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

  • William Brownrigg
Date:
1771
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

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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    believe that thefe moft deArable ends may be ob¬ tained by other means, when timely carried into execution. It hath been found by experience, that the plague (as well as many other difeafes) is only produced in this country by contagion ; and that it may be pre¬ vented from fpreading, by entirely cutting off all communication between thofe places, perfons, and things, that are therewith infeded, and thofe that are free from its contagion [io]« infected, or being, or dwelling in any infedied houfe, who fhall, by the proper magiftrate, be commanded to keep his or their houfe, for avoiding of further infedfion ; and fhall, notwithfland- ing, wilfully and contemptuoufly difobey fuch diredtion, that then it fhall be lawful for fuch keepers or watchmen as fhall be appointed to fee them kept in, with violence to inforce them to keep their houfes ; and if any hurt come, by fuch inforce- menf, to fuch difobedient perfons, that then the faid keepers, watchmen, and any other their affiftants, fhall not be impeached therefore. And if any infedbed perfon, as aforefaid, fo com¬ manded to keep his houfe, (hall, contrary to fuch command¬ ment, wilfully and contemptuoufly go abroad, and fhall con- verfe in company, having any infectious fore upon him un¬ cured, that then, fuch perfon or perfons fhall be taken, deemed and adjudged as a felon, and fuffer pains of death as in cafes of felony. By the fame adi, among other things, power is given to the magiflrates to tax the inhabitants of infedied places ; and, in fome cafes of the country within five miles round, for the relief and fupport of the fick fo fhut up. N. B. The al¬ lowance given by the city of London, in the year 1665, was eight-pence per day to each perfon fo fhut up. The execu¬ tion of this adt is committed to the mayor, bailiffs, and other head officers, and the juftices of peace of cities, boroughs, and towns corporate ; who are irnpowered to appoint under them, fearchers, watchmen, examiners, keepers, and buriers for the perfons and places infedied. [10] Thefe important axioms feem to hold true in all other parts of the world as well as in Great Britain. Timoni, and Thefe
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