916 



RQtturail Hi/lory : 



the InfeBion: And therefore, when any fuch thing is feared, it were wood, 



thofe Public Places were perfumed, before the Affemblifs. . 



The Emporfonment Off Particular Perfons, by Odours, hath been reported 



to be in Perfumed Gloves, or the like. And it is like 3 they mingle the Pox 

 [on that is deadly, with fome Smels that are Sweet, which alfo maketh it 



the fooner received. Plagues alfo have been raifed by Annointings of the 

 Chincks of Boors, and the like- Not fo much by the Touch, as for that it is 

 common for Men, when they find any thing Wet upon their Fingers , to 

 put them to their Nofc Which Men therefore mould take heed how they 

 doe. The beft is, that thefe Compofitions of InfeBious Airs> cannot be made 

 without Dangers of T)e ath, to them that make them. But then again, they 

 may have fome Antidotes to fave themfelvesj So thatj^«oughtnotto be 

 fecureofit. 



There have been, in divers Countries, great Plagues by the PutrefaBion , 

 of great Swarms of Graff e- Hoppers , and Locufis , when they have been 

 dead, and caft upon Heaps. 



It happeneth oft in Mines, that there are Damps , which kill, either by 

 Suffocation, or by the PoyfonouS Nature of the Mineral : And thofe that 

 deal much in Refining^or other Works about Metals, and Minerals, have 

 their Brains Hurt and Stupefied by the Metalline Vapours. Amongft which 

 it is noted, that the Spirits of Quick -Stiver, ever fli'e to the Skull, Teeth , or 

 Botes; Infomuch as Gilders ufe to have a pecccof Gold in their Mouth, to 

 draw the Spirits of Jguick-Siher; Which Gold afterwards they find to be 

 Whitened. There are alfo certain Lakes, and Pits, fuch as that of Avernus, 

 that Pojfon Birds, ( as is faid,) which flyover them- Or Men,th&t ftay too 

 long about them. 



The Vapour oi Char* coal, or Sea-coal , in a Clofe Room , hath killed 

 many : And it is the more da.igerous, becaufe it commeth without any III 

 Smell] But ftcaleth on by little and little; Enducingonly Faintnefje, with- 

 out any Manifefi Strangling. When the Dutch-Men Wintred at Nova Zem- 

 bla, and that they could gather no more Sticks, they fell to make Fire of 

 fome Sea- coal they had, wherewith ( at firft ) they were much refrefhed ; 

 But a little after they had fat about the Fire, there grew a general Silence 

 and loth neffe to fpeak amongft them; And immediately after, One of 

 the Weakeft of the Company , fell down in a Swoun; Whereupon they 

 doubting what it was, opened their door, to let in Air, aud To faved them- 

 felves. Ti\eEffeB( no doubt) is wrought by the Infpifjation of the Air- 

 And fo ofthelW^, and Spirits. The like enfueth in Rooms newly Plai- 

 liered, if a Ftre be made in them; Whereof no leffe Man than the Emperour 

 lovinianus Died. 



Vide the Experiment, 80 3 . touching the InfeBious Nature of the Air up 

 on the firft Sborvns, after long Drought. 



It hath come to paffe, that fome Apothecaries, upon Stampingoi Colo- 

 c[uinttda, have been put into a great Skourtng, by the Vapour only. 



It hath been a pra&icc, to burn a Pepper, they call Ginny- Pepper; Which 

 hath fuch a ftrong Spirit, that it provoKcth a Continual Sneezing , in thofe 

 I that are in the Room, 



It is an Antient 7 radition, that Blear-Eyes in fcdi Sound Eyes; And that a 

 Menftruous Woman, looking in a Glajfe, doth ruft it. Nay they have an Opi- 

 nion, which feemcth Fabulow; That Menftruout women, going over a Field, 

 or Garden, dp Com and Herbs goodby Killing thzWorms. 



The Tradition is no leffe Antient, tnat the Bafi'isk killeth by AfpeB; And 



that 



