~1edical Language in A Journal 01 the Plague Year

Nobuo KANENO

(Foreign Languages)

25

0.A Jonrnal q/the Plague Year，published in the spring of1722，is，as Louis{Z)Landa

writes，‘professedly an authentic account of the Great London Plague in 1665'. Defoe

himself indeed claims on the tit1e page that it is ‘Observations or Memorials of the

most Remarkable Occurrences， as well Publick as Private， which happened in London

during the last Great Visitation in 1665'. Little more than a month before Journal

Defoe wrote a book tit1ed ‘Due Preparations for the Plague， as well for Soul as

Body'， which is， as its subtitle is revealing enough， a strict1y practical book of in-

struction. It is very 1ikely that he thought of the two works as complementary， and

Defoe， as Professor Louis Landa suggests， wanted something more than utilitarian，

‘a tale which would re臼ectthe profound agony， the dark and mysterious tragedy

which enveloped London in 1665.' Consequent1y Journal is considered， with much

reason， to be more than the mere story of actual occurrences， being essentially ‘an

imaginative reconstruction of the plague.'

A1though Defoe had， as Louis Landa writes， no special knowledge of medical

theory， he was ob1iged to make the best possible use of the medical knowledge of the

times in maintaining the apparent temporal authenticity of Journal. It is reported

that the tracts he made extensive use of to pursue that aim first appeared in 1665

and were reprinted under the title， A Collection oj VeヮValuableand Scarce Pieces relating

to the Last Plague in the year 1665， 1721. The theories he found here and also those of

Dr. Richard Mead seem to have formed his general conception of the plague.

Defoe's descriptions of plague proposed in Journal reveal quite clearly both traditional

and contemporary views of plague and also the hot1y debated controversy over miasma

and contagion inherited from earlier ages.

The present article aims primarily at giving a general catalogue of medical ex-

pressions or expressions used in relation to‘plague' based on Defoe's arsenal of knowl-

edge fabricated as above.

1. NaD1es of Disease

1.1 Plague and words referring to it.

Plague (1/2/3， etc.)

As a matter of course， a number of instances can be found.

Injection (2/5/6， etc.)

A number of instances， though fewer than Plague， can be found. Sometimes it is

26 Nobuo KANENO

used as adjective， i.e. infectious (10/47/163/202). More often it is used as verb， i.e.

to infect (5/11， etc.)， instances of which amount to as many as 199. Sickness (2/16/26， etc.) A great many instances of sick as adjective can be found， some of which are the

constituent of the phrasal verb to take sick. In only a few cases it is used as verb，

i.e. sicken (41/166/195).

Distemper (2/5/6， etc.)

Instances abound in Journal. We can find seven instances of distemper used as verb

(48/51/61/74/178/195/210).

(the) Disease (40/54， etc.)

Needless to say， there are times when this is used in reference to the Plague.

Contagion (12/66/75， etc.)

Only four instances of contagious as adjective can be found (197/198/219/225).

Visitation (39/42/44， etc.) Pestilence (20/25/103， etc.)

More often than this we find instances of Pest-H ouse (51/74/101， etcふ

1.2 Side by side with words used in reference to plague， we find various names of

other diseases.

Feaver (6/206)

Pathol. a. A morbid condition of the system characterized by undue elevation of

the temperature， an excessive change and destruction of the tissues b. The gener-

ic name of a group of diseases， agreeing in the above general characteristics，

each of which is specifically designated by some distinctive appelation， as inter-。暗

mittent， puerρeral， scarlet， typhoid， yello叫 etc.，fever. (OED)

Spotted-Feaver (4/5/6/206/207/241)

A fever characterized by the appearance of spots on the skin; now spec. epidemic

cerebro-spinal meningitis， and typhus or petechial fever. (OED)

According to Louis Landa， the medical views of ‘fever' in the period seem to have ω

been in much confusion.

Teeth (6/206) The modern medical appelation of this ‘disease' is not to be ascer-

tained， but according to the end note Joseph Hurlock， an eighteenth-century surgeon， 倒

canvassed the subject of death from ‘teeth' in his Practical Treatise upon Dentition (1742).

Surfeit (206/222)

The morbid condition caused by excessive eating or drinking; sickness or derange-

ment of the system arising from intemperance. (OED)

Gangreen (56/82)/Gangreen Spots (195)

A necrosis or mortification of part of the body， extending over some considerable

area in a visible mass. (OED)

M ortified Flesh (195)

Mortify: Path. To become mortified or gangrenous. (OED)

Apoplexies (82)/ ApoPlectick (Fit) (168)

Medical Language in A J ournal of the Plague Year zl

A malady， very sudden in its attack， which arrests more or less completely the

powers of sense and motion; it is usually caused by an effusion of blood or serum

in the brain， and preceded by giddiness， partial loss of muscular power， etc. (OED)

Eρilepsies (82)

Path. A disease of the nervous system， characterized (in its severer forms) by

violent paroxysms， in which the patient falls to the ground in a state of uncon-

sciousness， with general spasm of the musc1es， and foaming at the mouth. (OED)

Scorbutick (Ailments) (158)

Symptomatic of or proceeding from scurvy; of the nature of scurvy. Of a patient:

a旺ectedwith scurvy. (OED)

Cholick (158)

Variant or obsolete forms of COLIC.

A name given to severe paroxysmal griping pains in the belly， due to various

affections of the bowels， or other parts. (OED)

Aged (206) Presumably death from old age.

Consumptions (206)

Wasting of the body by disease; a wasting disease; now applied spec. to pulmonary

consumption or phthisis. (OED)

Vomitings (206)

The act of ejecting the contents of the stomach through the mouth. (OED)

Imposthumes (206)

=Impostume. A purulent swelling or cyst in any part of the body; an abscess. (OED)

GriPes (206)/ griPing of the Guts (222)

Formerly often in pl. a. Spasms of pain， pangs of grief or afHiction. Now rare

or Obs. b. An intermittent spasmodic pain in the bowels. Usually pl.; colic pains.

(OED)

Small Pox (230)

The pox or pustules on the skin which form the most characteristic feature of

the acute contagious disease sometimes called variola; hence commonly， the

disease itself. (OED)

Fluxes (222)

An abnormally copious flowing of flood， excrement， etc. from the bowels or

other organs; a morbid or excessive discharge. spec. An early name for dysentery

(OED)

2. E斌 e:malIWIII.if es'胞 d個 S

2.1 Physicians and writers on the plague， writes Louis Landa， attempted to distinguish ω

the external manifestations of the malady. The various spots， swellings， tumours， he

continues， were called tokens， botches， carbunc1es， buboes， blains. (U nderlines mine)

Sω，elling(s) (108/190/200 etc.)

An abnormal or morbid enlargement in or upon any part or member; a tumour

28 Nobuo KANENO

(OED)

Tumours (190/2∞1/211/225/240/246)

An abnormal or morbid swelling or enlargement in any part of the body of an

animal or plant; an excrescence; a tumefaction (OED)

Spots (56/158)

An eruptive or other disfiguring mark on the skin. (OED) ω

Tokens (2/35/82/119/162/168/191/195/202)

A spot on the body indicating disease， esp. the plague. Now rare or Obs. (OED，

citing the instance in p. 195)

Botches (41)

A hump; a swelling; a tumour， wen， or goitre Obs. (OED)

Carbuncles (225/246)

Med. An inflammatory， circumscribed， malignant tumour， caused by inflammation

of the skin and cellular membrane. (OED)

PurPle (40) According to Louis Landa's note， William Boghurst warned in 1666 that

spotted fever with its purple spots might be mistaken for the plague.

Sores (74/226/240/248)

A place in an animal body where the skin or flesh is diseased or injured so as to

be painfully tender or raw; a sore place， such as that caused by an ulcer. (OED)

lnflammations (246)

Path. A morbid process a百ectingsome organ or part of the body， characterized

by excessive heat， swelling， pain and redness. (OED)

Callous (195)

Erroneous spelling of CALLUS

Phys. and Pathol. A callous formation; a hardened and thickened part of the skin，

or of some other tissue naturally soft. (OED， citing this instance) Horn (195)

A structure of nature of horn; the hardened and thickened epidermis or cuticle

of which hoofs， nails， corns， the callosities on the camel's legs， etc. consist.

(OED)

2.2 Words related to the treatment of manifestations

Causticks (82/172)

M ed. A substance which burns and destroys living tissue when brought in contact

with it. (OED， citing the instance in p. 82)

Pultices (82)

Obs. form of POULTISE.

A soft mass of some substance usually made with boiling water， and spread upon

muslin， linen， or other material， applied to the skin to supply moisture or warmth， as an

emollient for a sore or inflamed part， or as a counter-irritant. (OED) (Underlines mine)

Lοuis Landa says that contemporary medicine stressed the necessity of drawing

out the pestilential venom concentrated in the swellings symptomatic of bubonic

plague. (Under1ines mine) In its official recommendations， he continues， the Royal

Medical Language in A J ournal of the Plague Year 29

College of Physicians dec1ared that ‘the Swelling under the Ears， armpits， or in the Groins . . . must be always drawn forth and ripened， and broke with all sp偲 df

(Underlines mine)

draw (82)

Med. To cause a flow of (blood， matter，‘humours') to a particular part; to

promote suppuration. (OED)

riPen (162)

M ed. To come to a head; to maturate. (OED， citing this as the last instance)

break (82/108/162/172/二00/201/226)

Of an absess or boil: To burst the surface， so that the contents escape. (OED)

run (226)

To discharge (or carry off) a liquid. (OED)

digest (82)

To mature (a tumυur)， to ca-，lse to suppurate; also absol. To promote healthy

suppuration. Obs. (OED) (Underline mine)

suppurate (172)

To form or secrete pus， come to a head. (OED)

lance (211)

Surg. To make an incision in (the gums， a sore， a tumour) with a lancet; to cut

open. (OED， citing this instance) (Underlines mine)

dress (211)

To treat (a wounded man or his wounds) with remedies or curative appliances.

(OED)

3. Medicines

In Journal Defoe makes H.F.， the narrator， utter several， though not many， kinds

of medicine. Most of them are medicines generally heard among us， but only a few

of them are medicines quite popular in that period as anti-pestilential physics. Here

is a list of them with a few annotations.

3.1

Antidote (31/191)/The Rりlal-Antidote(30)

A medicine given to counteract the in自uenceof poison， or an attack of disease.

(OED) 自嘩

Cordial (191)/Soveraign Cordials (30)

A medicine， food， or beverage which invigorates the heart and stimulates the

circulation; a comforting or exhilarating drink. (OED)

Pills (30)/Preventive Pills (30)/ Anti-pestilential Pill(s) (30/240)

Preservative(s) (30/35/89/209)

A medicine that preserves hea1th， protecting from or preventing disease; a safe-

guard against poison or infection; a prophylactic. (OED)

Plague-Water (30)

An Infusion of various herbs and roots in spirits of wine， of supposed e伍cacy

30 Nobuo KANENO

against the plague (OED)

This medicine， says Louis Landa， was recommended by the College of Physicians in ω

the later 17th century and was used with some success.

Potions (30)

A dose of liquid medicine or of poison; a draught. (OED) 帥

Pill. Ruff. (240) C!ll

Venice Treacle (240)

In old pharmacy， an electuary composed of many ingredients and supposed to

possess universal alexipharmic and preservative properties. Now arch. (OED)

Sweat (240)

A medicine for inducing sweat; a sudorific. diaphoretic. Obs. (OED)

3.2 Some qualifiers with medical meaning

something preventive (196)/ preventive Pills (30)

Med. Having the quality of preventing or keeping off disease; prophylactic (OED，

citing the instance in p. 30 as the second citation)

preventative (Medicine) (119)

Preventive. (OED， citing this as the second citation)

Anti-pe.stilential Pill(s) (30/240)

3.3 Prescribe and Prepare

Here are included two verbs to prescribe， to prepare and two substantives， i.e. pre-

scription， preparation， which are， of course， both derivatives of the former verbs.

prescribe (35/239/242)

Med. To advise or order the use of (a medicine， remedy， or treatment) with

directions for the manner of applying it. (OED)

pTe pare (239)

To manufacture， to make or compound (a chemical product， a medicinal or other

‘preparation'， etc.) (OED)

Prescriptions (239)

A direction or formula (usually) written by a physician for the composition and

use of a medicine; a recipe; tranif. the medicine prescribed. In early use， more

widely， any course of hygine ordered by a physician， 'doctor's orders'. (OED)

Preparation(s) (31/208/238/239/240/242)

A substance specially prepared， or made up for its appropriate use or application，

e.g. as food or medicine， or in the arts or sciences. (OED)

4. Effluviαaud SOD1e related words

As was mentioned at the outset of this article， there was， in Defoe's time， a

hotly dabated controversy over miasma and contagion， in which， as Louis Landa 例

writes， Defoe aligns himself with the contagionists. The point of this controversy

was whether the pesti1ential poison was resident in man himself， or in the envelop-

ing atmosphere in the form of vapours and effluvia exhaled from the earth. Along

with this there was another dispute about whether the ‘seeds of the infection' were

Medical Language in A Journal of the Plague Year 31

chemical and inanimate or the living efH.uvia.

Consequent1y we can see some instances of e1fluvia and its related words all with a certain semantic element of‘exhalation' .

倒

~1fluvia (74/121/172)

pl. of旦fJluvium

An ‘exhalation' a旺ectingthe sense of smell， or producing e旺ectsby being received

into the lungs. In mod. popular use chiefly a noxious or disgusting exhalation or

odour. (O~D)

Fumes (74)/noxious Fumes (219)

A vapour or exhalation produced as an ‘excrement' of the body; esp. a noxious

vapour supposed formerly to rise to the brain from the stomach. (O~D)

(Underlines mine)

Steams (74)/Infectious Steams (121) 事4

noxious pestilential Vaρors (219)

In the older medical use: Exhalations supposed to be developed within the organs

of the body (esp. the stomach) and to have an injurious e百ectupon the health.

(O~D)

Sweat (202) 伺

Breath (202/208/209)/fatal Breath (74)

breathe Death (191)/draw in Death (192)

Air (75/192/230/243)

Air contaminated by gaseous exhalations or emanations; hence， the contaminating

exhalations themselves; miasma (OED) (Underline mine)

Stench (194/203/219)

Smell(s) (17/113/203/208/209/216)/offensive Smells (175/239)/ill Smell (207)/Smells and

Scents (17)/wholesome Smells (243)/a smelling Bottle (208)

To ward 0妊 offensivesmells， writes Louis Landa， and to counteract the ill

effects of efH.uvia and infected air the College of Physicians and others recommended

perfumes， pomanders， and other concoctions. (U nder lines mine) He adds to say that 働

these were to be held to the nose or used for anointing the nostrils. H.F.， the narrator in Journal， says that he often saw people so much as carrying ‘smelling

bottles'.

Scent (239) /Bottles for Scents， and Peゲumes(78)

Peげumes(78)

The volati1e partic1es， scent， or odour emitted by any sweet-smelling substance;

the fragrance diffused by liquid scent， exhaled by flowers， etc. (OED)

To correct the infectious air the College of Physicians recommended fires and 制

fumes. For example， Dr. Philip Rose， a member of the College， wrote:‘you cannot

imagine what a deal of Morbifick Miasmata are destroy'd or carried away by a Fire 倒

wisely managed'. 倒

Fumes (161)

Something used or prepared for producing aromatic vapour. Obs. (OED， citing

32 Nobuo KANENO

this as the last citation) (Underline mine) 倒

Peて(umes(41/161)

Original1y applied to such as di旺usea sweet-smel1ing odour when burned. (OED)

Side by side with these， there are a variety of substances recommended in those

days to make fires. The narrator in Journal makes mention of many.

(Smoaks of) Pitch (77/113/161/242)

Roとen(77)/Rosin (113)/Roとin(242)

Brimstone (77/113/242) 例

Gunpoωder (77/105/161/242/243)

Sul Phur (161/172/242)/ sul phurous Partic1es (219)

Bitumen (172)/hituminous Substance (219)

Turpentine (172)

lncense (242)

BenJamin (242)

nitrous Partic1es (219)

By burning these various substances 古代s'and ‘smoaks' were made. 側

Fire(s) (41/172/242/243)/the publick Fires (221)

Smoke (77)/Smoaks (161)/smoak'd the Air (105)

Vinegar was widely recommended as correcting the infectious air. It was ‘widely ω

recommended as a prophylactic and fumigant as early as the fifteenth century ，

Vinegar (78/89/219)

Besides ‘vinegar' we can find some substances recommended in those days as having

much the same virtue. 倒

Wine (239)

Garlick (89) 倒

Rue (89)

A perennial evergreen shrub of the genus Ruta， esp. Ruta graveolens， having

bitter， strong-scented leaves which were formerly much used for medicinal

purposes. (OED) 凶

Tohacco (89)

On the other hand， Defoe makes H.F.， the narrator， use some verbs with the

sense of ‘to disinfect'.

sweetning their Houses (242)/sweetned them (242)

To free from offensive taste or smell; to render fresh; to free from taint， purify，

bring into a wholesome condition. (OED， citing the former)

seasoning of their Houses (243)

To bring into a hea1thy condition. Also， to disinfect. Obs. (OEDJ citing this as

the second instance) ω

to s.weat (56/191/246) 側

to air (41/213/242)

5. Others

Medical Language in A J ournal of the Plague Year 33

年時

East of all，mention should be made of the word，tgyribswhich is as Louis Landa says， very reflective of the current medical opinion in the period.

. as they brought the People together with a kind of Horror， sent them away in Tears， prophesying nothing but evil Tidings: terrifying the People with the

Apprehensions of being utterly destroy'd， . . . . (25-26) (ltalics mine)

In his note to Journal Louis Landa says that the plague tracts of the seventeenth and

eighteenth centuries by physicians and laymen stated again and again that fear，

despair，and dejection of spirits disposed the body to receive the contagiotThus

the narrator H. F. sometimes makes use of the expression prり upontheir Spirits or

its supposed variant in J ournal.

it may lye Dormant in the Spirits (197)/the Fever prりingupon their Spirits (2∞)/the

Plague. . . prりingupon their Spirits (202)/the Infection... prり'dsecretly on the

Vitals (168) (ltalics mine)

While on the other hand people had to keep the Spirits high to ward off the Infection，

as 1ll:

Neither did 1 do， what 1 know some did， keep the Spirits always high and hot with

Cordials， and Wine， and such things . . . . (239) (ltalics mine)

6. To conclude this short study， let me say that no more words are needed than the

list itself given above. It is illustrative enough of Defoe's extensive medical knowledge

of the times， which contributed greatly to Defoe's professed accounting of the Great

London Plague in 1665.

Notes

(1) Daniel Defoe， A Journal of the Plague Year. Ed. Louis Landa. London: Oxford University

Press， 1969. Hereafter cited as Journal. All citations in this article are from this edition.

(2) Louis Landa， Introduction to Journal， p. ix.

(3) 品lePrψarations for the Plague， as well for Soul as Body， being some seasonable Thoughts upon the visible approach of the present dreadful Contagion in France， the properest Measures

to prevent it， and the great Work of Submitting to it. London， 1722.

(4) See note (3).

(5) Louis Landa， op. cit.， p. xv.

(6) Peter Earle， The World of Defoe， London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson， p. 280.

(7) Louis Landa， op. cit.， p. xxv.

(8) Louis Landa， op. cit.， pp. xxv-xxvi.

(9) The numbers in the brackets refer to the pages in which the words or expressions are used.

(11)> The Oxford English Dictionary. Ed. J.A.H. Murray， et a1. Oxford: Clarendon Press， 1884-1偲8.

ωFor example， Dr. Nathaniel Hodges wrote: 'Very many were puzzled to distinguish aright

between these Marks (the tokens of bubonic plague) and the Petechiae Pestilentiales， or Pesti-

lential Appearances in Spotted-Fevers'. (An Account of the First Rise . • . of the Plague reprinted

in A Collection of Very Valuable and Scarce Pieces， 1721， pp. Z7-:め (Noteto p. 4， Jour伺al，p. 252)

34 Nobuo KANENO

ωCf. Note to p. 6， journal， p. 253.

(1$ Note to p. 40， journal. p.お6.

ωLouis Landa says that this is‘in modern medical parlance external signs， cutaneous lesions，

which result from the subcutaneous haemorrhages common in bubonic plague. (Note to p. 2，

journal， p. 251)

(!~ Note to p. 40， journal， p. 2筋.

(H~ Note to p. 201， journal p. 280.

間 Royal:splendid;自rst-rate.(The Concise Oxford Dictionary. 7th ed. Ed. J.B. Sykes. Oxford:

Clarendon Press， 1983. Hereafter cited as COD.) The College of Physicians recommended 'The

King' s Majesり'sexcellent Receipt for theρlague' and ‘A Drink for the Plague 戸ψaredり theLord

Bacon and aρρroved by Queen Eli之abeth'.It is very likely that Royal antidotes found much favour.

(Note to p. 30， journal， p. 262)

ωVery good or e旺ective.(COD) cf. a sovereign remedy.

(19) Note to p. 30， journal， p. 262.

ω Pilulae Ruji， compounded of aloes and阻 yrrh，ヘ.. to open or keep soluble the Body， the

Pills of Rufus， commonly called Pestilential Pills， are. . . most proper to be used' (Necessary

Directions . . .り theCollege of Physicians， p. 49) (Note to p. 240， journal， p. 285)

ω 'The Treacle of Andromachus (commonly called Venice-Treacle)' was an electuary compounded

of many ingredients and used in plague after plague. It was said to be 'not only the capital

Alexipharmic of our shops， but of all Europe'. (Note to p. 240， journal， pp. 285-6)

ωIntroduction to journal， p. xxvi.

ωLouis Landa's note to this is interesting to quote: Sir Richard Blackmore describes the

spread of 'Pestilential Putrefaction' thus:‘When the Effiuvia or invisible malignant Reeks

flow from an infected Body great1y corrupted， the poisonous Particles . . . are endow'd with

such Velocity， Activity， and Penetration， that they flie with Ease thro' the Air， maintain

their fatal Influence in despight of all Opposition， and convey the Infection from House to

House， and from Town to Town， and depopulate great Cities. This high Venom advances

with resist1ess Fury . . . and is so far from being enfeebled while it is ventilated by the

Winds . . . that it acquires more strength by converting into its own Nature the Exhalations

and Vapours it meets with in its Way . . . . '(Note to p. 74 (2)， journal， p.270) Blackmore is representative of the traditional miasmatic view.

ωThere is only one more instance of Vapours in journal， which occurs in p. 24:

. he gave the people the Vapours in abundance， and sent them away trembling，

and frighted: . . . .くItalicsmine)

This use is， it

Medical Language in A J ournal of the Plague Year 35

legend that Hippocrates had freed Athens of the plague by fires appealed to many.' (Note

to p. 172 (3)， J ournal， p 278)

倒 A Theorico-Practical， Miscellaneous， and Succinct Treatise of the Plague， 1721， p. 35. (Louis

Landa， note to p. 41 (1)， Journal~p. お6)

側 Referenceshould be made to the above-mentioned instance of Fumes.

側 Referenceshould be made to the above-mentioned instance of PeゲumeS.

凶 The fumes of those CRozen and Pitch， Brimstone) were among the various recommendations

of the Col1ege of Physicians for correcting the air. (Necessary Directions . .. by the College of

Physicians， 1721， p. 40). (Note to p. 77 (4)， Journal， p. 271)

(32) Long considered of some efficacy in dissipating the concentration of poisonous effiuvia in

the air. (Note to p. 242 (2)， Journal， p. 286)

同 Referenceshould be made to note (27). Wood fires were accounted best by some people.

(Louis Landa， note to p. 172 (4)， Journal， p. 278)

倒 Louis Landa， note to p. 78 くわ，J ournal， pp. 271-2. In 1665， according to Louis Landa， the

College of Physicians commended it:‘Vapours from Vinegar exhaled in any Room， may

correct the infectious air，

帥 Anantidote of hoary respectabi1ity. Dr. Nathaniel Hodges wrote that sack is 'deservedly

. ranked amongst the principal Antidotes' to the plague. (Louis Landa， note to p. 231 (2)，

Journal， p. 285)

同 Theuse of aromatics were supported by the tradition that Hippocrates had conquered the

plague of Athens by burning aromatic spices in the streets. (Louis Landa， note to p.89 (3)，

Journal， p. 273)

(幼 Widelyrecommended as a preventive and fumigant It was believed that no tobacconist

had died in the plague of 1665. (Louis Landa， note to p. 89 (4)， Journal， p. 273)

(噂 Referenceshould be made to the instance of Sweat above-mentioued in this section.

倒 Referenceshould be made to the instance of Air above-mentioned in this section.

(叫 Noless than seventeen instances have been found in J ournal， along with instances of fright，

frighten， and affright， all of which are not semantically distant from one another.くCf.Nobuo

Kaneno， 'Some Notes on Defoe's Prose-A Preliminary Study'， in Bulletin of Hijiyama Women's

Junior College， No. 23， 1989， pp. 53-毛4)

同 Noteto p. 26， J ournal， p 260.

同 Ibid

(Received September 30， 1989)

36 Nobuo KANENO

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ひと月足らず前に同じ著者により、ベスト対策のための極めて実用的な指導書が出版されている。

デフォーはこの 2書を相互補完的なものと考えていたようであり、 『疲病年誌』出版に当たって

は、単なる実用書以上のものを考えていたようである。つまり『疫病年誌』は作者の公言にもか

かわらず、単なるドキュメンタリーではなくて、ベストの大流行という事実を、デフォーの想像

力というフィルターを通して再構成した創作と考えるのが妥当のようである。

デフォー自身、医学理論に対する特別な知識はもっていなかったらしいが、真正な記録という

体裁をとる以上、当時の医学知識を最大限に活用することが必要で、あった。実際、そのためにベ

ストに関する様々な医学書を渉猟したようである。こうして、 『疫病年誌』で展開されるベスト

の惨劇の描写には、伝統的なベスト感や同時代のベスト感、更には、 「毒気J (miasma) と

「感染J (contagion)とし、う古来からのベストの原因論争が反映されている。

小論では、狭義の医学用語に限定せず、 『疫病年誌』中に表われる医学的な表現、或はもっと

広く、ベストに関連して使われている表現をとりあげて、その一覧表を作成することを目的とし

Tこ。

項目順に記すと次の如くなる。第 1は、ベスト及びその他の病名、第2は、病気の外的な徴候

を示す表現、及びその処置法に関する表現、 第3は、 薬品名及び関連表現、第4は、 efHuvia

(臭気)及びその関連表現、第5は、その他の表現。

これにより、デフォーが当時の多くの文献から得た知識が、如何に『疫病年誌』の記録として

の真正さの保持に貢献しているかが、よく理解されるように思われる。

(受理平成元年9月30日〉