal.
A Looseness of the Bowels, especially in the Beginning, is commonly a Sign of Death.
BECAUSE by this Evacuation a Diaphoresis is prevented, the Strength is wasted, and the Poison is so far thrown upon the Bowels, as sometimes to induce Sphacelation; the Case if likewise not much better when the Fæces are extreamly fetid, and there is no Relief thereby; or when they are green, or black, or come away involuntarily, especially when attended with a Dysentery.
WHERE the Lungs are tender, weak, or distempered, it generally ends ill.
FOR I can hardly remember any one who had bad Lungs that escaped in the late Sickness; and it was a constant Observation, that Asthmatick Persons, not only by frequent and hard Inspiration drew in more of the poysonous Steams than others, but also that the weakned Force of that Organ, gave Opportunity to them to fix their Lodgment there.
WHEN Persons grew no better for Sweating, but weaker, and the Distemper higher, it was judged fatal.
FOR after Nature had made such an Effort to expel the Venom to no Purpose, all Hopes of Recovery could not but vanish. A great Expence of Spirit, and a general Decay of Strength, must be the Consequence of such a Wast; and a Continuance of Sweat likewise brings on a dangerous Colliquatation, or is a Sign of it; and those hot sharp Sweats, which vesicate the Skin, are also to be suspected: Moreover, it is very hazardous when cold Sweats come after such hot ones. But the most certain Fatality of all, is from such Sweats as have a cadaverous Smell; altho’ there was sometimes a very disagreeable scented Sweat, with which they recovered, as with it exhaled the pestilential Venom.