36 THE CONTAGIOUS TYPHUS 



will give an idea of the subtlety of this ma- 

 lignant virus. 



A fanner who had lost an ox in consequence 

 of that virulent distemper, buried it in one of 

 his fields. The following night a bear smelt 

 the ox, raked it up with his feet, ate a portion 

 of the flesh, and a few days after, the beast of 

 prey was found dead in a neighbouring wood 

 by a peasant in the parish of Eumaki. The 

 skin belonging to this bear was magnificent. 

 The peasant flayed the animal and carried 

 home his skin in triumph. But- his triumph 

 was short; for that same night the poor 

 countryman fell ill, and died two days after 

 the attack. The magistrates of Wiburg, 

 having heard of this occurrence, sent orders 

 to have the infected skin burned. Meanwhile, 

 the skin had been given to the curate of the 

 place as a compensation for the offices of 

 burial; but his cupidity having persuaded 

 him that this fine skin could not have de- 

 stroyed the peasant whom he had just buried, 

 he did not burn it at all, but induced an- 

 other peasant to clean and dress it for him. 

 This simple fellow and two other clodpoles, 

 who assisted him in the preparation, fell ill, 



