C 73 ] 
Spathari, Skwackhim’s cook, Chariacci Rirnbeault, 
Jackino’s fon, 6tc. died of it. 
The plague is now more frequent in the Levant, 
than it was, when I came firft into this country, about 
30 years ago; for then, they were almoft Grangers 
to it in Aleppo and in Tripoli of Syria, and they had 
it but feldom at Smyrna; whereas now they have it 
frequently at Aleppo, and fummer and winter in 
Smyrna, tho’ never fo violently in the winter ; which 
muft be owing to the great communication by com- 
merce over all the Levant, and more extended 
into the country villages than it ufed to be. I take 
the plague to be an infection communicated by 
contact from one body to another ; that is, to a found 
body from an infedted one, whofe poifonous effluvia, 
fubtile miafmata, and volatile fteams, enter the cuta- 
neous fores of found perfons within their reach, or 
mix with the air, which they draw in refpiration, 
and fo advancing by the vafa inhalantia, mix with 
the blood and animal fluids, in which, by their noxi- 
ous and adtive qualities, they increafe their motion 
and velocity, and in fome days produce a fever ; fo 
that the nearer and the more frequent the contadt is, 
the greater is the danger, as the noxious particles, ex- 
haling from the infedted perfon, muft be more nu- 
merous, and confequently have greater force and ac- 
tivity in proportion to their diftance. 
Some perfons are of opinion, that the air muft be 
infedted, and that it is the principal caufe of thefe 
plagues ; whereas I prefume, that the ambient air is 
not otherwife concerned, than as the vehicle, which 
conveys the venemous particles from one bodyintoano- 
ther, at leaft in fuch plagues, as I have feen hitherto 
Vol. LIV. L at 
