History of Animal Plagues. 



99 



a large n inn her of infected oxen, from the districts on the Medi- 

 terranean, were being driven from the market of Frusino to us ; 

 wherefore it was wisely decreed that no markets should be held, 

 nor any cattle admitted into the place. But merchants intro- 

 duced oxen into the city secretly by by-ways, because their hopes 

 of selling them publicly had been frustrated; and these being 

 driven about in all directions, and becoming mixed with our 

 hitherto healthy stock, spread abroad the disease. For when any 

 foreign merchants had doubtful or suspicious cattle they could 

 not sell in their own country, they brought them to Rome surrep- 

 titiously, and sold them for less than the usual price. But the 

 butchers of the city, who had not yet discovered the deceit prac- 

 tised upon them, were led to buy these animals at a reasonable 

 rate, and in this way were immediately disseminated the germs 



of the hidden contagion Every fact clearly shows that 



the cause of the plague is some exceedingly fine and pernicious 

 particles [corporis particidas, qiice summd qiiidem teniiitate, et 

 pernic'itate prcpclitcc) which pass from one body to another, by 

 contact, or by the means of fomites. It therefore resembles a 

 special virulent poison ; a few particles affecting the whole or- 

 ganism, and acting, in all likelihood, just as we see a ferment act 

 in bread or wine, a minute portion leavening the entire mass. . 

 'The first svmptoms of disease in some oxen we had under 

 observation were timidity, bellowing, snorting, and other indi- 

 cations of sudden fright or agitation, as if some poison had 

 affected their mobile spirits, causing spasms of their nervous 

 fibres, and producing convulsions externally and internally. We 

 also saw others, but a few only, which were naturally weak and 

 destitute of stamina, die suddenly, as if struck with a thunder- 

 bolt. In general, however, the first symptoms of the plague 

 were debility, sudden dulness, drooping of the head, tears flow- 

 ing from the heavy eyes, and mucus and saliva from the nostrils 

 and mouth. This was accompanied, in the mean while, by fever, 

 with shivering and staring of the coat, nausea, and an inclination 

 to lie down. There were always inflammations {p/i/ognscs), 

 pustules, hydatids, and ulcers on the tongue and mouth, accom- 

 panied by intense fever. In not a few there were scattered over 

 the skin watery tubercles, and the hair full off. At (irst they 



