( ««° ) 
FART II. Containing fhyfical And Medicinal 
Obfertations upon the Plague. 
EFORE this fatal Diftemper reached this Town, 
many People were poffefs’d with an inward Fear, 
that it was impoffible for them to efcape it, fince it had 
already feiz’d their Neighbours. In the mean time I 
made it my Bufinefs to obferve narrowly every parti- 
cular that happened, in order to find out, if poffible, 
the Natural Source of this Malady, and by what Medi- 
cinal Means it might be refilled. Any one cannot want 
good Information who perufes the Authors that have 
writ upon this Subject 5 but as to this particular Point, 
there is fuch a Difagreement among them, that one 
Ihall never be able to learn from them the true Natural 
Caufs of the Plague $ becaufe it often proceeds from dif- 
ferent Caufes, and oftentimes the fame common Caule is 
attended with fuch different Circumftances, as render it 
dubious. 
That the Plague is a Poifon, or rather carries a Poifon 
along with it, is acknowledged by all Phyficians : But 
of what Kind and Nature it is, and whence it proceeds, 
but few can agree. It is well known, that it has a 
twofold Operation, in fuch a manner, that the Blood of 
thelnfe&ed is foraetimes thereby coagulated, and 
fometimes dilfolved, according as the Humours of Hu- 
man Bodies are difpofed 5 and yet they are both alike 
pernicious. If it coagulates, the Juices ftagnate, and the 
progreffive Motion ceafes : If it diffolves, then the Na- 
tural Connexion and Cohefion of the Particles become 
colliquative and incoherent, and the Spirits gain a free 
Exit, and leave the Body motionlefs. 
That 
