
audiobook
Good Councell against the plague.
A practical handbook from the late‑16th century, this work offers households a clear set of measures to guard against the deadly pestilence that was sweeping England’s towns. Written by a learned physician, it stresses simple sanitation—keeping homes, yards and animal pens free of stagnant water and vermin—and explains how to protect rooms with charcoal fires scented with rosemary, juniper or bay leaves.
The guide also presents a collection of herbal and culinary prescriptions meant to bolster health and, if needed, to treat early signs of infection. Readers find instructions for fragrant fumigations, soothing drinks brewed with vinegar‑steeped herbs, and easy‑to‑prepare foods such as sorrel‑infused breads or spiced nut mixtures. Even the sick are advised to receive nourishing broths and soothing ale‑based tonics.
Presented in straightforward language, the pamphlet reflects contemporary beliefs about disease and offers a window into the everyday strategies people once used to combat an unseen foe. Its advice blends practical cleaning with the era’s trusted herbal lore, making it a vivid snapshot of early modern public health thinking.
Full title
Good Councell against the plague Shewing sundry present preseruatiues for the same, by wholsome fumes, drinks, vomits, and other inward receits: as also, the perfect cure (by implaysture) of any that are therewith infected. Now necessary to be obserued of euery housholder, to auoyde the infection, lately begun in some places of this cittie. Shewing sundry present preseruatiues for the same, by wholsome fumes, drinks, vomits, and other inward receits: as also, the perfect cure (by implaysture) of any that are therewith infected. Now necessary to be obserued of euery housholder, to auoyde the infection, lately begun in some places of this cittie.
Language
en
Duration
~11 minutes (10K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Stephen Hutcheson and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
2020-05-20
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
An anonymous early modern medical writer, this name is attached to practical plague pamphlets that offered household advice during outbreaks. The books are valued today less as personal memoir and more as vivid snapshots of how people tried to understand and survive epidemic disease.
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