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VOL. XXXI.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 45 1 



and Jews, believing the plague to be sent as a punishment from heaven, take no 

 measures whatever to avoid the contagion; precautions against which are only 

 observed by the more civilized classes of society, and particularly the Christians. 

 The following are the symptoms as enumerated by the before-mentioned 

 author, Diemerbroeck, cap. ^ ; namely, fever, buboes, carbuncles, exanthe- 

 mata, head-ach, phrenitis, drowsiness in some, wakefulness in others, anxiety, 

 debility or great prostration of strength, dull or muddy appearance of the eyes, 

 (visus turbulentus,*) palpitation of the heart, dryness of the tongue, vomiting, 

 hiccup, worms, diarrhoea, bleeding at the nose, menstruorum profluvium, 

 bloody urine, spitting of blood, pains of the side, liver, kidneys, and other 

 parts. To these I add a weariness and soreness of the limbs, shiverings some- 

 times followed by heat, but more frequently not, nausea without vomiting, 

 vertigo, trembling of the hands from the very beginning of the disorder. Of 

 these symptoms there is not one which is inseparable from the disorder, not 

 even buboes, carbuncles, and exanthemata. In many instances there is no 

 fever. Hence it may be established as a general rule, that whenever a disorder 

 is accompanied with buboes, carbuncles, &c. we may with certainty pro- 

 nounce it to be the plague; but that although such symptoms be wanting 

 we cannot with certainty pronounce to the contrary. Thus many who are 

 seized with the plague experience merely a slight shivering, not so much as in 

 a common cold; and for several days none of the characteristic symptoms show 

 themselves, but at length they burst forth all at once. Some after taking the 

 infection only feel a degree of languor; they are capable of walking about, and 

 going through their usual occupations without inconvenience; but on the third 

 or fourth day they suddenly drop down, and die on the spot. And that they 

 do not die of apoplexy is proved by the black spots which are found upon their 

 bodies after death ; to which add the circumstances of their having been previ- 

 ously exposed to the contagion, and of their having afterwards communicated 

 the infection to others. On the other hand, many who have buboes and car- 



* Visus turbidus, Dieraerb. cap 7. The appearance of the eyes and countenance has been vari- 

 ously described by writers on the plague. According to Dr. Russel it somewhat resembles the dull 

 fixed eye observable in the last stages of malignant fevers 3 but the dulness is dilFerent, muddiness 

 and lustre being strangely blended together. It continues with little alteration in the remissions, and 

 even where the patient appears sensible and composed. It does not increase in the febrile exacerba- 

 tions, but the eyes then acquire a redness, that adds wildness to the look 3 which abating or going off 

 in the remissions, the muddiness remains behind. It was this which chiefly contributed to that con- 

 fusion of countenance which Dr. Russell has not attempted to describe, but which, he says, enabled 

 him, after some practice, to pronounce with tolerable certainty, whether tlie disease was or was not 

 the plague, though not independent of other symptoms. He adds, that when this muddiness disap- 

 peared or abated, it was constantly a favourable sign. 



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