Considerations on the means of preventing the communication of pestilential contagion, and of eradicating it in infected places / [William Brownrigg].

William Brownrigg

Date:: 1771

Credit: Considerations on the means of preventing the communication of pestilential contagion, and of eradicating it in infected places / [William Brownrigg]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$danger, by a total prohibition of commerce, and of all communication with places fo infedted, or that are near to them ; as alfo of laying reftraints on the trade with ports that are more remote from the infedted places, fo as to prevent the importation of fuch kinds of merchandife from them as are mod: fufceptible of contagion, when there is caufe to fufpedt that fuch merchandife may, poffihly, be conveyed to thofe ports from the infedted places. Powers are alfo vefted in the crown, for deftroying fhips and goods that are infedted with this contagion. And fuch wifdom and circumfpedtion hath been ufed by our Sovereigns in the exercife of thefe powers, in the courfe of the prefent century, that the Brififli dominions, during that time, have been happily preferred from this calamity ; while Italy, France, Germany, Poland, Denmark, Sicily, and other parts of Europe, have experienced its fatal effedts. Befides the provifions before-mentioned for pre¬ venting the communication of peftilentia! contagion into thefe kingdoms, other provifions are alfo re¬ quired, for preferring the inhabitants of infedted places from this difeafe, for preventing ks communi¬ cation from one place to another* and for totally era¬ dicating it, when, by any accident, it (hall happen to be introduced into thefe kingdoms. The laws now in being have, from fatal experience on former occafions, been found insufficient for anfwering thefe falutary purpofes [ 9]; although there is reafon to [9] The ftatute 1 Jac. I. (in the year 1603) intituled, An adt tor the charitable relief of perfons infedted with the plague/’ which is founded on more antient flatutes, appears to be the only one now in force, for the abovemernioned pur¬ pofes. By this a£l it is ordained, that any perfcn or perfons believe \ 1$