The present period of quarantine for goods is there fore far too long ; and as it lays heavy restraints on com merce, the laws are the more apt to be infringed. Thus their very severity defeats their object, by encouraging smuggling and all other methods of evasion. The rigidity of these regulations seems far more censurable, when ex tended, as is done, to vessels in ballast and ships of war. It is an evil effect, also, of the severity of these laws, that no provision is left for the exercise of the judgment in particular cases. As long, however, as the general prac tice continues thus strict, and the period of quarantine thus long, no state dares to differ from it. In such a case, particular restrictions would be placed on its foreign com merce; and its vessels, instead of a modified quarantine, would be subjected to the same treatment as that used to wards ships arriving from ports in a state of disease. Thus, if any modifications arc attempted, as has often been suggested, they could only result from sonic general concurrence of all the governments concerned. Such a modification as would remove all temptations to evasion, would probably add to our security instead of diminish ing it, which would also be of material benefit to com merce. As to the quarantine of persons, it is very plainly far too long ; and thus also evils arise from the great temptation to infringe the regulations. It is quite certain that the disease cannot lie dormant in the consti tution. If the clothes of the individuals are subjected to the proper treatment in the lazarettos, the person himself, af ter proper washing, may be considered safe from the power of the disease, and of course incapable of commu nicating infection, after a very few days.
Description of the Plague.
The definition of this disease is, that it is a contagious fever, very severe, generally, and rapid in its progress, accompanied by buboes, carbuncles, and petechix. It spreads rapidly by contact, and is generally fatal to about two-thirds of those attacked by it. The attack is very commonly sudden, and begins with headach in the forehead and occiput. There is either no shivering, or there are violent and short tremors, alternating with heats. If the patient feels a burning heat within, that is not per ceived at the surface, and very often that heat is suc ceeded by great cold. The physiognomy becomes im• mediately affected ; the eyes become red, and acquire a ferocious aspect. The headach then increases, and is sometimes very severe, though more generally dull and heavy, with a sensation of numbness. The pain also ex tends along the spine,to the joints and to the limbs. These symptoms are followed by vertigo, with threatening of syncope, and afterwards delirium, which is at first mild, but afterwards becomes fierce. The tongue is dry and yellowish, but without thirst ; there is nausea, with inef fectual efforts to vomit, or, if any thing is brought up, it is green bile. The respiration is laborious, with general uneasiness. During this time flying pains are felt among the muscles and glands, and buboes appear in the groins, the arm-pits, or the parotids, together with carbuncles.
Petechix also occur, generally numerous and of large size, sometimes with vibices, which more frequently, however, come out immediately alter death. There is nothing particular in the alvine excretions, though they are sometimes liquid. The urine is often turbid, with an oily aspect. The smell of the patient is occasionally nauseous, but if the disease has lasted a few clays, the perspiration has often a sweetish disagreeable smell, which attaches itself to the surrounding objects, and can only be got rid of by washing or ventilation. The disease varies in duration from three to seven clays, although the patients sometimes die within a few hours of the attack. If it passes the eighth day there are hopes of recovery. The pulse varies extremely, being sometimes frequent and hard, sometimes feeble and irregular, and, in some cases, it is found to Nary little from the healthy state.
In these cases the disease is sometimes not easily dis covered. The patient appears labouring under debility, becomes melancholy, morose, or anxious, with unpleasant sensations about the heart, and pains in the loins, and ac quires the peculiar physiognomy which attends this dis ease. In other cases of this nature, the patient dies sud denly at the first attack, as if by apoplexy ; a fact which has been known to occur among the persons employed in opening infected bales. Some also die at periods from one to three or four days, without any affection of the pulse, and without buboes or •eruptions, complaining of nothing but faintness and weakness, but still with the peculiar physiognomy by which this disorder is recog nized, even at a distance, sparkling eyes, and an expression of countenance resembling that of persons under the hy drophobia.
Though the prostration of strength is a very common symptom, it is by no means universal, as many persons have been known to walk within a few hours of their death ; and even the soldiers in the French army in Egypt often marched for many hours after they were attacked. 'Ile same indeed happens in severe remittent levers. In a few instances in the plague, even the intellect has been preserved till near the time of death.
The appearance of buboes and carbuncles decides the nature of the disease, wherever there may be any doubt. The bubo is an inflammation of the glands, already men tioned, which it attacks, sudden and painful. It termi nates by resolution, suppuration, or gangrene, the latter being always fatal. There are often as many as four bu boes, sometimes many more, aid perhaps as many car buncles ; and nothing but great inattention can confound these with the same affections proceeding from other causes, though in some cases, on their first appearance, they have been mistaken for venereal affections. The ap pearance of the carbuncle is also sudden, hut it sometimes vanishes and returns again. When it hreaks, it is by many points discharging a yellow or black fluid, which destroys the neighbouring skin, and even the muscles. Sometimes the carbuncle is single, at others it consists of many pustules, which at length join, and form a large ulcer.