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headaches； pains； and swellings； because they died in such a dreadful
manner … yet the latter had the worst state of the disease； for in the
former they frequently recovered； especially if the swellings broke；
but the latter was inevitable death； no cure； no hell）； could be
possible； nothing could follow but death。 And it was worse also to
others； because； as above； it secretly and unperceived by others or by
themselves； communicated death to those they conversed with； the
penetrating poison insinuating itself into their blood in a manner
which it is impossible to describe； or indeed conceive。
This infecting and being infected without so much as its being
known to either person is evident from two sorts of cases which
frequently happened at that time； and there is hardly anybody living
who was in London during the infection but must have known several
of the cases of both sorts。
（1） Fathers and mothers have gone about as if they had been well；
and have believed themselves to be so； till they have insensibly
infected and been the destruction of their whole families； which they
would have been far from doing if they had the least apprehensions of
their being unsound and dangerous themselves。 A family； whose story
I have heard； was thus infected by the father； and the distemper began
to appear upon some of them even before he found it upon himself。
But searching more narrowly； it appeared he had been affected some
time； and as soon as he found that his family had been poisoned by
himself he went distracted； and would have laid violent hands upon
himself； but was kept from that by those who looked to him； and in a
few days died。
（2） The other particular is； that many people having been well to the
best of their own judgement； or by the best observation which they
could make of themselves for several days； and only finding a decay
of appetite； or a light sickness upon their stomachs； nay； some whose
appetite has been strong； and even craving； and only a light pain in
their heads； have sent for physicians to know what ailed them； and
have been found； to their great surprise； at the brink of death： the
tokens upon them； or the plague grown up to an incurable height。
It was very sad to reflect how such a person as this last mentioned
above had been a walking destroyer perhaps for a week or a fortnight
before that； how he had ruined those that he would have hazarded his
life to save； and had been breathing death upon them； even perhaps in
his tender kissing and embracings of his own children。 Yet thus
certainly it was； and often has been； and I could give many particular
cases where it has been so。 If then the blow is thus insensibly striking
… if the arrow flies thus unseen； and cannot be discovered … to what
purpose are all the schemes for shutting up or removing the sick
people？ Those schemes cannot take place but upon those that appear
to be sick； or to be infected； whereas there are among them at the
same time thousands of people who seem to be well； but are all that
while carrying death with them into all companies which they come into。
This frequently puzzled our physicians； and especially the
apothecaries and surgeons； who knew not how to discover the sick
from the sound； they all allowed that it was really so； that many
people had the plague in their very blood； and preying upon their
spirits； and were in themselves but walking putrefied carcases whose
breath was infectious and their sweat poison； and yet were as well to
look on as other people； and even knew it not themselves； I say； they
all allowed that it was really true in fact； but they knew not how to
propose a discovery。
My friend Dr Heath was of opinion that it might be known by the
smell of their breath； but then； as he said； who durst smell to that
breath for his information？ since； to know it； he must draw the stench
of the plague up into his own brain； in order to distinguish the smell！
I have heard it was the opinion of others that it might be distinguished
by the party's breathing upon a piece of glass； where； the breath
condensing； there might living creatures be seen by a microscope； of
strange； monstrous； and frightful shapes； such as dragons； snakes；
serpents； and devils； horrible to behold。 But this I very much question
the truth of； and we had no microscopes at that time； as I remember；
to make the experiment with。
It was the opinion also of another learned man； that the breath of
such a person would poison and instantly kill a bird； not only a small
bird； but even a cock or hen； and that； if it did not immediately kill the
latter； it would cause them to be roupy； as they call it； particularly that
if they had laid any eggs at any time； they would be all rotten。 But
those are opinions which I never found supported by any experiments；
or heard of others that had seen it； so I leave them as I find them；
only with this remark； namely； that I think the probabilities are
very strong for them。
Some have proposed that such persons should breathe hard upon
warm water； and that they would leave an unusual scum upon it； or
upon several other things； especially such as are of a glutinous
substance and are apt to receive a scum and support it。
But from the whole I found that the nature of this contagion was
such that it was impossible to discover it at all； or to prevent its
spreading from one to another by any human skill。
Here was indeed one difficulty which I could never thoroughly get
over to this time； and which there is but one way of answering that I
know of； and it is this； viz。； the first person that died of the plague was
on December 20； or thereabouts； 1664； and in or about long Acre；
whence the first person had the infection was generally said to be from
a parcel of silks imported from Holland； and first opened in that house。
But after this we heard no more of any person dying of the plague；
or of the distemper being in that place； till the 9th of February； which
was about seven weeks after； and then one more was buried out of the
same house。 Then it was hushed； and we were perfectly easy as to the
public for a great while； for there were no more entered in the weekly
bill to be dead of the plague till the 22nd of April； when there was two
more buried； not out of the same house； but out of the same street；
and； as near as I can remember； it was out of the next house to the
first。 This was nine weeks asunder； and after this we had no more till
a fortnight； and then it broke out in several streets and spread every
way。 Now the question seems to lie thus： Where lay the seeds of the
infection all this while？ How came it to stop so long； and not stop any
longer？ Either the distemper did not come immediately by contagion
from body to body； or； if it did； then a body may be capable to
continue infected without the disease discovering itself many days；
nay； weeks together； even not a quarantine of days only； but
soixantine； not only forty days； but sixty days or longer。
It is true there was； as I observed at first； and is well known to many
yet living； a very cold winter and a long frost which continued three
months； and this； the doctors say； might check the infection； but then
the learned must allow me to say that if； according to their notion； the
disease was （as I may say） only frozen up； it would like a frozen river
have returned to its usual force and current when it thawed … whereas
the principal recess of this infection； which was from February to
April； was after the frost was broken and the weather mild and warm。
But there is another way of solving all this difficulty； which I think
my own remembrance of the thing will supply； and that is； the fact is
not granted … namely； that there died none in those long intervals； viz。；
from the 20th of December to the 9th of February； and from thence to
the 22nd of April。 The weekly bills are the only evidence on the other
side； and those bills were not of credit enough； at least with me； to
support an hypothesis or determine a question of such importance as
this； for it was our received opinion at that time； and I believe upon
very good grounds； that the fraud lay in the parish officers； searchers；
and persons appointed to give account of the dead； and what diseases
they died of； and as people were very loth at first to have the
neighbours believe their houses were infected； so they gave money to
procure； or otherwise procured； the dead persons to be returned as
dying of other distempers； and this I know was practised afterwards in
many places； I believe I might say in all places where the distemper
came； as will be seen by the vast increase of the numbers placed in the
weekly bills under other articles of diseases during the time of the
infection。 For example； in the months of July and August； when the
plague was coming on to its highest pitch； it was very ordinary to ha