Scrutinium Physico-Medicum Contagiosae Luis quae Pestis Dicitur

which sprout forth from the bosom of a malignant nature, it harasses the afflicted with it. It is called lethal because, by the swift insinuation of itself, it destroys a great portion of mortals in a small space of time. It is called most contagious; Why most contagious. in distinction to certain other diseases, which, although they may possess some taint of contagion, are nevertheless not called most contagious. Nor does it matter that some physicians say that plague can exist without contagion, at least of an excellent kind. For, whatever may be the case regarding this (upon which others disagree, saying that any plague whatsoever is contagious, and most contagious), even granting this, that particle is still appropriately added, namely, so that it may be signified that the plague, if not in every case or in individual instances (as they say), is at least in its very genus most contagious: whether because no other diseases are so contagious by their own nature, which even Aristotle acknowledges in Section VII of the Problems, or because the plague is in itself contagious by every kind of contagion, which physicians are accustomed to assign; namely, by contact, by fomites from nearby, and even at a distance. Therefore, only the plague is most contagious, both because of the hidden power of excellent putrefaction with which it abounds, and because of the swift propagation of the creeping disease, not only into neighboring regions but also into distant ones through the diffusion of contagion. Thus far we have set forth the definition; now let us explore the causes of such great malignity.