Page:A Journal of the Plague Year (1722).djvu/235

 in them, before it diſcover’d it ſelf in this fatal Manner; and how long they might go about ſeemingly whole, and yet be contagious to all thoſe that came near them? I believe the moſt experienc’d Phyſicians cannot anſwer this Queſtion directly, any more than I can; and ſomething an ordinary Obſerver may take notice of, which may paſs their Obſervation. The opinion of Phyſicians Abroad ſeems to be, that it may lye Dormant in the Spirits, or in the Blood Veſſels, a very conſiderable Time; why elſe do they exact a Quarentine of thoſe who come into their Harbours, and Ports, from ſuſpected Places? Forty Days is, one would think, too long for Nature to ſtruggle with ſuch an Enemy as this, and not conquer it, or yield to it: But I could not think by my own Obſervation that they can be infected ſo, as to be contagious to others, above fifteen or ſixteen Days at fartheſt; and on that ſcore it was, that when a Houſe was ſhut up in the City, and any one had died of the Plague, but no Body appear’d to be ill in the Family for ſixteen or eighteen Days after, they were not ſo ſtrict, but that they would connive at their going privately Abroad; nor would People be much afraid of them afterward, but rather think they were fortified the better, having not been vulnerable when the Enemy was in their own Houſe; but we ſometimes found it had lyen much longer conceal’d. Upon the foot of all theſe Obſervations, I muſt ſay, that tho’ Providence ſeem’d to direct my Conduct to be otherwiſe; yet it is my opinion, and I muſt leave it as a Preſcription, (viz.) that the beſt Phyſick againſt the Plague is to run away from it. I know People encourage themſelves, by ſaying, God is able to keep us in the midſt of Danger, and able to overtake us when we think our ſelves out of Danger; and this kept Thouſands in the Town, whoſe Carcaſſes went into the great Pits by Cart