Page:A Journal of the Plague Year (1722).djvu/44

 People to fall upon their Knees, make Confeſſion of their Sins, and look up to their merciful Saviour for Pardon, imploreing his Compaſſion on them, in ſuch a Time of their Diſtreſs; by which, we might have been as a ſecond Nineveh, had a quite contrary Extreme in the common People; who ignorant and ſtupid in their Reflections, as they were brutiſhly wicked and thoughtleſs before, were now led by their Fright to extremes of Folly; and as I have ſaid before, that they ran to Conjurers and Witches, and all Sorts of Decievers, to know what ſhould become of them; who fed their Fears, and kept them always alarm’d, and awake, on purpoſe to delude them, and pick their Pockets: So, they were as mad, upon their running after Quacks, and Mountebanks, and every practiſing old Woman, for Medicines and Remedies; ſtoreing themſelves with ſuch Multitudes of Pills, Potions, and Preſervatives, as they were call’d; that they not only ſpent their Money, but even poiſon’d themſelves before-hand, for fear of the Poiſon of the Infection, and prepar’d their Bodies for the Plague, inſtead of preſerving them againſt it. On the other Hand, it is incredible, and ſcarce to be imagin’d, how the Poſts of Houſes, and Corners of Streets were plaſter’d over with Doctors Bills, and Papers of ignorant Fellows; quacking and tampering in Phyſick, and inviting the People to come to them for Remedies; which was generally ſet off, with ſuch flouriſhes as theſe, (viz.)  preventive Pills againſt the Plague. Preſervatives againſt the Infection. Cordials againſt the Corruption of the Air. Regulations for the Conduct of the Body, in Caſe of an Infection; Antipeſtilential Pills. Drink againſt the Plague, never found