A historical relation of the plague at Marseilles in the year 1720 containing a circumstantial account of the rise and progress of the calamity, and the ravages it occasioned; with many curious and interesting particulars relative to that period / Translated from the French manuscript of Mons. Bertrand, physician at Marseilles who attended during the whole time of the malady, by Anne Plumptre, with an introduction and a variety of notes. By the translator.

Jean-Baptiste Bertrand

Date:: 1805

Credit: A historical relation of the plague at Marseilles in the year 1720 containing a circumstantial account of the rise and progress of the calamity, and the ravages it occasioned; with many curious and interesting particulars relative to that period / Translated from the French manuscript of Mons. Bertrand, physician at Marseilles who attended during the whole time of the malady, by Anne Plumptre, with an introduction and a variety of notes. By the translator. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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inhabitants. Petrarch relates that it depopulated almost the whole world,—perhaps because it de- prived him of the beautiful Laura. Genebrod' says ihat the infection was brought by the Jews from India ; and Pitton adds, that it was done to avenge themselves for some regulations made against them in a general council held at Avignon in 1337. The History of Marseilles, by Mons. de Rufli, gives an account of all the remaining visitations of this dreadful calamity, which followed each other in quick s^ecession. In that of 1476 the consuls remained ia the city, and faithfully discharged their duty ; but those who were in office on the return of the malady, eight years after, aban- doned their posts, and ceded the government to others. The eighth attack was in 1505? which was fol- lewed two others in the two succeeding years. This bitter enemy returned again in 15 ii, again in 1514, and again in 1530. In this last visitation the historian tells us that almost all the inhabitants' forsook the city, the consuls among others, who left three proconsuls to govern in their place. In the years 1547, 1556, and 1557, the malady again broke out ; but in the latter year it made very little progress, being checked by the severity of the winter, which was unusually rigorous for this cli- mate.

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