OF THE OX. 97 



thrive an infinity of worms, maggots, ani- 

 malculae, insects, mollusca, fish, reptiles, birds, 

 &c. ; and here, too, all these creatures die 

 and decay, when this slime, the prolific 

 source of generations which we might look 

 upon as spontaneous, begins to dry up and 

 disintegrate. Then from these organic vege- 

 table and animal matters, in a state of decom- 

 position, escape those deleterious gases, such 

 as hydrogen, carbonic oxide, nitrogen, carbonic 

 acid, sulphuretted hydrogen, and even phos- 

 phoretted hydrogen. 



Often to all these causes of infection are 

 added myriads of grasshoppers, which cover 

 the ground, where they die, aggravating the 

 mass of pestiferous vapour which fills the 

 atmosphere. Finally, the water which slakes 

 the thirst of the herds of cattle is corrupted ; 

 the plants on which they feed distil poisons ; 

 the air, the water, and the plants, carry within 

 them a principle of venom and death. After 

 this, how can we be surprised if this flood of 

 putrid emanations is transformed into a con- 

 tagious typhic virus, whose subtle and pesti- 

 lential effluvia are conveyed by the ox to con- 

 siderable distances ? 



H 



