QUARANTINE.

427

with every one must he avoided : to do this effectually, thehouses ought to be locked, and none permitted to enter, tillit has ceased.

“ The usual way among Europeans is, to make a partitionof boards at the inside of their house-door; in this partitiona small door is fixed, to receive the necessary provisions ;the little door is kept constantly locked, to prevent carelessservants from taking any thing in secretly; before this door,in the inside, a tub of water is placed, into which the ser-vant, who is kept without, puts all such victuals as will bearwater, out of which they are taken with an iron hook; butbread, rice, coffee, or any dry article, are not found to con-vey infection, and may, therefore, be taken in with safety,from a board upon which the servant hands them in. Suchthings may be also drawn up through a window, by a ropeformed of the filaments of the date tree, and a basket madeof its leaves; but any thing of woollen, cotton, linen, orsilk, must, on no account, be taken in during quarantine.The house-door is commonly so coutrived, that the latchmay be opened by a rope from above stairs, in order to letthe servant bring provisions; and there is commonly a placebehind every house-door for him to sleep or sit, that he maybe at hand. Letters are usually taken in by a pair of tongs,and then smoked or drawn through vinegar. Europeanscommonly convey their letters, or what else they may haveto send to each other, in a sealed wooden box, about whichthere must be no packthread, or twine: that you maybe safe,you should know the persons from whom you receive themkeep a strict quarantine themselves. All windows may beopen, and you may take the fresh air on the tops of the houses.”

Observing the preceding regulations, no instance is yetknown of its ill effects; but many who have had the impru-dence to take a single ounce of silk only, or a handkerchieffrom without, have lost their lives, of which he had seen in-stances. He states the following to be one of the ridiculousstories current in Alexandria. A man having locked him-self up in his house to perform quarantine, but being unableto shave himself, sent for a barber; and, in order not totouch him, for fear of catching the disorder, put his headout through a hole, because he would not let him touch anyother part of his body. However, he paid dear for hisfolly, and died a few days after. There is no danger inspeaking to people affected at a little distance; such eventsfrequently occur. The author had himself even seen peopledrop down dead in the streets, before he shut himself up forquarantine.