being infected. Neither does any thing appear on the face of the evidence from which we could infer that the last great plague which visited London in 1665-6, was the Levant plague. The conjecture of some four or five of the medical gentlemen favouring the doctrine of contagion, as to its being imported, is rebutted by other medical contagionists, who concur in the opinion of the anti-contagionists as to its having been generated at home (under perhaps some diseased constitution of the atmosphere) from the narrowness of the streets, the crowded state of inhabitants, the accumulation of filth,the want of common sewers and drains, a deficiency in the supply of water, &c. such as existed in London previous to the great fire (1); since which time it is an undisputed fact that not one case of plague has occurred in Great Britain. Thirdly, many very striking examples came out here and there in the evidence (2), of communication with people ill of the plague, where even the sores had been handled, and patients had been slept with, without the disease having been communicated. These instances at least countervail others, where, in places in which the disorder was prevalent, its communication from contiguity of situation was inferred: and the knowledge that the Turks make no scruple in wearing the clothes of their relatives deceased of the plague, and that the bedding and clothes of those who die in the pesthouses, as well as of strangers, which are the perquisites of the pashas or governors, are annually sold at the public bazaars, also afford an answer to the accounts, some of them absurd enough (3), plague overspread Paris in conse- Some Definition of the and Bill of Health. of the introduction of the plague into various places, and its subsequent propagation. I shall conclude these preliminary observations on the necessity and expediency of quarantine, by earnestly recommending to those interested in the subject a perusal of the evidence, which concentrates many valuable facts, and will lay the foundation of future enquiry: and I would particularly solicit attention to the full and able evidence of Drs. Maclean and Mitchell, who mainly oppose the doctrine of contagion, and endeavour to shew that the disorder is dependant on localities and climate and atmospheric influence, like other epidemic fevers. The term quarantine, or as it was anciently written quarenterms Quarantine tine, is derived from the French word quarante, which signifies forty. A vessel which is obliged to perform quarantine on account of its having come from an infected place, or being likely to communicate an infectious disorder, is detained in a state of exclusion from society for a space of time in general amounting to 40 days; and although the period of detention is sometimes greater and sometimes less than forty days, (a duration of time which was perhaps originally taken from the Scriptures, and is known to the law for other purposes besides those which we are now considering) (1), the term quarantine is retained as the general denomination of the ceremonies which the suspected vessel is liable to perform. The principal document from which the quarantine officers are enabled to ascertain whether a vessel is liable to perform quarantine, or what is to be the duration of the ceremony, is termed a bill of health. This instrument is a certificate from the consul at the foreign port, notifying the state of the country from which the vessel sailed. A clean bill purports that at the time of sailing the infectious disorder did not exist. A suspected bill, commonly called a touched patent or bill, imports that there were rumours of an infectious disorder, but that it had not actually appeared. A foul bill, or the absence of clean bills, imports that the place was infected when the vessel sailed. In the Lex Mercatoria of Beawes, forms are given of the bill of health in this country: and also of one (1) As to the widow's quarantine in dower, see Com. Dig. tit. Dower, A. 11. Co. Lit. 32 b. Jac. Dic. Quarantine. At the deluge the rain continued 40 days and 40 nights, and the same period became afterwards sacred. Gen.vii.4. Deut. ix. 9, 11. 1 Kings, xix. 8. Matth. iv. 2 Jonah, iii. 3. Gen. vi. 3. adopted at Alicant in Spain, from which the nature and contents of this document will be clearly seen. (1) Quarantine. The liability to perform quarantine, and the method of per- What Vessels forming it, are regulated by orders of the king in council, under are liable to the authority of acts of parliament. The statute 45 Geo. 3. c. 10., which was passed on account of the insufficiency of the former laws upon this subject (2), declares that all vessels coming from or having touched at a place from which his Majesty in council has declared it probable that the plague or any other infectious disorder may be brought; and all vessels and boats receiving any person, goods, packets, packages, baggage, wearing apparel, books, letters, or any other article whatever from any vessels so coming from or having touched at such infected place as aforesaid, whether such persons, goods, &c. shall have come or been brought in such vessels, or such persons shall have gone or articles have been put on board the same, either before or after the arrival of such vessels at any place in Great Britain, or the islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark or Man, and whether such vessels were or were not bound to any place in Great Britain, or the islands aforesaid; and all persons, goods, or any other articles whatever, on board of any such vessels so coming from or having touched at such infected place, or on board of any such receiving vessels or boats as aforesaid, shall be considered to be liable to quarantine within the meaning of that statute, and of any order made by his majesty in council, from the time of the departure of such vessels from such infected place, or from the time when the persons or property have been received on board; and all such vessels and boats, and all persons (as well pilots as others) and all property, whether coming or brought in such vessels or boats from such infected place, or going or being put on board the same, either before or after the arrival of such vessels or boats at any place in Great Britain, or the islands aforesaid, and all persons, goods, and other articles as aforesaid, on board any such receiving vessel or boat, shall upon their arrival at any such place be obliged to perform quarantine in such place or places, for such time and in such manner as shall from time to time be directed by his majesty, by his order or orders in council, notified by proclamation, or pub Pam (1) See forms, post Appendix. 1 Beawes' Lex Merc. 391. phleteer, No. 20, p. 467. (2) Section 9 repeals all former acts, except as to by-gone duties and penalties. lished in the London Gazette: and until such vessels and boats, persons, goods, and other articles, shall have respectively performed and shall be duly discharged from such quarantine, no such person, goods, or other articles shall, either before or after the arrival of such vessels or boats at any place in Great Britain or the islands aforesaid, come or be brought on shore, or go or be put on board any other vessel or boat in order to come or be brought on shore in any such place, although the vessels so coming from any infected place may not be bound to any place in Great Britain, or the islands aforesaid, unless in such manner and in such cases and by such license as shall be directed or permitted by such order or orders made by his majesty in council: and all vessels and boats, whether coming from the infected place, or being otherwise liable to quarantine, and all persons (as well pilots as others), goods and other articles as aforesaid, whether brought in such vessels or boats, or going or being put on board, either before or after the arrival of such vessels or boats at any place in Great Britain, or the islands aforesaid, and although such vessels or boats are bound to any place in Great Britain or the British islands; and all commanders or masters of vessels or boats, whether coming from any infected place, or being otherwise liable to quarantine, are subject to the regulations contained in the act of parliament, or orders of his majesty in council concerning quarantine, and to all the penalties attached to the disobedience thereof. It is also declared by statute that all goods particularly specified in any order made by the king in council concerning quarantine, imported into this country from abroad, together with the vessels in which the same are brought, and also all vessels which arrive from any place whatever, under alarming or suspicious circumstances as to infection, shall be subject to such regulations as his majesty in council shall think fit to order (1). The orders in council, which will be found in the Appendix at the end of this work, contain very copious directions with regard to the performance of quarantine. A brief account of them is subjoined, for the purpose of making the reader acquainted with their Summary of the general import and effect. An order in council of the 5th of April 1805 declares that his majesty doth adjudge it probable that the plague or some other infectious disease highly dangerous to the health of his subjeets may be brought into Great orders in coun cil. (1) 45 Geo. 3. c. 10. s. 11. Britain, or the islands in the English channel, by vessels coming from or through the Mediterranean, or from the West Barbary on the Atlantic Ocean, with or without clean bills of health, and also by the importation into Great Britain, or those islands, of goods enumerated in the order, of the growth, produce, or manufacture of Turkey, or a place in Africa within the streights of Gibraltar, from any place in Europe without the Streights, or on the continent of America at which there is not a regular establishment for the performance of quarantine, declared sufficient for that purpose by order in council. The order in council proceeds to specify what vessels shall perform quarantine; at what places vessels with clean bills of health shall perform quarantine, and where the goods shall be opened and aired; at what places vessels without clean bills of health shall perform quarantine ; where vessels having goods of the growth of Turkey, or any place in Africa within the Streights of Gibraltar, or in the west of Barbary on the Atlantic Ocean, shall perform quarantine. It also permits vessels passing the quarantine station, either from ignorance or foul weather, to perform the same at any other place appointed for quarantine; gives directions as to ships liable to quarantine touching at any port in Great Britain, not being bound thither; and sets out the questions to be put pursuant to the 18th section of the before-mentioned act; and if such vessel shall be liable to quarantine, requires the master to repair to the appointed place. It also sets out the questions to be put when the vessel arrives at her station; the masters are to make oath to answers, and to repair to the station and perform quarantine, carrying with him his log-book, manifest, and ship's papers (having been first fumigated), and shall make oath to the truth of the contents of the same. Vessels arriving under suspicious circumstances may be ordered to a station distant from other vessels, and put under special guard to prevent all communication. It also directs how vessels with clean bills shall perform quarantine; that quarantine guardians shall be put on board; also under what regulations and with what precaution communication may be had between persons under quarantine and others, by letter. It regulates the night watch and centinels at the quarantine stations, and directs the providing of necessaries for persons under quarantine. It also provides that nothing shall, without order, be delivered from on board vessels under quarantine, nor conveyed from one vessel to another, nor personal intercourse permitted between them; that after the discharge of cargoes into the lazaret, the holds and |