Anonymous

“ 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. ”

“ 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 [11] 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 ”

“ They are responsible for whatever is sent to the Lazarettos, under Sanction, however, of the Magistrate’s Order, with which they must be furnished; and with no other are they to be satisfied, not even with that of his Officers that bring them. They inspect the Guardians and the Bastazi, that they do their Duty each Day, in the Services render’d Persons and Goods, not permitting them to serve in more than one Quarantine; and that they are assiduous in exposing every Day to the Air, upon Ropes, the Passengers Things, taken out of their Trunks, &c. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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 ”

“ Wooll and Woollen Goods are the chief Things, of which two Sorts arrive: One Sort is called Lane Succide, because they come just as they were taken from the Animals when shorn: The others are called Lane Pelate, i. e. such as are taken from the Hide of the Animal when dead, by the Means of Lime. ”

“ 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. ”

“ The Wild Safran, which is in itself looked upon as free, might be also delivered out; yet, as it is apt to grow mealy, the Consideration of its being lapt up in Cases, subjects it to a Quarantine; and consequently every Thing in general incurs Expurgation, which cannot, or must not be separated from its Envelop.
It has been said, that there are many Things that may be taken away from the Ships, or out of the Lazarettos, i. e. ”

“ The Sorts of Stuff called Felt, Quilts for Beds, Rugs, Thick Coverlids; those made of Lambs Wooll, Carpets, Capots, and, in general, every Thing made of Wooll and Silk, Books and Flax, Parchment, all Kinds of Paper, Hair Sacks, or Linnen Bags, and such Things, remain continually exposed to the Air, and are continually handled; and the Bastazi’s are even obliged to sleep amongst some of them. Skins, being the most dangerous, are purified with a most exact Attention, exposing them to the Air, and continually handling them ”

“ Camblets, Mohairs, Cloaths, and every Thing else that comes folded in Pieces, are first loosened and undone; that Fold by Fold the naked Arms of the Bastazi may rummage them, and then they are moved about from Place to Place; and those that are uppermost one Day, are the next Day moved to the Bottom: The same Thing is done to Woollen Cloaths. But when any of the above Things come from infected Parts, over and above the aforesaid Precautions, they are also stretched out upon Ropes, in the open Air, turning and handling them every Day. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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 in the towing Vessels in, in order to avoid all Communication, and to direct the Captain of every suspected [5] Vessel to hoist up on the Mizen Mast a particular Signal ”

“ 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 [17] 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 ”

“ Since it is not sufficient that they are gone through, if it is not manifested that they are so.
For this Reason, as soon as the Passengers are brought ashore, the Guardian appointed for the Charge of them, causes to be opened all their Chests, strong Boxes, Envelops, and whatever they have with them; of all which he takes a Note, which is called making the Roll. He then orders all to be exposed to the Air, if Wearing Apparel, and not Merchandize. ”

“ If upon these Authorities the Quarantine has commenced, and there appears afterwards any Thing on Board subject to Purification, that had been hid, this also is sent to the Lazaretto, with such other Merchandizes that for that End are condemned by the Rules to recommence their Quarantine; when they have not had the Indulgence of performing it separately, but collectively ”