t 297 3 



^III. On 4fn Epidemical D'lfeafe among Cats. By J. F. 

 Blumenbach *. 



J. HE difeafe fimong the cats, which prevailed lately in 

 Denmark and various other countries of Europe, and which 

 in Lombardy deftroyed a great many of thefe ufeful animals, 

 induced the Council of Health at Pavia to make an inquiry 

 into the nature of it, and to caufc the refult to be publifhed 

 by one of their members, Profeflbr Brera, in a fmall but in- 

 terefting pamphlet under the tide of Memeria full' attuaU 

 JLpuicmia de' Gatti f. 



The cats attacked by this difeafe feemed dejecled and 

 \yeak, and had an averfion to approach man; crawled about 

 as if under great oppreffion; would neither eat nor drink; ~ 

 .;id could not endure any of the three plants of which they 

 are commonly fo fond, Mariini verum, Valerian, and Cat's 

 mint. In the courfe of the difeafe the weaknefs and dull- 

 nefs increafed ; they could fcarcely fupport themfelves oa 

 their legs ; their hair flood ereft ; they let their tail hang 

 down, and their head droop fo that their neck appeared as 

 if prolonged ; their ears were flabby and cold ; the -eyes 

 feemed finaller, and the pupil contracted ; the tongue was 

 dry, and covered with yellow flime; they difcharged frora 

 the mouth a whitifli green foam, were for the mofl part 

 colUve, breathed fliort, and had a quick feverifli pulfe, ac- 

 companied with burning heat. They at length became hke 

 jnere (keletons, were feized with violent convulfions, and 

 generally died on the fourth or fifth day of the difeafe; 

 which, according to the fymptoms, was a nervous fever, ac- 

 companied with dcje&ion. It is, however, far from being 

 always mortal ; and many of the animals attacked by it re- 

 Ljvcred again gradually, without any adiliance. 



• From I'mgt's Mavnx.'n j'if dcr iicwjhn xyjlandc der Naturkunde^ 

 Vol. I. Piirt J." 



t It was publifiicd at Pdvia laft year (179S), and confuts of twenty -fix 

 page* quano. 



The 



