INFLUENZA IN THE OLDEN TIME.

Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 103, 3 May 1890, Page 1 (Supplement)

INFLUENZA IN THE OLDEN TIME.

Nicolas de Baye, recorder of the Parliament (High Conrt of Justice) of Paris, has loft in his diaiy a careful description of the various incidents which interrupted tho administration of the law during his term of office. We subjoin tho following extracts from this interesting record : — Saturday, 26th April, (1404). On this day noarly all the Lords of the Parliament wore ill with fevor and 6evore cold both at onco, owing to a pestilonco in the air which has been prevalent since tho beginning of this month, from which all persona in Paris, rich and poor alike, have suffered more or less, but especially the Chamber of Parliament, during tho hearing of cases, where iho coughing and sneezing became bo violent, that tho recorder, who wr.B seized with the complaint at eight o'clock, was scarcely able to take his notes. Monday, sth March (1414). No cases were heard to-day. Neither a barrister, nor a public prosecutor, nor a party to a suit attended the court, owing to a grievous malady now raging in Paris, which causes severe pain in the head and all the limbs. Aud among the rest, I myself could not got a wink of eleop last night, and could not bear up against the incessant pain in my head, my chest, my stomach, arms, shoulders, and legs, and, moreover, a dryness in the throat, which I find objectionable at the best of times. So I am off home again. Consoil XIII. — No pleadings today because a strange sickness has befallen in general all persons except children bslow eight or ten, causing violent pain in all parts of the body, accompanied by feverishness and catarrh, so that very few of the nobles aud lawyers hereabouts have put in an appearauce. And myself last night, on coming out of Notre 1 lame, was suddenly attacked by the discasa and could not keep on my^ feet, and it looks very much, like a veritable hies nut pestis aera (infection or pastilence in the air). Matinees Vlll. —Tuesday, the 6th; Wednesday, tho 7th; Thursday, the Bth ; Friday, the 9th ; Saturday, the - 10th of March. — No business done at tho Parliament on account of the aforesaid infectious malady, quae adco invahl ut quasi nuttus se ahscondcre possil a calore ejus [which increases bo mightily that hardly anyone can oscape its fury]. But the fact is that only a handful of worshippers can be collected in the churches during divine service. — Le Tempt.

A Danish proverb says : Keep to the little ones and the big ones will not bite you. Every man has just as much vanity as he wants understanding.