Seasonable considerations on the indecent and dangerous custom of burying in churches and church-yards. With remarkable observations historical and philosophical ... Proving, that the custom is not only contrary to the practice of the ancients, but fatal, in case of infection / [Anon].

Thomas Lewis

Date:: 1721

Credit: Seasonable considerations on the indecent and dangerous custom of burying in churches and church-yards. With remarkable observations historical and philosophical ... Proving, that the custom is not only contrary to the practice of the ancients, but fatal, in case of infection / [Anon]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$tainly confultcd the Health of his People by this Or« dinance, and not meer Ceremonial Purity only, but he had a merciful Regard to their Health, that in fo hot a Country they might not infeft each other by their Excrements. And from that Command, and the inftindl Law of Nature, the Antient Romans (a) en- joyned, that at all Times the Streets of their City ihould be kept clean, and that’s the Reafon that in Times of Infe&ion our Phylicians (b) advife, and our Magi (hates order a more than ordinary Care, to have Streets kept clean from all Excrements, Mixens, and other Nufances. But what I chiefly infill on is, that this Corruption cauf.d by Diflempers in human Bodies may, by thefe Effluvia, which have the Power (c) and Property of the Diflempers in them, be carried through the Air, and be conveyed to other Perfons at fome Diflance, | though not (d) very great]. This is evident in E~ pidemick DifeTes, and Times of Peflilence, that even thefe Perfons that fhun the Sick, and avoid both their Houfes, and them that vifit them, and are careful of their Prefervation, are notwithBanding vifited : And whence is this ? but becaufe the Corruption hangs in (e) the Air, and is drawn into the Body by the Nof- trils, and then caufe the Head-Ach fir ft, and next, pilepfies, Convulfions, and the like, before the Dift temper difeovers itfclf; or elfe by the Mouth, and is fv allowed down with the Spittle, and (/) then caufe (a Lex Pantpinii J. C. JEdiles non termittani, neque in glateas flercora, ant fordes projici, neejue Cadaver a, nec^ue Cer- donrs p Ilium fordes abftergere. (b) Anno 1665, Advice of the College of Phyjicians at Lon¬ don. Dr. Hodges, Ta<re 206. (c ' Effluvia Corporum Pejte laborantium continent igfam ma- ligni inquinamenti P eft i lent is progrietatern, ac poterrtiam. Di- emerb. Lib. \. cap. io. Se&. 1. (d Dr. Mead on the Plague, Anno 1720. (<0 Diemerbrook Lib. 1. cap. 10, n. de Pejl. Dr. Mead. Dr. Sydenham Seff. 2. cap. 2. gag. 50. Edit. 1717. (/) Dr. Mead. that$