History of A nimal Plagues. 8 1 



preceding" years lead me to the conclusion that this is correct, 

 and that the first trace we obtain in history of this serious malady 

 — sheep small-pox — appearing as an epizooty, is in Britain. 

 This is rather singular, considering that the malady is believed 

 to be exotic, and that in those countries from whence we usually 

 derive it, there were at that time numerous chroniclers, who 

 would, we might suppose, have mentioned the outbreaks of this 

 formidable contagion. Such is not the case, however; and to 

 Encrlish historians we are indebted for sufficient evidence to 

 establish a reasonable supposition that ovine variola was, in a 

 masked form, imported into Britain by a Spanish ewe. In 1847 

 the disease was imported by Spanish or merino sheep, and caused 

 severe loss. 



But that this disease of sheep existed and was well-known 

 in Britain more than two hundred years before 1275, cannot be 

 a matter for doubt; and that its cure had engaged the attention 

 of the leeches of these days is also a certain fact. In a curious 

 Saxon manuscript of the Harleian collection (No. 585), sup- 

 posed to be written in the tenth or eleventh century, and in- 

 scribed 'Lacnunga' is the following recipe: 'For pocks and 

 skin eruptions (pi* poccum y pceapa h/reoplan) : lupin and ever- 

 fern, the nether part of it, the upper part of spearwort, ground, 

 great or liorse beans, pound all together very small in honey, 

 and in holy water, and mingle all well together, put one dose 

 into the animal's mouth with a spoon, three doses a-day 

 always; for nine times if mickle need be.^ ^ This is certainly 

 the earliest notice I can find of this malady; but whether it was 

 very prevalent, or whether its contagious nature was understood 

 by the Saxon doctors, is quite a mystery. Beyond the recipe and 

 the mention of the disease, all is darkness. At this somewhat 

 early period, however, the symptoms of disease arc but rarely 

 entered in the Leech-books ; and for many centuries after this 

 time, the medical philosophers in Britain were content to limit 

 their skill to the principles of cure i)y means of uncouth and 

 fantastic recipes. 



The claur'i or scabies of the Welsh sheep has been already 



' Rei: Onuahi Cockayne. Leechdoms, Worlcunniiig, and Staicrafl of Early 

 Kngland. London, 1865. Vol. iii. p. 57. 



6 



