PREFACE. IX 



sequence thereof. Indeed, epizootic disorders have attracted 

 the attention of the historians of all nations. For example, 

 Homer, who flourished about 900 years before the Christian 

 era, alludes to these visitations; and, raoreover, Virgil writes: — 



On winter seas we fewer storms behold 



Than foul diseases that infect the fold. 



Nor do these ills on single bodies prey, 



But oft'ner bring the nation to decay, 



And sweep the present stock and future hope away. 



A dire example of this truth appears 

 When, after such a length of rolling years. 

 We see the naked Alps and their remains 

 Of scattered cots and yet unpeopled plains, 

 Once fill'd with grazing flocks, the shepherd's happy reigns. 



Here, from the vicious air and sickly skies, 

 A plague did on the dumb creation rise ; 

 During the autumnal heats the infection grew, 

 Tame cattle and the beasts of nature slew. 



Sheep, oxen, horses fell, and, heaped on high. 

 The diflf'ring species in confusion lie. 



Geonjic iii., 1, 711-829, Dryden's translation. 



The above doubtless refers to an epizootic raging among the 

 Alps, probably not less than 2,000 years ago. 



Again, Plutarch narrates how in the days of Romulus, about 

 the time that Rome was founded, viz. 750 B.C., a great plague, 

 after destroying the fruits of the earth and the cattle, swept off 

 many of the people ; and Livy writes that " the consuls had the 

 greater difficulty to raise their recruits, because the plague, 

 which the year before had raged among horned cattle, broke 

 out among men.'^ 



Turning now our attention to these present times ; as is well 

 known, we find that in recent years men have been made very 

 familiar indeed with outbreaks of disastrous diseases among 

 animals, and some of these — canine rabies more especially — 

 have attracted the most earnest research. Anthrax also has 



