did their Duties in general with as much Courage as any, and perhaps with more, becauſe their Work was attended with more Hazards; and lay more among the Poor, who were more ſubject to be infected and in the moſt pitiful Plight when they were taken with the Infection: But then it muſt be added too, that a great Number of them died, indeed it was ſcarce poſſible it ſhould be otherwiſe.
I have not ſaid one Word here about the Phyſick or Preparations that we ordinarily made uſe of on this terrible Occaſion, I mean we that went frequently abroad up and down Street, as I did; much of this was talk’d of in the Books and Bills of our Quack Doctors, of whom I have ſaid enough already. It may however be added, that the College of Phyſicians were daily publiſhing ſeveral Preparations, which they had confider’d of in the Proceſs of their Practice, and which being to be had in Print, I avoid repeating them for that reaſon.
One thing I could not help obſerving, what befell one of the Quacks, who publiſh’d that he had a moſt excellent Preſervative againſt the Plague, which whoever kept about them, ſhould never be infected, or liable to Infection; this Man, who we may reaſonably ſuppoſe, did not go abroad without ſome of this excellent Preſervative in his Pocket, yet was taken by the Diſtemper, and carry’d off in two or three Days.
I am not of the Number of the Phyſic-Haters, or Phyſic-Deſpiſers; on the contrary, I have often mentioned the regard I had to the Dictates of my particular Friend Dr. Heath; but yet I muſt acknowledge, I made uſe of little or nothing, except as I have obſerv’d; to keep a Preparation of ſtrong Scent to have ready, in caſe I met with any thing of offenſive Smells; or went too near any burying place, or dead Body.
