198 History of A nimal Plagues. 



so, nor yet so prevalent, as the Cattle Plague; in fact, he clings to 

 the opinion that the disease was not the same as that then affect- 

 ing the bovine species, nor was it caused by that malady. Some 

 believed that this complaint in sheep was induced by the mice, 

 but Kanold says : ' In the mean while, it appears that the above 

 visitation of mice was not the real cause of the disease in sheep; 

 but that both were brought about by the unusual sultriness 

 and humidity of the weather/^ There can scarcely be a doubt, 

 however, that this great mortality amongst the sheep and goats 

 really originated from contact with the diseased cattle, and was 

 produced by the same contagion. 



According to Wirth, the epizootic contagious pleuro-pneu- 

 monia of cattle was present in Switzerland. He says, ' Certain it 

 is, that it (pleuro-pneumonia) manifested itself in the years 1713 

 and 1 7 14 in Suabia, and also in several cantons of Switzerland.' ^ 



The Cattle Plague continued its ravages in all the countries 

 named in the preceding year. In Russia, it had enlarged its 

 boundaries, and attacked the governments of Novgorod, Plaskow, 

 Petersburg, and Ingermanland. In Germany, it was reported 

 in Bresgau, Wiirtemburg, Baden, the valley of the Rhine, Pfalz, 

 and Alsace. It was still spreading in Switzerland, but in Hol- 

 land its violence was excessive, and it was said that there alone, 

 from 1 7 13 to 1723, it had destroyed 200,000 cattle. In Italy it 

 was steadily marching on, and causing sad havoc in every place, 

 with the exception of Piedmont. In the kingdom of Naples, in 

 Calabria, and in the Romagna, its advances were causing the ut- 

 most apprehension and fear. The learned doctor and physician 

 to Pope Clement XL, Giovanni Lancisi, was sent to investigate 

 the nature, and prescribe measures for the suppression, of the 

 murderous pest raging amongst the herds of the Romagna. To 

 the ability displayed by this man, while obeying his instructions, we 

 are much indebted for an accurate description of the symptoms 

 and post-mortem appearances of the malady, as manifested in that 

 part of the Roman dominions. His report is as follows : ' In the 

 middle of the summer of 17 13, there was a rumour at Rome that 



1 Kanold. Op. cit. 



2 Lehrbuch der Seuchen und ansteckendeii Krankheiten der Hausthiere. Zu- 

 rich, 1846, p. 298. 



