Histo7'y of Anivial Plagues. 229 



appeared quite blue; and before this poisonous clement could 

 be dissipated, foals, calves, and geese which drank of the water 

 were killed by it. Even the fish in these waters died, and were 

 cast upon the banks. Crows, magpies, and ravens, which had 

 fed upon the fish, were often found dead.' ^ 



Kanold describes an epizooty which broke out among the 

 army horses in Finland and Ingermanland (Ingria), and de- 

 stroyed great numbers. From the fatigue and hardship to which 

 they had been exposed during the past year, it is probable that 

 the maladv was o-landers in an acute form.^ 



In England ' the weather was clear and air healthy all 

 October, but a fatal month to oxen and swine.^ ^ 



The Cattle Plasfue ceased its ravao;es in this vear as a general 

 epizooty, its cruel effects being only displayed here and there at 

 irregular intervals. It may be said to have terminated its devast- 

 ating career in Hungary, Prussia, Silesia,* and Bavaria.^ Lan- 

 zoni, writing from Ferrara, says: 'The gifts bestowed by Ceres, 

 Bacchus, and Pomona in this year were many, and there was 

 but little disease amongst men ; but this was not so to pigs and 

 cows, for Death's scythe was busy on them. Wherefore fear 

 took possession of the people in the provinces, lest the contagious 

 epidemy of the vear 17 13 should reappear in the bovine race, 

 and the very thoughts of such a visitation excited them to 

 tears.' " 



A.D. 1718. A cold winter, but a hot summer, with great 

 drought. A comet was visible this vear. At Wismar, in the 

 grand-duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, on the Baltic, a deadly 

 epidemic fever (enteritic) appeared, and at the same time an 

 epizooty of geese and fowls. Again Kanold describes it : 

 ' This spring the increase of the feathered tribe was very 

 great; but this good fortune was much hindered here and 

 there by a disease which appeared among the fowls and geese, 

 and which began chiefly in the month of June. It was a sick- 



' Breslauer Sammlung, vol. i. p. 50. 



2 Kanold. Ibid. vol. ii. p. 43. ' T. Short. Op. cit., p. 20. 



< Hoffmann. Consilium dc Lue Bourn. Ej. Cons. Mai. 1721. V(j1. i. i). 115. 



* Kanold. Breslauer .Sammlung, vols. i. p. 46 ; iii. pp. 535> 799- 



' Ephcm. Nat. Cur., cent. vii. and viii. Ajjpendix, p. 20. 



