Page:A Journal of the Plague Year (1722).djvu/200

 Magiſtrates would reſent this, and charge the Examiners with being remiſs in their Examination or Infpection: But by that means Houſes were long infected before it was known. Now, as I was in this dangerous Office but half the appointed time, which was two Months, it was long enough to inform myſelf, that we were no way capable of coming at the Knowledge of the true ſtate of any Family, but by enquiring at the Door, or of the Neighbours; as for going into every Houſe to ſearch, that was a part, no Authority wou’d offer to impoſe on the Inhabitants, or any Citizen wou’d undertake, for it wou'd ha’ been expoſing us to certain Infection and Death, and to the Ruine of our own Families as well as of ourſelves, nor wou’d any Citizen of Probity, and that cou’d be depended upon, have ſtaid in the Town, if they had been made liable to ſuch a Severity. Seeing then that we cou’d come at the certainty of Things by no Method but that of Enquiry of the Neighbours, or of the Family, and on that we cou’d not juſtly depend, it was not poſſible, but that the incertainty of this Matter wou’d remain as above.

It is true, Maſters of Families were bound by the Order, to give Notice to the Examiner of the Place wherein he liv’d, within two Hours after he ſhou’d diſcover it, of any Perſon being ſick in his Houſe, that is to ſay, having Signs of the Infection, but they found ſo many ways to evade this, and excuſe their Negligence, that they ſeldom gave that Notice, till they had taken Meaſures to have every one Eſcape out of the Houſe, who had a mind to Eſcape, whether they were Sick or Sound; and while this was ſo, it is eaſie to ſee, that the ſhutting up of Houſes was no way to be depended upon, as a ſufficient Method for putting a ſtop to the Infection, becauſe, as I have ſaid elſewhere, many of thoſe that ſo went out of thoſe infected Houſes, had the Plague really upon them, tho’ they might really think themſelves Sound: And ſome of theſe were the People that walk’d the