366 LIFE AND CORRESPONDENCE OF THE \}79'h 



make it convenient fled from the city. Of those who remained, many 

 shut themselves up in their houses, being afraid to walk the streets. 

 The smoke of tobacco being regarded as a preventive, many persons — 

 even women and small boys — had cigars almost constantly in their 

 mouths. Others, placing full confidence in garlic, chewed it almost the 

 whole day; some kept it in their pockets and shoes. Many were afraid 

 to allow the barbers and hairdressers to come near them, as instances 

 had occurred of some of them having shaved the dead, and many hav- 

 ing engaged as bleeders. Some, who carried their caution pretty far, 

 bought lancets for themselves — not daring to allow themselves to be 

 bled with the lancets of the bleeders. Many houses were scarcely a 

 moment in the day free from the smell of gunpowder, burnt tobacco, 

 nitre, sprinkleci vinegar, etc. Some of the churches were almost de- 

 serted, and others were wholly closed. The coffee-house was shut up, 

 as was the city library and most of the public offices. Three out of the 

 four daily papers were discontinued, as were some of the others. Many 

 devoted no small portion of their time to purifying, scouring, and 

 whitewashing their rooms. Those who ventured abroad had handker- 

 chiefs or sponges, impregnated with vinegar or camphor, at their noses, 

 or smelling bottles full of thieves' vinegar. Others carried pieces of 

 tarred rope in their hands or pockets, or camphor-bags tied round their 

 necks. The corpses of the most respectable citizens — even of those 

 who had not died of the epidemic — were carried to the grave on the 

 shafts of a chair, the horse driven by a negro, unattended by a friend 

 or relation, and without any sort of ceremony. People uniformly and 

 hastily shifted their course at the sight of a hearse coming toward them. 

 Many never walked on the footpath, but went into the middle of the 

 streets, to avoid being infected in passing houses wherein people had 

 died. Acquaintances and friends avoided each other in the streets, 

 and only signified their regard by a cold nod. The old custom of 

 shaking hands fell into such general disuse that many shrunk back with 

 affright at even the offer of the hand. A person with crape or any 

 appearance of mourning was shunned like a viper; and many valued 

 themselves highly on the skill and address with which they got to wind- 

 ward of every person whom they met. Indeed, it is not probable that 

 London, at the last stage of the plague, exhibited stronger marks of 

 terror than were to be seen in Philadelphia from the 25th or 26th of 

 August till late in September. When the citizens summoned resolution 

 to walk abroad and take the air, the sick cart conveying patients to the 

 hospital, or the hearse carrying the dead to the grave, which were travel- 

 ing almost the whole day, scon damped their spirits, and plunged them 

 again into despondency. 



While affairs were in this deplorable state, and people at the lowest 

 ebb of despair, we cannot be astonished at the frightful scenes that 

 were acted, which seemed to indicate a total dissolution of the bonds 



