History of Animal Plagues. 223 



himself to the effect that the English are (or rather, were) an 

 energetic and vigilant people {gen^ i'/ij"i/ac5^rf/iMa), who exhibit- 

 ed wonderful couraoe and devotion durins; the severe ordeal. 

 Since that time this example of wisdom and energy has been 

 frequently alluded to, and nations who are always threatened 

 with this plague have on many occasions preserved themselves 

 from its ravages, by acting as suggested by Dr Bates. In a 

 recent French publication, the adoption and enforcement of these 

 measures is alluded to as follows: ^The disease having passed 

 into England in 17 14, the English government saw no other 

 t means of arresting its course arid saving the great number of 

 animals which were menaced by it, than immolating all those 

 that were infected, and following the advice which Lancisi had 

 given to his country. This sacrifice was about six thousand, and 

 the contagion was destroyed in less than three months ; while 

 Holland, which obstinately and uselessly sought for remedies to 

 cure it, had the misfortune to endure its ravages for three years. 

 The English are, then, as we perceive, the first people of Europe 

 who have given us an example of such conduct.' ^ 



Paulet, with great truth and common sense, observes of this 

 emergency, — ' Les Anglois sont done, comme on voit, le peuple 

 d'Europe qui a donne le premier I'exemple d'une pareille con- 

 duite; et en effet, lorsque I'incurabilite d'une maladie scmblable 

 est bien constatee par des experiences multipliees, c'est pcrdre 

 un temps precieux que de chercher d'autre moyen d'en arreter 

 le cours. Outre les raisons politiques qui deciderent le gouverne- 

 ment Anglois a prendre ce parti, comme le plus prompt et le 

 plus sur, il y en avoit d'autres bien capables de I'y determiner : 

 d'une part, la certitude physique ou I'on etoit que le levain dc 

 la maladie avoit ete apporte des pays infectes ; et de I'autre, 

 I'exemple des mauvais succ(^s dans lesdifferentes tentatives miscs 

 en usage par les autres pcuples d'Europe. L'experiencc a appris 

 depuis, que le massacre des animaux pestiferes, dans certains cas 

 est I'unique moyen de faire cesser cnti^rement la contagion.' ^ 



» 2 



' Dictionnaire Usuel de Chirurjrie et de Mcdecine Vctcrinairc, p. 362. Paris, 

 1859. 



2 Paulet. Op. cit. ."For a long period , no irruption of any malady from al)road 

 had been noted in this country, particularly of the nature of ' Cattle riaj^'uc' The 



