Epidemics. 



Again, in epidemic eras, generally towards the last 150 to 

 100 years, the dominant type begins to slowly decline, and 

 its, mbre active powers to abate ; but it probably, after it 

 first breaks out, does not get to its full vigour until 200 years 

 from its start, and remains at that point for about 250 years, 

 and then begins to decline. Every few years it spreads 

 itself over wide areas of the earth's surface ; and then 

 again, as if ashamed to show its hydra head, like the 

 serpularia, it draws in its widespread arms into the lands 

 and places in which it is constantly settled as an endemic 

 disease the light of science, and may-be cries to Heaven 

 for its abatement, both demanding its speedy subsidence. 



Supposing it be correct to say that the lurking pest, leprosy,, 

 was roused from its Egyptian lair to spread by inroads upon 

 the East and the West, and so included North Africa and 

 Asia Minor in 103 B.C. ; then in 60 B.C. the kindred soil to 

 North Africa, i.e., Spain, had it brought to it by its usual 

 manner of extension namely, infection ; whilst in Italy it 

 found an ungenial soil for its localization, as Pliny would make 

 us believe. But from about 100 to 150 A.D. some indications 

 are left of its having made itself well known in Italy, and 

 means were put in practice for its amelioration ; which, 

 from the nature of things, is highly probable, considering at 

 this time the comparatively settled state of the civilized 

 world, and the greater facility in such case for the putting 

 in practice sanitary measures. 



Dr. Hecker has referred to the only one which was then 

 adopted, which was judicious, and upon the whole com- 

 paratively efficient. He writes : " Arrangements for the 

 protection of the healthy against contagious diseases, the 

 necessity of which is shown from these notions, were re- 

 garded by the ancients as useful ; and by many, whose cir- 

 cumstances permitted it, were carried into effect in their 

 houses. Even a total separation of the sick from the healthy,. 



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