CHAPTER VII
THE TREATMENT OF TRUE PESTILENT FEVERS

Far greater care and attention, both public and private, ought
to be paid to fevers that are strictly speaking pestilent, if only
'doctors and others could venture to approach them without
fear. But as it is, many of the sick, abandoned by all men,
perish miserably. 'This contagion often has its source in the
air; often travels from one person to another; is often contracted
from fomes; and sometimes arises originally in ourselves.  Hence
it is clear that first of all we ought not to overlook the prophy—
lactic treatment of which I spoke. In the first place, precau—
tions must be taken against contraeting it, since, once contracted,
it is nearly always fatal. 'Therefore, when the plague is due
to some taint in the air, though this happens seldom, there is
no remedy more salutary than flight, as the proverb says, and
the search for healthier air.  But if that is not possible, for one
cannot always abandon cities, furniture, houses and loved ones,
then at least purify the air by the means that have been men—
tioned above. **Vou will do well to set alight the broad fields
of stubble and burn down virgin woods and sacred groves!".54

Also observe carefully whether the contagion is being con—
veyed into your district from some other district. 'Then shut
the windows on that side, and live on the other side of the house.
Beware of every kind of fomes, such as wood, clothes, and
every object that has been handled by the plague—stricken.
Those governments act most wisely which provide by custom
and law that all furniture in an infected house must be burned,
and the heirs compensated from the public funds.  We saw, in
the year 1511, when Verona was in the hands of the Germans,55
plague break out, of which about ten thousand persons 36 died.
One coat made of skins caused the death of no fewer then twenty—
five Teutons, for when one died another put it on, and at his
death another, and so on, until they took warning from so many
deaths and burned the coat. Nou must be equally careful

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