THE LUNG PLAGUE. 9 



Pleuropneumonia interlobnlaris exsndativa — Gluge. 



Pneumonia catarrlialis gastrica astlienica — Numann. 



Haller's title of Vichseuche is now almost ahvays restricted to tlie 

 Eussian murrain, and tbe name in universal use in Germany is the 

 j)opular one of Lungenseuche, and on the title pages of monographs the 

 ordinary expression employed is Lungenseuche des Bindviehes. It has, 

 howevCT, also been termed Lungenfdule and Krebsartige Lungenfiinle. 



Of the French authors, Chabert first names the malady PeHpneumo- 

 nie, oil affection gangreneiise du Pomnon. Huzard describes it under 

 ihOi \\q,a(\. Peripneiimonie Chronique, ou pMhisie pulmonalre, and in 1844: 

 Delafond designated it Peripneumonie contagieuse du gros Betail. 



The Dutch called it Kivaadaardige SlymzieMe, Hecrscliende or Besmet- 

 ielyhe Longzielcte, Slymzielcfe, SlymlongzieMe, and BotacJitige Longzielde. 



In Italy it has been known by the names Pulmonea del Bovini, and 

 Pleuropneu monia essudafiva. 



I am disposed to favor, as a popular name, that of "lung plague," in 

 order to avoid any confusion with sporadic and non-contagious affec- 

 tions of the chest. Many years ago Mr. Sarginson, of Westmoreland, 

 England, spoke of it as an epizootic influenza among cattle, and Mr. 

 Barlow, afterwards a much respected profess.or in the Edinburgh Veterin- 

 ary College, was among the first to draw attention to the disease under 

 the head Epizootic Pleuropneumonia. 



HISTORY OF THE LUNG PLAGUE. 



Ancient traditions and imperfect records rather tend to bewilder those 

 who, from the inferences warranted by a comj^lete knowledge of recent 

 events, are anxious to place before the world evidence of the laws of 

 nature having been immutable from time immemorial. Our ideas of 

 creation, and the facts bearing on the origin of all things, are too meager 

 to warrant us in being confident of our interpretations of the past ; and 

 yet glimpses of light seem to promise a better understanding of even 

 antediluvian phenomena in almost every branch of natural history. 



The assertion that plagues known now to be propagated alone by conta- 

 gion have thus been transmitted from the remotest antiquity, is usually 

 met by objectors with the declaration that the first case must have devel- 

 oped spontaneously. Professor Haubner, of Dresden,* accepting the 

 proposition, says : " It is correct that the lung plague was once devel- 

 oped spontaneously, for no one can suppose that Noah had it with him 

 in the ark." But we can point to a contagious disease, scab in sheep, 

 which, if the words of the Bible are to be accepted, indicate the preser- 

 vation of the scab insect. It is not my desire to enter on discussions 

 which have no direct practical bearing, and I shall dismiss the objec- 

 tions of those who spare themselves the labor of inquiry after posi- 

 tive truth, by declaring that, so far as science has yet taught us, the great 

 law, that like produces like, operates in the increase of certain animal poi- 



* Die Entstehuug und Tilguug tier Luugeuseuclie des Riudes, vou Dr. Karl Haubuer, 

 Leipzig, ItiGL 



