s so long since anyone had thought of
doing such a thing that it was nearly as long before the dirt could be
made to disappear, and meanwhile he was attacked by the same headache
which had always marked his visit to such places, and in a short time
became so ill that he was removed to the old lazaretto. Here he was
rather worse off than before, for the water came so close to the walls
that the stone floor was always wet, and in a week's time he was given a
third apartment, this time consisting of four rooms, but all without
furniture and as dirty as the first.

Ordinary washing was again useless to remove the thick coating of filth
of all kinds, and at length Howard felt himself getting so ill that by
the help of the English consul he was allowed to have some brushes and
lime, which by mixing with water became whitewash. He then brushed down
the walls without hindrance from anyone, though he had made up his mind
that if the guard tried to stop him, he would lock him up in one of the
rooms. Almost directly he grew better, and was able to enjoy his tea and
bread once more.

The rules for purification of the infected ships were most strict, but
it depended on the prior, or head of the lazaretto, whether they were
carried out or not. All woollen, cotton, and silk materials, which were
specially liable to carry infection, were carefully cleansed. The bags
in which they were packed were all emptied, and the men belonging to the
lazaretto were strictly forbidden to touch them with their hands, and
always used canes to turn over the contents of the bags. This was done
daily for forty days, when they were free from infection. Other things
were kept in salt water for forty-eight hours, and short-haired animals
were made to swim ashore.

[Illustration: He brushed down the walls without hindrance from anyone.]

On November 20, Howard was set free, his health having suffered from the
lack of air and exercise, and from anxiety about his son, whom he had
left in England. However, he still continued his tour of inspection, and
it was not till February 1787 that he reached home. After a short time
given to his own affairs, in making the best arrangements that he could
for his son, now completely out of his mind, he was soon busily employed
in putting a stop very vigorously to the erection of a statue to his
honour. The subscriptions to it had been large, for everybody felt how
much the country owed to his unwearied efforts in the cau