This may be One, but there is perhaps another yet more dangerous manner of Infection, and that is, by the Breath of the Diseased taken in by a By-stander, especially in the last Moments, seizing the Stomach, and fixing a Malignity There. For it is upon this Score, that Those who are Infected do presently complain of an extreme Pain and Nausea in the upper Orifice of the Stomach; and that all Authors do agree in the admirable Use of Vomits timely given in this Case; These by their Stimulating Force removing the very Minera of the Disease; and likewise that, oftentimes in Pestilential Illnesses, the Stomach when open’d has been found Gangren’d and Mortify’d. This made Van Helmont [(175)], who had observ’d this Part in one kill’d by a Plague Infection, perforated and eroded in several Places, no otherwise than He had seen in one Poison’d by Arsenick, conclude, that the Plague for the most Part begins in the Stomach from a coagulated Tartar there.
Herein lies the difference of Contagion, from the first Invasion of Malignant Distempers; The Effects of the One are the Cause and Beginning of the Other; and therefore it is no wonder, if tho’ the Symptoms in the former are by a gradual Increase wrought up to their height, they do however in the latter, even at the very first, discover their ill Nature and Violence, and, like a reinforc’d Enemy, by surer Strokes make quicker Dispatch. And this also is the Reason of the great Increase of Funerals in Plague Time, in that One Death is thus added to Another.
If it be difficult to explain the particular manner how the Stomach comes to be thus affected, We must not therefore deny Matter of Fact; and may however probably Conjecture, that the last Breath of one Dying of a Malignant Distemper, proves thus pernicious, in that Those fermenting active Particles, which, as we just now observ’d, the Blood discharges upon the Glands of the Mouth, Stomach, Lungs, &c. impregnating the Air in its Passage thro’ these; when the same happens to be immediately inspired by a sound Person, it may easily taint the Salival Juices in the Mouth, which are very Glutinous, and of a fermenting Nature, and therefore susceptible enough of Contagious Effluvia, but especially of such as proceed from the same Liquor infected in the Sick Party. Now the Spittle is continually swallow’d down into the Stomach, and so will quickly impress its Labes, or ill Quality, on so tender and sensible a Part; that is, will lodge these Corrosive Salts, (for such We may suppose the Particles of Infection) in the Secretory Ducts; whereupon the Glands being obstructed, little Tumors are by the Afflux of their Fluid rais’d here and there, which breaking become small Ulcers, and produce that dismal Train of Symptoms which we have already related.
And here it may not be amiss to take notice, that all Authors do agree, One great Cause of Pestilential Distempers, especially in Armies and Camps, to be dead Bodies lying expos’d and rotting in the open Air; The Reason of which is plain from what we have been advancing; For Battels being generally fought in the Summer Time, it is no wonder, if the Heat acting upon the unbury’d Carcasses, and Fermenting the Juices, draws forth those active Particles, which in great quantities filling the Atmosphere, when they are inspired and let into the Stomach, do affect It after the manner already described.
To illustrate this Matter, I shall relate a remarkable Story told Me by the learned Dr. Baynard. The Body of a Malefactor was Hung up in Chains in the Country; after a few Months, in very hot Weather it was Sport and Pastime to some Boys, Playing thereabouts to Swing the Carcass up and down; One more bold than the Rest struck It with his Fist upon the naked Belly, which being outwardly parch’d and dry, and from the falling down of the Humours Swell’d and Tense, was easily burst by the Blow; out gush’d a Water so Corrosive and Fiery, that running down the poor Lad’s Arm, it caus’d a Violent Excoriation, and a very hard Matter it was to preserve It from being truly mortified. What this Serum could do upon the outward Skin, the more Volatile Parts of It would, without all doubt, Effect upon the more tender and sensible Membranes of the Stomach, if a considerable number of them were fixt there. The Fluids of Humane Bodies being Ranker and more abounding in active Salts than those of other Creatures, which are not continually repaired and nourish’d by the Juices of Animals.
The Way by which Bad Food, ill ripened Fruits of the Earth, &c. do oftentimes produce Malignant and Pestilential Diseases, is not very different from That by which We have observ’d Unwholesome Airs to be the Cause of the like Effects. For the Juices with which Those do supply the Blood being Corrupted, must necessarily make a Fluid of quite other Properties than what the Animal Œconomy requires, that is, neither Fit for Nutrition, nor for the Secretion of those Liquors which in the several Organs are to be derived from It; whereupon the small Tubes are obstructed by an unequally Glutinous Slime; and it is therefore no wonder, if besides the other Symptoms insuing, Sore Pustules, Inflammations, Ulcers, &c. (more common in Fevers from this Cause than in any other,) are raised in the Surface of the Body.
This is the Ground of the common Observation, that a Famine is very often succeeded by a Pestilence. And This Calamity generally begins among the Poorer sort of People, whose Diet to be sure is the worst.
The City of Surat in the East-Indies is seldom or never free from the Plague; and yet it is observ’d, that the English who Trade there are in no danger of being Infected thereby. Now the Chief of the Natives in this Place are Banians, who neither Eat Flesh, nor Drink Wine, but Live very Poorly upon Herbs, Rice, Water, &c. and most of the Inhabitants do the like, except Foreigners; This Poor Fare, together with the Heat of the Climate, makes them so liable to Malignant Distempers; from the Attacks of which Those who Feed well are more Safe and Secure.
Thus much concerning Poisonous Exhalations and Airs, so far as the Consideration of the Grotta de’ Cani has led Us on to enquire into their Effects; for tho’ there may be other Alterations of this same Element, differing in their Nature from this we have insisted upon, and yet equally Pernicious and Hurtful, yet We take no Notice of any of them, in regard that those which are from Arsenical, Mercurial, and the like Fumes, are reducible to a foregoing Essay; and those which are owing to a Change of the known Properties of the Air, may be easily explain’d by what has been already delivered in This. I shall therefore rather chuse to make some Remarks on the Mischief of another Fluid, which as It is the next in use to This we have been treating of, so the bad Qualities of it, when it comes to be altered, must necessarily be almost equally Fatal and Dangerous.
I mean Water, which is of so constant Service, not only for our Drinks, but also in preparing of our Flesh and Bread, that it may justly be said to be the Vehicle of all our Nourishment; so that whenever this happens to put on other Properties than are necessary to fit it for this Purpose, it is no wonder if in its Passage thro’ the Body these do make suitable Impressions there.