by a Person of
undoubted Credit, is too much to the purpose to be here omitted. The
Fact is this. In the Year 1726, an English Ship took in Goods at _Grand
Cairo_, in the time of the _Plague's_ raging there, and carried them to
_Alexandria_. Upon opening one of the Bales of Wool in a Field, two
_Turks_ employed in the Work were immediately killed: and some _Birds_,
which happened to fly over the Place, dropp'd down dead.

HOWEVER, the Use of _Quarantaines_ is not wholly frustrated by our
Ignorance of the exact time required for this Purification: since the
_Quarantaine_ does at least serve as a Trial whether Goods are infected
or not; it being hardly possible that every one of those, who are
obliged to attend upon them, can escape hurt, if they are so. And
whenever that happens, the Goods must be destroyed.

I TAKE it for granted, that the _Goods_ should be _opened_, when they
are put into the _Lazaretto_, otherwise their being there will avail
nothing. This is the constant Practice in the _Ports_ of _Italy_. That
it is so at _Leghorn_, appears by the Account lately published of the
Manner, in which _Quarantaines_ are there performed: and I find, that
the same Rule is observed at _Venice_, from an authentic Paper, I have
before me, containing the Methods made use of in that City, where
_Quarantaines_ have been enjoined ever since the Year 1484; at which
time, as far as I can learn, they were first instituted in _Europe_. In
that Place all _Bales_ of _Cotton_, of _Camel_'s or of _Beaver_'s
_Hair_, and the like, are _ript_ open from end to end, and _Holes_ made
in them by the _Porters_ every Day, into which they thrust their naked
Arms, in order that the Air may have free Access to every part of the
Goods. That some such Cautions as these ought not to be omitted, is
clearly proved by the Misfortune, which happened in the Island of
_Bermudas_ about the Year 1695; where, as the Account was given me by
the learned Dr. _Halley_, a Sack of _Cotton_ put on Shore by Stealth,
lay above a Month without any Prejudice to the People of the House,
where it was hid: but when it came to be distributed among the
Inhabitants, it carried such a _Contagion_ along with it, that the
Living scarce sufficed to bury the Dead. This Relation Dr. _Halley_
received from Captain _Tucker_ of _Bermudas_, Brother to Mr. _Tucker_
late Under-Secretary in our Secretary's Office.

INDEED, as it has been frequently experienced, that of all the Goods,
whic