The record-union., 1897-03-08
DEPOEsS FICTION.
Els Stories Of The Great Plague in LOn-
don In 1865.
Madness of the DiseaSe-Strange
Scenes In the Streets-An Ex.
traordinary Cure.

In these walks | had many dismal
scenes before my eyes, as particularly,
of persons falling dead in the streets,
terrible shrieks and screechings OF Wo-
men, who in their agonies would throw
open their chamber windows and cry
out in dismal, surprising manner 1t
it impossible to describe the variety
of postures in which the passions of the
poor people would express themselves.
Passing through Token House Yard,
in Lothbury, of d sudden "a easement
violently opened just over my head and
a woman gave three frightful screeches
and then cried, "Oh death, death,
DEATH" in a most inimitable tone, and
which struck me with horror and
chilneSs in my very blood. There was
nobody to be seea in the whole street,
neither did any other window open, for
people had no curiosity now in any
case, nor could anybody help one an
other; so | went on to pass into Bell
alley
Just in Bell alley, on the right hand
of the passage. there was a more terri
bic cry than that. though it was not so
directed out at the window. But the
whole family was in a terrible fright,
and L could hear women and children
distracted, when a garret window op
ened, and somebody from a window on
the other side of the alley called and
asked, What is the matter?" Upon
which from the first window it was an
sWcred, "Oh. Lord. my old master has
hanged himself" The other asked
again, Is he quite dead?" and the first
answered. "Ay, ay, quite dead; quite
dead and cold!" This person was a
merchant and Deputy Alderman, and
very rich. [ care not to mention his
name, though l knew his name too;
but that would be a hardship to the
family, which is now flOurishing again.
THE MADNESS OF THE DISEASE.
But this is but one. II is scarce credi-
BILE what dreadful cases happened in
particular families every day-people,
in the rage of the distemper, or in the
torment of their swellings, which was,
indeed, intolerable, running out of their
own government raving and distract
ed. and oftentimes laying violent hands
upon themselves, throwing themselves
out at their windows, shooting them
selves, etc; mothers numbering their
own children in their lunacy: some dy-
ing Of mere grief as a passion, some of
mere fright and surprise without any
infection at all; others frightened into
ldiotism and foolish distractions. some
into despair and lunacy others into
melancholy madness
The pain Of the swelling was in par
ticular very violent, and to some intol-
cradle. The physicians and surgeons
may be said to have tortured many
poor creatures even 10 death. The
sWellings in some grew hard, and they
applied violent drawing plasters or
poultices, to break them: and. if these
did not do it. they cut and scarifed
them in terrific manner. In some.
those sweIlings We're made hard. partly
by the force Of the distemper and part
y by their being too violently drawn.
and were so hard that no instrument
could cut them; and then they burned
fhem with caustiCs, so that many died
raVlng mad with the torment and some
tn the very operation. In these dis
tccsses some, for want Of help to hold
them down in their beds or 70 look 10
them, laid hands upon themselves as
above; some broke out into the streets
perhaps naked and would run directly
down to the river. if they We're not
stopped by the w2tchman or other Off
GERS. and plunge themselves into the
water Wherever LnEN tDQDQ IT.
Il often pierced nay very soul to hear
the groans and cries Of those who were
thus torne uted. But Of the two. this
was counted the most promising par
ticuIar in the whole infection: for if
these swellings could be brought to a
head. and TO break and run. or as the
surgeons call it, to digest" the pa
tient generally recovered; whereas
t1-.,. 80
daughter, were struck with death at
the beginning, and had the tokens come
out upon them. often went about in
differently easy till a little before they
died, ana some till the moment they
dropped down, as in apoplexies and
epilepsies is often the case Such
would be taken suddenly very sick, and
would run 10 a bench or bulk, or any
convenient place that offered itself or
to their GTn houses. If possible. as /
mentioned before and there sit down,
grow faint. and die This kind of dy-
ing was much the same as it was with
those who die Of common notifications
(gangrene, death Of the soft tissues),
who die swooning. and, as it We're, go
away in a dream. Such as die thus
had very little notice of their being
infected at all till the gangrene was
spread through their whole body; nor
could physicians themselves know GER
tainly how it was with them till they
opened their breasts, or other parts OF
their body. and saw the tokens
We had at this time a great many
frightful stories told us Of nurses and
watchmen who looked after the dying
people Uhat is to say hired nurses,
who attended infected people, using
them barbariously, starving them
smothering them, or by other wicked
means Fastening their end-that is tc
say, numbering Of them. And watch
men being set TO guard houses that
We're shut up, when there has been but
one person left and perhaps that one
lying sick that they have broke in and
murdered that body, and Immediately
thrown them out into the dead cart
and so they have gone scarce cold to
the grave.
1 cannot say but that some such
murders were committed. and / think
two We're sent to prison for it. but died
before they could be tried: and / have
heard that three others. at several
times, were executed for murders OF
that kind. But l must say / believe
nothing of its being so common crime
as some have since been pleased to say;
nor did il seem to be so rational, where
the people were brought so low as not
TO be able to help themselves; for such
seldom recovered and there was no
temptation To commit q murder. at