INFECTION.

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often well meant, has many ill consequences. Far be itfrom us to discourage any act of charity or benevolence, es-pecially towards those in distress ; but we cannot help blam-ing such as endanger their own or their neighbors' lives by amistaken friendship or an impertinent curiosity.

The houses of the sick, especially in the country, aregenerally crowded from morning till night with idle visiters.It is customary in such places for servants and young peopleto wait upon the sick, by turns, and even to sit up with themall night. It would be a miracle indeed should such alwaysescape. Experience teaches us the danger of this conduct.People often catch fevers in this way, and communicate themto others, till at length they become epidemic.

It would be thought highly improper for one who had nothad the small pox to wait upon a patient in that disease ; yetmany other fevers are almost as infectious as the small pox,and not less fatal. Some imagine that fevers prove more fa-tal in villages than in great towns, for want of proper medi-cal assistance. This may sometimes be the case, but we areincJined to think it oftener proceeds from the cause abovementioned.

Were a plan to be laid down for communicating infection,it could not be done more effectually than by the commonmethod of visiting the sick. Such visiters not only endangerthemselves and their connections, but likewise hurt the sick.By crowding the house, they render the air unwholesome,and by their private whispers and dismal countenances dis-turb the imagination of the patient, and depress his spirits.Persons who are ill, especially in fevers, ought to be kept asquiet as possible. The sight of strange faces, and everything that disturbs the mind, hurts them.

The common practice in country places of inviting greatnumbers of people to funerals, and crowding them into thesame apartment where the corpse lies, is another way ofspreading infection. The infection does not always die withthe patient. In many cases it rather grows stronger as thebody becomes putrid. This is peculiarly the case of thosewho die of malignant fevers, or other putrid diseases. Suchought not to lie long unburied ; and people should keep asmuch as possible at a distance from them.

It would tend greatly to prevent the spreading of infectiousdiseases if those in health were kept at a proper distancefrom the sick. The Jewish Legislator, among many other8