2o6 History of Animal Plagues. 



inflicted on those who disobey this order. The passage of all 

 rustics and dogs should be forbidden. 



' Such are the means, and the reasons for employing them, 

 which I offer for the purpose both of avoiding and of suppressing 

 the plague. For in truth, when I reflect upon the diflicidties — the 

 expense, the dangers, and the labours incurred in carrying them 

 out, I confess that I know of no means by which the plague 

 may be more easily, more surelv, and more expeditiously 

 suppressed, than by instantly knocking on the head every infected 

 animal, and burying it deeply in the earth.' In apologizing 

 for writing the treatise, he says : ' I may be asked of what bene- 

 fit can this commentary be to posterity, as I have no remedy to 

 offer for the cure of the plague? I answer, of very great bene- 

 fit ; for it is no little thing in human affairs to know what to 

 avoid and what is true — lucrum etiam in rebus humanis non 

 exigimur est habere certum atque exploratum quod vitemus. And 

 surely we have learnt this much, that, from the very beginning 

 of the plague, all commerce in cattle must be arrested ; and that 

 if we are not able to cure the disease, we know at least how to 

 deal with the evils attending it. Here, as happens in many 

 other diseases, we may prevent their occurrence ; but, when once 

 they have possession of the body, we are powerless to cure them — 

 -E contrario, cum jam facta sunt, nulli cedunt medicamini.' 

 ' Should this plague ever recur hereafter, posterity may study 

 these pages with some satisfaction, and certainly with profit.' 

 Through the energetic measures recommended by this true 

 patriot, Rome and the Campagnawere rid of the disease in nine 

 months ; while in other parts of Italy it raged for several years. 

 In Ferrara, the malady was observed and described by Nigrisoli^ 

 and Lanzoni ; - in the states of Venice, by Mazini ; in Modena, 

 by Morandi; and in Cremona, by Cogrossi.^ Nigrisoli's ac- 

 count of the malady is lucid and exact. The disease was a 

 malignant and contagious fever, and among the remarkably well- 

 observed symptoms, the ulcers and pustules on the palate, throat, 

 and tongue were not overlooked. 



' NigrisoU. Opinions on the Epidemic Disease in Cattle, 1714- 

 2 Lanzoni. Acta Eraditor, 1713, 1714. ^ Journal de Venise, vol. x. 



