1 62 History of Animal Plagues. 



affected by the mildew. Nearly all the vegetables were destroyed, 

 as by a blast from heaven. 



' Even another species of destruction was added to this, for 

 caterpillars and insects laid waste whole gardens, leaving the 

 plots bare. A similar disease appeared in melons, so that ani- 

 mals rejected them as food. The heavy rains, which had almost 

 unremittingly continued up to the end of July, were followed by 

 a dry period of nearly two months ; it was nevertheless unac- 

 companied by great heat. Animals of every species showed the 

 effects of the long-delayed drought, by dying in great numbers. 

 Sheep were first attacked, and, after they had sickened for a few 

 days, variolous eruptions appeared on their heads and necks, and 

 generally caused blindness; so that, if they did not perish from 

 the virulence of the disease, they at length died from hunger. 

 Pigs also perished in droves from suffocation. . . . That which 

 was the cause of death in animals, in my opinion, arose from 

 the acid nature of the mildew ; for not taking into consideration 

 the morbid constitution of the atmosphere, which was no doubt 

 noxious to beasts, on account of the contaminated character of 

 the forage, the blood became acid and circulated feebly, and 

 either whole flocks of sheep died suddenly, or were seized 

 with small-pox ; for one can confidently assert that the erup- 

 tion which appeared on the head, neck, and legs was undoubt- 

 edly variolous, when neither in shape, nor in colour, nor in the 

 matter contained in them, nor in their size, nor in the w^ay in 

 which after suppuration a black scab remained, did the pustules 

 differ from those of small-pox in children. In like manner, other 

 animals suffered from the diseased plants. Even bees, extracting 

 no sweetness from the calyces of the flowers, but a bitter poison, 

 either died or left the country. And it is not to be wondered at 

 that cicada in this year were mute ; for although there was heat 

 in the summer, it had no influence in exciting them to sing, 

 probably because they did not obtain the nutritious food neces- 

 sary, or they had for the most part died.' ^ 



' In the year 1690, and on the 13th of March, I observed an 

 epidemic among dogs at Anda, of an anginous character. After 



^ Ramazzini. Const. Epid. Op., ed. Geneva, p. 120 — 141. 



