THE MALIG^'ANT EPIDEMIC. 279 



fono\ving ball was then ordered to be given liim twice a day : ^o Hydrarg. 

 chlorid, 5i, farin. avenge §ss. terebinth, vnlg. q. s. ut fiat bol. One to be 

 given morning and night. He soon began to improve ; and was returned 

 to the stable on the 26th, convalescent. A second patient of the same 

 character was cm-ed in eighteen days, and a thu-d in nineteen days.' The 

 author of this work had the pleasure of witnessing these cases. 



Mr. Percivall adds, ' Lest it should be said, after the perusal of these 

 three cases, that they do not appear to have been of a dangerous character, 

 or to have requu-ed anything out of the ordinary line of treatment, I beg 

 to observe, that at the periods at which I submitted them to the action of 

 mercury, they so much resembled three others that had preceded them, 

 and the disease had proved fatal, that, under a continuance of treatment 

 of any ordinary kind, I certainly should have entertained fears for their 

 safety. 



' It must be remembered that they were cases in which blood-letting, 

 except at the commencement, was altogether forbidden ; and that at the 

 critical period Avhen mercuiy was introduced they had taken an un- 

 favourable turn, and that nothing in the shape of remedy appeared 

 available save internal medicine and counter-irritation, and that the latter 

 had not and did not show results betokening the welfare of the patients. 

 Under these circumstances the mercury was exhibited. That it entered the 

 system, and must have had more or less influence on the disease, appears 

 evident from its effect on the gums. That it proved the means of cure, I 

 cannot, from so few cases, take upon myself to assert ; bixt I would recom- 

 mend it in similar cases to the notice of practitioners.' 



THE MALIGNANT EPIDEMIC. 

 Continental veterinarians describe a malignant variety or termination of 

 this disease, and the imperfect history of veterinary medicine in Britain 

 is not without its records of it. So lately as the year 1815, an epidemic 

 of a maligTiant character reigned among horses. Three out of five who 

 were attacked died. It reappeared in 1823, but was not so fatal. It was 

 said that the horses that died were ultimately farcied : the truth was, that 

 swellings and ulcerations, Avith foetid discharge, appeared in various parts, 

 or almost all over them — the natural swellings of the complaint which 

 has just been considered, but aggravated and malignant. Our recollection 

 of the classic lore of our early years will furnish us with instances of the 

 same pest in distant times and countries. We have not forgotten the vivid 

 description of Apollo darting his fiery arrows among the Gi'eeks, and 

 involving in one common destruction the human being, the mule, the 

 horse, the ox, and the dog. Lucretius, when describing the plague at 

 Athens, speaks of a malignant epidemic affecting almost every animal — 



Nor longer birds at noon, nor beasts at uiglit 

 Their native woods deserted ; with the pest 

 Remote they languished, and full frequetit died: 

 But chief the dog his generous strength resigned. 



In 1714, a malignant epidemic was imported from the Continent, and in 

 the course of a few months destroyed 70,000 horses and cattle. It con- 

 tinued to visit other countries, with but short intervals, for fifty years 

 afterwards. Out of evil, however, came good. The continental agricul- 

 turists became alarmed by tliis destruction of their property. The different 

 governments participated in the terror, and veterinary schools were 

 established, in which the anatomy and diseases of these animals might be 

 studied, and the cause and treatment of these periodical pests discovered. 

 From the time that this branch of medical science began to receive the 



