History of Animal Plagues. 167 



attempt to labour on it, it was so bad. All grain disappeared, 

 and in its place small, black, horn-shaped masses became ap- 

 parent, which were highly injurious to mankind. These were 

 named '^ St Martin's corn." A woman was shown to me by a 

 surgeon who suffered from convulsions every eleventh day, solely 

 from eating this corrupt grain; and the same surgeon told me 

 he had amputated a leg mortified from the same cause.^ ^ 



A.D. 1695. In the spring and summer of this year, many 

 stinking fogs prevailed in Limerick and Tipperary. During the 

 winter, spring, and part of the harvest, there fell in several 

 places a kind of thick dew like butter, soft, clammy, and of a 

 dark yellow colour. It fell in the night, chiefly in marshy low 

 grounds, on grass, and the thatch of cabins. It seldom fell 

 twice in the same place. It lay near a fortnight on the earth, 

 then changed colour, turned dry and black. It fell often in 

 lumps as big as one's finger-end, lay thin and scattered, had 

 a strong ill scent. Country people used it for scabs or sore 

 heads with great success. Cattle browsed safely on the ground 

 where it fell.^ Apoplexy became quite epidemic in Italy, from 

 the ex'cessive scorching heat and great drought of the summers of 

 1693 and '94, which were followed by most severe winters, and* 

 continued heavy rains from October, '94, to April, '95. Volcanic' 

 eruptions and earthquakes were frequent. In Banda, the volcano j 

 of Mount Gounoug Apy vomited forth fire and ashes in such 

 heaps that the sea at its base became dry land, llie stench of 

 brimstone was so intolerable, that during the westerly monsoon 

 it could not be endured in the streets of Neira. The noise was 

 terrific. Banda was in a great terror, and much sickness pre- < 

 vailed in Neira. The rains tasted sour from the sulphureousr 

 fumes, and the whole country became a desert through the fire,! 

 stones, and ashes thrown over it.^ Inflammation of the feet of' 

 cattle in Hesse, coincidently with aphthae in man. 'At the 

 time of the autumnal ecjuinox (towards the end of August), 

 mankind was afflicted by an inflammation in the gums, tongue, 

 and mouth. I also observed, here and there, an inflammation in 



' Brun7icr. Ephem. Nat. Curios. Dec. 1694. 



- Philosophical Transactions. Dr Short. Op. cit., vol. i. p. 402. 



^ Dr Short. Op. cit., vol. i. p. 399. 



