New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-15
s4yIrARY SCIENCE 800 YEARS AGO.


From The COrnhn
Toward the beginning OF the sixteenth century a
terrible naladv made its first appearance within
our island, causing the greatest danger to ne
wherever ITS pettlenua Dieath lulecteu ne
multitude. The origin of the evil was supposed TO
be wrapped IN mystery the disease was looked
upou as one of those vstatlons which have so often
been attributed 10 offended Providence instead Of
To he true causes OF Their exstence-tne Ignorance
and neg gencc OF people as 70 the hTst principles
of sanitary science. lunlned by the ng1t or
modern teaching we can entertain OGJ niue uouOt
that the dreaded sweating slckness-the SNdOr
4pgicHs-which created such havoc throughout
ENGLAND IN the rcIgns Of Henry VIII. ard ms son,
was entirely due to the almost Eastern condition oil
things then apparent IN system OF drainage ana
veutlatOn The houses, even or the great, harDOred
NTH and dirt wnich were allowed To remain unTe-
moved, and thus TO exnae their noXlOus gases I'D
fatal freedom. The narrow streets were the recep-
taces for all garbage. whilst open sewers on elmer
side slowly rolled their contents toward n pOHuted
river Pure water for drinking purposes was
scarcely TO be had the brewers monopolzed the
springs for their trade. whilst the condnts, Wnlch
even a century before the accession of buh hlng
Hal had been insufficient for the wants OF the peo-
ME now simply Knocked the requirements 81 the
town. Meat was cheap. and the English We're no
torious for their robust appeites. IL Is not there
fore surprising that men, breathing IN their own
homes and ont of doors a fetld atmosphere, with
their blood heated by heavy consunpu0ns OF an
NAL food, shOuld fall easy victims to pestlIence
which their own offensive habits had helped 10 en-
gender and encourage. The subject did not escape
the notice of one of the keenest observers OF his day
| am frequently astOnshed and RreVed writes
Erasmus To NOlsey yslcIano think how II tnat
England has been nov for so mauy years troubled
by continual pestIlence, especially Dy deadiy
sweat which appears IN great measure TO be- pecu-
liar 10 YOUR country. | have read how city was
once delivered from a plague by change IN the
houses made at the suggestion or philosopher. L
am inclined think that TINS also must De the ue-
Iyerance for England. FRS OF all, Englisnmen
never consider the aspect OF ther doors or windows
next their chambers are built IN such way as 10
admit of no ventilation. Then great part OF the
walls of the house is occupied with glass easements.
winch admit light but exclude the ar ana YET tney
It IN the draush through holes and corners, when
IL often pestental and stagnates there. Inc noors
are IN general land with white cay ana are coFcTeu
with rushes, occasionally removed put so ll1pel
factlv that the bottom layer Is left undlstuTOen'
sometimes for twenty years, barb0rng exPectola1
TONS vomItings, ale-droppngs' scraps Oh Hsnl anu
other abOmin&il0Hs nos ut 10 De nlehtone" WIFI
ever tLe weather changes vapOr IL eXhaled when
| consider very detrimental to health. am
conhdrDt the island would be much more saluDflous
,f fLe nse of PUSHES were abandoned, and If the
rooms were built IN such way as 10 De exposed 10
fine skv ON two or three sides and all the WINDOWS
M built as to be opened or closed at once ana 50
completely closed a. not TO admit Tue lou 81
through cbnks; for. a IT is beneficial TO health 70
admit the air. so II Is equally 3enehcial al tnes 10
excIude IT, The common people laugh at you II you
complain of a cloudy or fOggy day. thirty years
aao n ever entered room which had not been oc-
cnn,ed for some months, was sure 70 take u FEVER
Mr. moderailon III diet, and especially IN the use
~ salt meats might be OF service; more particularly
were public adIes appointed 10 see the streets
cleaned and the suburbs kept IN DetteI oruer' a.,
One of The strange features OF TINS disease was lis
partiality for Englishnen. wherever LhsilshIleh
congregated there IL attacked tneih, iolioWtne
lneai, 40 t az oil times In Calais, Antwerp and
Brabant it generally singled out the English resi-
dents and visitors, whilst the native popnlation
60 med mn affected The chief victims were the
yohnst and the powerful, whose sound dlgestions
nermitted them TO indulge in the pleasures of the
table Inundated men 1t rareIy attaeAeu' ne
ines, hogan with fever, followed by severe Inter-
nal stru ggles, which caused protuse PRECIPITATION
to break out If the constitution proved sLtong
70 expeI the poison the sufferer escaped. one Oh
H. Hit results of the inaIady TO cause such
inter prostration of the nervous system tnat the
natIent often yielded without struggle