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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    That which is here propofed for preventing the fpneading of contagion in places fo ihut up, feems liable to the feweft objedtions [26]. For by long [26] In fome cafes, indeed, as in fmall towns, and villages, and even in large cities, on the firft appearance of the difeafe, in a few families only, it may be fufHcient, after the place has been duly inverted, to feparate the ftck from the found in the in¬ fected houfes, and both from the reft of the community; agree¬ able to what has been praCtifed with fuccefs on fome occafions. In cafes of great danger of this difeafe being communicated to any part of thefe kingdoms, it has been ufual to provide for the public health, by intruding certain powers to his majefty ; to be exercifed, for a time limited, with the advice of his council, as occafion fliould require. And if in any future time fuch clanger (hall occur, it may not perhaps be judged improper to impower his Majefty, to take fuch meafures for the fafety of the people (hut up in fuch infected places, and for eradicating the peftilence, as, with the advice of his council, (hall be judged moft proper; refpecl being had to the extent of the place, the num¬ ber of its inhabitants, its fituation with regard to other places near it, the feafon of the year, and various other circumftances on account of which the methods to be purfued ought to vary. And in all thefe cafes, this moft burthenfome tafk might poffi- bly be rendered more eafy, by the eftablifhment of a Board of Health ; to advife, when required ; to make due inquifitions ; to receive intelligence; and, in many cafes, to aftift in the execu¬ tion of fuch orders as fliall be made by his Majefty in council. Commiftioners of health have long been eftabhfned in all the Italian ftates, in Portugal, in Spain, in Sweden, and even among the Cantons of Switzerland. An eftablifhment of this fort hath often been recommended. And certainly in this war¬ like and commercial nation, whofe armies and navies are em¬ ployed in all quarters of the world; whofe fubjedls carry on a traffic with every known part of the globe ; whofe colonies, fac¬ tories, and other commercial fettlements, are fo numerous ; whofe people are daily wafted by the intemperature and by the difeafes of every climate; and (let me add) whofe domeftic police, with regard to many nuifances in great cities, and near them, the adulteration of many kinds of provifions, and various other experience
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