The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1879-02-19
THE GREAT PLAGUE OF LONDON,


burst of this scourge in London during
the year 1865, of which the celebrated
De Foe, the author of Robinson
Orusoe," is reputed to have left the fol-
lowing account:
"The face of London was strangely
altered-I mean the whole mass of
buildings, city, liberties, suburbs, West
minister, Southwark and altogether. For,
as to the particular spot called the city,
or within the walls, that was not yet
much infested but in the whole, the
face of things was much altered. Sorrow
and sadness set upon every face, and
though some parts we're not yet over
whelmed, yet all looked deeply con-
cerned, and as we saw it apparently
coming on, so every one looked on HIM
sci and his family as being in the utmost
danger, > London might well be
said to be all in tears. The mourners did
not go about the streets, indeed, for no
body put on black or made formal dress
of mourning for the nearest friends. But
the voice of mourning was truly heardin
the streets the shrieks of women and
children at the windows and doors OF
their houses when their nearest relations
were perhaps dying or Just dead we're so
frequent to be heard as we passed the
streets that it was enough to pierce the
stoutest heart in the world to hear them.
Tears and lamentations were seen almost
in every house, especially in the first
part of the visitation for toward the
latter end mems hearts we're hardened,
and death was so always before their
eyes that they did not so much concern
themselves for the loss of their friends,
expecting that themselves should be
summoned the next hour.
"The necessity of going out OF our
houses to buy provisions, continues DE
Foe, "was, in great measure, the ruin
of the whole city, for the people catched
the distemper on these occasions one OF
another, and even the provisions them
selves were often tainted-at least have
great reason to believe so and, there
fore, cannot say with satisfaction what
know is repeated with great assur-
ance, that the market people and such
as brought provisions to town we're never
infected. / am certain the butchers of
Whitechapel, where the greatest part OF
the flesh meat was killed, were dread
fully visited, and that at least TO such a
degree that few of their shops we're kept
open, and those that ramained of them
killed their meat at the Mile. End and
that way, and brought it to the market
upon horses. 1t is true people used all
possible precautions. When any one
bought Joint of meat in the market
they would not take it out of the butch
er's hand, but took it off the hooks
SessezVes. On the other hand, the
butcher would not touch the money, but
have it put into a pot full of vinegar,
which he kept for that purpose. The
buyers always carried small money to
make up any odd sum that they might
take no change. They carried bottles
for scents and perfumes in their hands,
and all the means that could be used
were employed. But then the poor
could not do even these things, and they
went at all hazards. Innumerable dis.
NAL stories we heard every day on this
very account. Sometimes a man OF
woman dropped down dead in the very
market, for many people that had the
plague upon them knew nothing of il
until the inward gangrene had affected
their vitals and they died in few mo
ments. This caused that many died il
that manner in the streets suddenly
without any warning. Others, perhaps
had time to go to the next hulk or stall
or to any door or porch, and just 81
down and die, as l 7e said before
These objects were So frequent in tn,
streets that when the plague came to b.
very raging, on one side there was scare,
any. passing by the streets but tina
several dead bodies would be lying her
and there upon the ground; on th
other hand, it is observable that, thougl
at first the people would stop as the,
went along and call to the neighbors b
come out on such an occasion, yet after
ward no notice was taken of them, But
If at any time we found corpse lying
go across the way and not come near it
or, If in a narrow lane or passage, g
back again and seek some other way
go on the business we were upon, an
in those cases the corpse was always lei
until the officers had notice to come an
take it away or till night, when til
bearers attending the dead-cart woul
take them up and carry them away
Nor did those undaunted creatures wh
performed these offices fail to scare
their pockets, and sometimes to strip O
their clothes if they are well-dressed, 6
sometimes they were, and carry off whit
credible what dreadful cases happene
in particular families every day peopI
IN the rage of the distemper, or in I'll
torment OF their rackings, which wa
indeed, intolerable, running out of the
own government, ravIng and distracte,
oftentimes laying violent hands upc
themselves, throwing themselves out
their windows, shooting themselves, ct
Mothers numbering their own childrC
in their lunacy some dying of grief,
apassion some of mere fright and SUI
prise, without any infection at all, othe
frightened into idiotism and foolish di
fractions, some into despair and lunac
others into melancholy madness. =
In some the swellings we're made so ha,
that no instrument could cut them, al
then they burned them with caustic,
that many died raving mad with the tC
ment and some in the very operatio