Clifton Wintringham

An Essay on Contagious Diseases Clifton Wintringham

Originally published in 1721. Communicable diseases Early works to 1800. EXCERPTTHE PREFACE. The Design of this small Treatise being to deduce the Causes, and explain the Phoenomena of some of the most Fatal Diseases which afflict Mankind, can stand in Need of no Excuse, whatever the Performance it self may; and especially at a Time, when not only several of them Rage amongst us with uncommon Violence, but we are Daily threatned with the dreadful Calamity of a Raging Pestilence. I have endeavour'd to reduce these Diseases to the same Simplicity with Others, to speak Intelligibly of them, and show the real Changes in the Animal Oeconomy, from the Principles of the Modern Philosophy. The Learned Authors who have already wrote on this Subject, have rejected this Part of it, as being so easie and obvious as to need no Explanation. I doubt not indeed but this is their Case: But how easie soever it may be to explain these Phoenomena, 'tis not every one, conversant in the Practice of Physick, that will give himself the trouble to deduce them; and 'tis for such chiefly that this small Tract is designed; to whom if it prove any way serviceable, I shall gain the End I proposed by it. York, June 1st.1721.