Part 1

AN AUTHENTICK ACCOUNT OF THE Measures and Precautions USED AT _VENICE_, BY THE MAGISTRATE of the Office of HEALTH, FOR THE PRESERVATION of the PUBLICK HEALTH.

_LONDON_: Printed by EDWARD OWEN in _Warwick-Lane_. 1752.

AN AUTHENTICK ACCOUNT OF

The MEASURES and PRECAUTIONS used at _VENICE_, by the MAGISTRATE of the Office of HEALTH, for the PRESERVATION of the PUBLICK HEALTH.

It is now the Third Century since the following Regulation took its Rise.

The Office of Health is furnished with such ample Power and Authority, as makes it at once useful and respectable; it is administered by the Subjects of the Republick most eminent for their Prudence, Dignity and Talents; it is furnished with Abundance of Officers, a few of whom are employed in the Distribution of Orders, and the rest in their Execution. In describing occasionally these different Branches, much Light will be let in upon the Subject.

Experience has shewn, that in the _Ottoman_ Dominions the Plague is never utterly extinct: Hence it is an immutable Law with the Magistrate of the Office of Health, to consider the whole Extent of the _Ottoman_ Dominions, and every State dependent on it, as always to be suspected to be in an infected Condition, to such a Degree, as not to receive, in any Part of the Dominions of the Republick, either confining to or commercing with them, any Persons, Merchandizes, Animals, or any other Thing coming from thence, without the necessary Inspection of the Office of Health, and the previous Purifications.

To explain myself, I will suppose that a suspected Ship, coming from some Scale of the _Levant_, presents itself at the Mouth of these Ports, and, by describing the Conduct that is observed towards it, I shall shew the Rules that are practised with regard to every Vessel, coming from any Part of the World, that is either infected, or suspected to be so.

No Vessel can enter these Ports, unless it touches at _Istria_, and takes a Pilot on Board, or unless, on approaching to the Ports, it wait for the Towers of the Admiral to tow it up. These Officers do not immediately depend upon the Magistrate, but are obliged, however, not to neglect any of his Rules, nor to mix with any Vessel, even free or cleared, unless by the Magistrate’s Leave; to make use of tarred Cables, or Cables of [Transcriber’s Note: an intentional blank space was left here in the original] in the towing Vessels in, in order to avoid all Communication, and to direct the Captain of every suspected Vessel to hoist up on the Mizen Mast a particular Signal; so that, by Means of the Spies, who are continually on the High Tower of St. _Mark_ to discover any Vessels that approach, such Vessel is immediately known to be a Vessel subject to perform Quarantine.

As soon as the Vessel is discovered, the Magistrate has Notice, and all the Officers belonging to him; the Chief of whom instantly dispatches the _Guardian_ (whose Turn it is) to meet it and go on Board, and guard it during the Term of Quarantine.

The Magistrate has Sixty of these Guardians in his Service, whose Duty it is, by Turns, either to go a-board any Ship, or to the _Lazarettos_, to superintend the Purification of Merchandizes, or the proper Quarantine of Persons. Their Duty, in general, is to see that all the Rules are observed concerning the Precautions and Purifications: Their Office is dangerous and delicate to the last Degree; they have a particular daily Appointment, which they have also from those concerned in the Ship or Cargo, besides their daily Provisions; and they answer with their Life any Contravention to the Rules that they should suffer to take Place, or dare to have any Hand in.

The Guardian then being dispatched to meet the Ship, he either meets her and goes a-board her out at Sea with the Admiral’s own Boat, when there is any Doubt that it may be come from infected Parts; or he waits for her in those Waters where the Admiral, or his Towers, bring her to cast Anchor; the Places being different according to the different Size of the Ships, or the different Inspections under which they fall; as, for Vessels that are very heavy, and sink deep in the Water, deeper Canals are assigned; for those coming from Places which, their Passes shew, were infected, or on Board of which there are any Appearances of the Plague, Canals are assigned more remote, even twelve or fourteen Miles distant from the City; and in that Case they are guarded by the publick Galleys, or Barks armed with Militia in Proportion to the Number of Vessels at one Time in that Quarantine, or according to the Quality of the Suspicions had of them, in order to prevent any Person from entring into these Canals, or any Thing being brought clandestinely out of them.

As soon as the Vessel is at Anchor, and has passed under the Observation of the Guardian, an Officer of the Magistrate (called _Fante_) is instantly sent on Board to bring the Captain, under the Precautions of the Office of Health, to the Abode of the Magistrate on the Shore to be examined.

The Magistrate has Seven of these Officers called _Fanti_; the Head of them is the _Massaro_; and his Duty is to collect all the Letters coming from suspected Countries, and to open and fumigate them; for at the Time the Captain of the suspected Vessel is brought to be examined, he must deliver all his Letters, and not only all such as were entrusted to him, but also all others in Possession of any Passengers or others on Board. And in this Point he is obliged to the strictest Vigilance, since, besides the particular Care required that Paper be not suffered to pass without undergoing the necessary Fumigations, there is Danger that in the Letters be contained Samples for Cloaths, or other Things susceptible, and consequently subject to Purification.

The Duty of these _Fanti_, is to execute all the Orders issued by the Magistrate, as none else can execute them, and to superintend every Thing respecting the Duties and Precautions of the Office of Health, with this Difference between them and the Guardians, that the latter are always looked upon to be in the same Condition as the Ship, Passengers, or Merchandizes which they guard; whereas the _Fanti_ keep themselves always clear, and serve for an Escort upon all Occasions; without being in the least contaminated.

As soon as ever the _Fante_ is arrived along-Side the suspected Vessel in his own Boat, the Captain must get into his own Boat with his Sailors, and keep behind the _Fante_’s, which precedes always at a due Distance, in order to oblige to sheer off all Vessels they may meet by the Way, and to take Care that the Ship-Boat itself do not approach any Vessel, or put to Land at any Island in their Way to the Parts of the Magistrate’s Abode on the Shore, which are so barricadoed, that, though Discourse may be held at a Distance between the New-Comers, and those at Land, no Communication of any Kind can happen; and as soon as the Captain is on Shore, he is introduced, through a guarded Street, to the Spot destined for him to be examined at, which is an Inclosure shut up on all Sides; where, by the Clerk of the Magistrate, (an Officer particularly appointed for that Business) he is, from a Window, examined, at a due Distance.

The Inquiry turns particularly upon, Whence the Vessel comes, and in what Length of Time; If from a healthy or suspected Part; What Kind of a Voyage she has had; What Places touched at; and Whether in them he had been admitted to Communication or not; If he met any Ships at Sea, and from whence, and Whether he had any Communication with them. The Number is demanded of his Crew and Passengers; If they have been always well in the Voyage, or if any of them are missing; What, and how much, is the Cargo he brings; If all from one Place, or from many; and lastly, Whether, in what regards the Health, he had observed in any Parts any _Risings_; and intimating to him, that he must exhibit all the Papers and Letters he has.

The first of these to be examined on the Spot, are the Patents or Bills of Health, in order to compare with them the Facts delivered in the Examination, and particularly the Number of Persons who are on Board the Vessel. This is looked upon to be so essentially requisite, and of such Consequence, that if any Vessel should arrive without it, though it should be come from a Place absolutely free, and even in the Neighbourhood, it would either not be admitted at all, or not have any Communication granted it, unless after a most rigorous Quarantine.

If by chance the Patents should be defective, and should denote a greater or less Number of Persons than are taken down in the Examination, the Captain must prove, in the clearest Manner, either the Flight or Death, and particularly the Condition of that Person who is wanting; and in the same Manner he is to produce particular Patents; and with Evidence upon Examination, and by other Proofs of the same Nature, he is to make it appear from what Place he took up the Person who happens to be one more than the Number set forth in the said Patents; since, in the first Case, there may remain a Doubt, that the Deficiency may have been owing to Death by Infection, or to Flight to Parts not named; and in the second Case, it is to be considered, that it is possible, that the Person, exceeding the Number mentioned in the Patent, may have been received from some suspected Vessel, or from some infected Place.

Besides these Patents, the Captain is also to give a distinct Account of all his Cargo, both of its Quality and Quantity; which is called giving a _Manifest_; from whence is discovered, whether any of the Merchandizes may have been brought from suspected Countries; in which Case the Captain must prove, that in that Place they had undergone the necessary Purification. By Means of the Manifest, Lights also are gathered as to what Kind of Quarantine may be proper for infectious Ladings of different Kinds, and Orders given for taking out such as are of a Nature not to give Suspicion.

’Tis here proper to observe, that this Order for Examining and Comparing is executed on every Vessel arriving in these Parts, they being all treated upon the Foot of Suspicion, (tho’ they be not so) until, that by the Concert produced by the aforesaid Enquiries, a Certainty is obtained of their Condition: Nor can they before that have any Communication at all; and as the very Essence of this momentous Concern depends upon Integrity and Fidelity, every Captain is guilty of High Treason for any Prevarication in his Depositions upon Examination, or any Falsification of his fiduciary Papers; this Point being watched with the utmost Attention and Care.

These Researches being over, if the Vessel really comes from a Place that is free, it is declared free; if from a suspected one, the Captain is reconducted on Board his Ship with the same Precautions used on his being brought ashore.

And as the Guardian is already on Board it, he begins now to exercise his Functions; _1st_, He forms a distinct List of the Number, Names and Sirnames of all the Persons on Board; _2dly_, Another List of all the Things belonging to each Person, distinguishing those which are simply for their Use from such as may be traded with; it being lawful to keep the first in the Ship, when any Person performs his Quarantine aboard with the Crew; but they must be exposed to Air, and every Day handled; the same not being allowed to Merchandize, which must all be purified at the _Lazarettos_. Both these Rolls or Lists are sent to the Magistrate; and, the Captain’s Assertions on his Examination being entirely proved, Order is given for unlading the Ship, and for transporting the Goods to the _Lazaretto_; it never being allowed, either that any Goods remain in the Ship for Purification, or that the Time of Quarantine for the Ship should begin till the Unlading is finished.

However, the Magistrate being desirous not to embarrass Commerce more than the Publick Safety requires; those Goods are distinguished, which are susceptible of Infection, from those which are not: Some of them are allowed to be taken from on Board the Ship without passing through any Purifications, with the Assistance however of the _Fante_ without, as well as of the Guardian within; lest, under Pretence of Things being uninfected, any Thing should be delivered out that requires Purification: Some other Things may also be taken away, but not from the Ship, but from the _Lazarettos_; the first Indulgence is granted to those Things which are not liable to Infection; the second, to others that being free themselves are wrapp’d in Covers that are not so; as these Covers must be carefully taken off by Persons suspected, and are to be on the Footing of other suspected Things.

Every Thing else, which may give Suspicion, must be purified according to the Rules of the _Lazarettos_.

Precautions are used in changing Things from one Vessel to another, and in transporting them; for which Reason, this being only to be done by Boats destined for that Use, called _Peate_, they cannot go to the Ship’s Side without Leave, and that is not given till the Information aforesaid is obtained; and when they are come to the Side of the Ship, no one meddles with the Cargo but the Ship’s Crew, the _Fante_ being always present out of the Ship, and the Guardian within, who takes an exact Note of all that is laden on them, to be transmitted to the Magistrate. In their Way to the _Lazaretto_, the Fante escorts them with the due Cautions, accompanied by the Clerk of the Ship, or some other of the Persons concerned, and consigns them to the Prior of the _Lazaretto_, who makes the _Bastazi_ answerable for them, who are appointed to have the Handling of them, and the Guardian who is to superintend it, and sends the Magistrate a distinct List of every Thing which is received, for a fuller Check.

_Bastazi_ is the Name given to those, who open the Bales of Merchandize, and handle them, and keep amongst them all the Time prescribed for Quarantine. They are chosen by the Merchants concerned, that they may be secure of their Regularity. But the Magistrate requires they should be knowing Persons, and there is a Guardian appointed them, to take Care that the Purifications are exact, and that Interest does not occasion any Breach of the Rules. They have their Necessaries and daily Pay from the Merchants, and they are the Persons who are most diligently examined; for, from the Effects which are discovered on them, may be known what there is to fear: ’Tis not however in the Breast of the Merchants to appoint a greater or less Number of these; but the Laws have provided, that each _Bastazo_ is to serve for so many Bales as he can manage carefully in a Day.

The Transporting Goods to the _Lazaretti_ has been mentioned, the same is to be understood of Persons, who are there with their Things to perform the Quarantine, and prove their being in Health under the Care of another Guardian; it being seldom allowed (and that only to some poor Wretch) to perform Quarantine in the Ship, for fear the Things worn or wearable should not be sufficiently purified. ’Tis to be observed, that every Vessel having on Board Goods and Passengers, must have three Guardians; one for the Ship, one for the Goods, and one for the Passengers, together with the Help of so many other Officers as may seem a heavy Expence: But if it be considered that this is borne by the Goods, and that they are sold in the Country, it will appear how much Care is taken of the Publick Safety, which is preferred to every other Consideration.

But all these Precautions are to be compleated in the _Lazarettos_, so called from the original Intention of them for the Recovery of Persons sick of the Plague, but worthy now a better Name, as they are the Deposits of the Publick Safety, which therein exercises its Precautions. These are of a double Use; for the Purification of Persons and Merchandize, separately, in Times of Health; and for the Recovery of sick infected Persons, and the Purification of dangerous Household Furniture, in Times of the Plague; to which Use are also converted other Insular Places which are scattered among the Marshes round us.

The first Thing to be considered in these _Lazarettos_ is their Situation. They should not be so near the Town as to cause any Danger, nor so far distant as not to be under the Eye of the Magistrate, and within Reach of all proper Provision and Assistance.

There are two _Lazarettos_ at _Venice_, the Old and the New; the first distant two Miles and more, the other a little above Three from the City. Each forms a separate Island, which has nothing contiguous to it, and cut off from all Communication. Each takes up a large Space of Ground, shut in all round by Buildings washed by the Waters, which serve for a Wall and Guard: They have no Openings outward for any Thing to go out at, for every Thing must go out at the same Gate at which it entred. The Length of the Ground the first stands on is one hundred and five Geometrical Paces of five Feet each; the Breadth eighty-five; the whole Circumference three hundred and eighty. The second is somewhat larger, _viz._ one hundred and twelve long, ninety-two broad, and four hundred and fourteen in Circumference. The Structure of each is remarkable for its Capaciousness, but much more so for the Contrivances of Convenience and Security. At the Entrance is the _Prior’s_ House, which is always free, disjoined from every Place belonging to the Quarantine, but so contrived, as to command the greater Part of them. All the rest of the Ground is taken up, either by Buildings to lodge Passengers, or in large Courts all surrounded with open Sheds, under which the Merchandizes are exposed to the Air, and preserved from the Weather; or else with great Sheds all round walled in, but with Holes in the Top to let in the Air; which serve for the same Use. What is most to be admired in the Contrivance of them is, that they are divided and subdivided into many Offices for Quarantines, and of different Kinds, in such a Manner, that each has its peculiar Ingress, without giving or receiving any Inconvenience from the other, in order to prevent the Danger of any Communications; in which the very Essence of the Regulations consists. As to the Places destined for the Reception of Persons; in the first Place, they are separated from every other, which serves for the Purification of Goods; and with great Reason; for if the Proprietor had Leave to visit his Cargo, whilst under Purification, his Coming might put a Constraint upon, or interrupt the Course of Management, through his Concern for preventing any Injury to the Merchandize. _2dly_, They are also separated from each other, though there are a greater or less Number of Rooms contiguous, for the Convenience of a greater or less Number of Passengers, who may arrive at one Time from the same Parts, all having different Ingresses, different Stairs, and no Communication. The Sheds, which inclose the Court Yards, are so disposed, that you cannot pass from one Court to another, all the Gates being kept shut. Each of these Sheds is terminated by a particular Building for the Abode of the Guardian and of the _Bastazi_, who have the Care of the Merchandize exposed under it. The great Sheds have also their Convenience, their Use, and Security.

Ample Room is to be given to the Merchandizes, that they may, without being damaged by Weather, be penetrated by the Air; and become at, to be handled; and the Persons are also to be lodged, at Large, conveniently, without occasioning Mixture in the great Numbers of them, or in the Variety of their Quarantines: An Idea of which may perhaps best be had, by considering that the old _Lazaretto_, with only Eight Places for the Purification of Goods (each of them subdivisible into many more) can give Reception to 6730 Bales of Merchandize at once, coming from various Parts. And if one confines only to six different Quarantines, the Quarters appointed for Persons (each of which is subdivided into 13 Rooms) above 294 Persons may be easily and commodiously lodged there at once.

The New one, is more capacious; takes in an equal Number of Bales, but has somewhat under 200 Rooms for Passengers, and has sometimes furnished Accommodations for the Quarantine of 4000 Soldiers and 200 Horse, at Times when it was not incumbered with Merchandize.

As I need not be more diffuse upon the Description of them, I come now to the Forms observed in them.

An Officer called a _Prior_ superintends in each. Great Care is taken in Choice of him, always taking Subjects of the Order of Citizens, and changing him every Fourth Year; and no one can be ever qualified for this Officer, who has either Consanguinity or Connexion with any of the Magistrate’s Officers, or that is interested in any Vessel, or has any Concern in Trade of any Sort. He has a House within the Inclosure of the _Lazaretto_, as has been said, in which he is obliged to reside constantly; never being to leave it, except in the sole Case of attending the Magistrate’s Orders; then leaving a Subaltern in his Room, called the _Sub-Prior_, who is also his Assistant.

They have an annual handsome Allowance to subsist well upon; the Laws being rigorous, that, as they are so well provided for, they shall not have any Kind of Emolument imaginable, under any Pretence which might tempt their Avidity to mitigate, or dispense, with any of the Delicacies of the Purifications; and they cannot quit that Employment, which they enter into, in Times of no greater Exigency than the common legal Precautions, even in Case any Plague should happen in the City.

These are the sole Officers who receive all the Orders of the Magistrate, who (when necessary) require them, and then distribute them to the inferior Officers, for the Conduct of the _Lazarettos_ that are under their Care and Direction.

At the Time of Election they give Security for their good Conduct, and another Security of a Thousand Ducats for the Interest of the Merchants who trust their Merchandize in their Hands.

Though the utmost Vigilance and Diligence is required of them, that all the Regulations be observed; their Hands are tied up in every Respect, not having the Privilege to give Employment to any one of their Family in the _Lazarettos_; nor are they to suffer Fishing in the neighbouring Canals, lest, under that Pretence, little Boats should approach, and some dangerous Transportation of any one be attempted; nor can they traffick in any Shape, or in any Thing, that is brought into the _Lazarettos_, or with any one there; nor must they suffer any Bargains to be driven between Persons in Quarantine, nor between them and those Officers that visit them; for which Reason no Broker can be admitted, even though he should have a particular Order; it being to be considered, that it is an unalterable Maxim, that no Person or Goods of any Kind, can be brought into the _Lazarettos_, or on Board suspected Vessels, without express Orders of the Magistrate: For this Reason, the _Priors_ depend solely on the Authority of the Magistrate, insomuch that they are dispensed with obeying any other Orders whatsoever; the Publick Faith proceeding with such Delicacy on this important Head, that no Execution can be served upon any Kind of Goods, &c. brought and deposited in the _Lazarettos_ for the Regards of Health; and even in Case a _Banditto_ should clandestinely get in there, and be discovered, he is secure from such Time as he has taken his Refuge there, no Distinction being made of Persons, where the Safety of the State is at Stake.