For Medicines to hold in the Mouth, and chew on, Roots of Zedoary, Contrayerva, and Snakeweed are very good; also Roots of Enulacampane, Angelica, and Masterwort; these either alone, or macerated in Vinegar, and dried again. Myrrh is very excellent: Some commend Tobacco, and chew it almost continually.
These are the chiefest Remedies which help to keep Infection out of the Body. There is yet another sort which serves to let it out, and carry it away, before it grows to a head, viz. Issues, which have been found by often experience to be good Preservatives in time of Plague: For as much as Nature having a constant vent for excrementitious matter thrown off the Blood, by the same way expels poysonous Atoms soon after they are receiv'd into the Body.
Concerning Rules of Diet I need not say much, because such Precepts are commonly known: 'Tis to be observ'd in general, that only wholsome Food should be taken: Very salt Meats, as hang'd Beef, Bacon, Pork, salt Fish, also shell-Fish, most kind of Herbage and raw Fruit should be avoided. The Meals should be moderate, and eaten in due season. Some Antidotal Things may be taken with the Meat, or mix'd in the Sauce; Clove Gilloflowers pickled, also Citron Peel and Juice, Rasberries, Currants, Pomegranate Juices, Pestilential Vinegar, and Mustard, made with the Seeds of Thlaspi, may be of some good effect.
These kind of Remedies, and manner of living, ought chiefly to be insisted on as Preservatives against the Plague. Those that are timorous and of tender Constitutions require a support from the use of more means; whereas Persons that are strong, and of a bold temper, have need of the less Remedies. But 'tis not safe for any to be so confident as to dare to converse with infected People, or live in the midst of Contagion without any Antidote at all.
In the use of means, caution is to be had, that strong and hot Cordials be not too often taken, nor yet indifferently by all People; for that will inflame the Blood, and make it apt to kindle a Fever, which at such times soon turns to the Plague.
The like caution is to be had against immoderate drinking of Wine; though a moderate proportion chears and fortifies the Spirits, yet too much greatly disorders them, and thereby People are more expos'd to take Infection.
Letting of Blood in time of Plague has been observ'd to be very pernicious; so also oft or strong Purging; for the Veins being emptied either way, will readily suck in whatever poysonous Atoms lurk in the outward Pores of the Body, which being admitted, become the more prevalent, because the Spirits being depauperated, are less able to subdue or repel them.
Thus much of the way of Preservation: Next we are to treat of the Cure of those that are infected.
The Cure of the Plague admits of no Delay; neither indeed is there need of any deliberation what ought to be done; but as soon as any one finds himself infected, let him forthwith take to his Bed, and having pray'd to Almighty God for his Blessing, begin to use the Means.