History of Animal Plagues. 241 



tioned places destroyed immense numbers. Hahn speaks of a 

 contemporaneous epizooty, when describing the influenza.^ 

 Wirth says the disease amongst the cattle was Rinderpest; no 

 doubt a correct opinion. - 



A.D. 1730, A very wet year, so that the Thames inundated 

 Westminster, Eruptions of Vesuvius, volcaniceruptions in Iceland 

 and the Canary Islands, and an earthquake which nearly destroyed 

 the whole of Chili. In Lancerote, one of the Canary Islands, 

 the atmosphere, according to Von Buch, was so tainted by de- 

 leterious emanations during a volcanic eruption, that all the 

 cattle were killed. ' Dead fish floated on the waters in indescrib- 

 able multitudes, or were thrown dying on the shore. The cattle 

 throughout the country fell lifeless to the ground, suffocated by 

 putrid vapours, which condensed and fell down in drops/ ^ A 

 formidable epidemic disease commenced at Cadiz, named the 

 black vomit {^ el vom'ito negro'); it was supposed to have been 

 brought thence from South America, and extending over the con- 

 tinent, continued its ravages until 1738, when a murderous dy- 

 sentery invaded the coast of Malaga and Seville, and, indeed, all 

 the sea-board of Andalusia. During the prevalence of this pes- 

 tilence animals were first affected, especially those that were 

 domesticated ; birds which fed on grains also suffered severely, 

 such as poultry, pigeons, &c. Numerous insects, called by the 

 Spaniards ' largostus,^ were generated previous to the breaking 

 out of this epidemic disease.* 



During the years 1726-7, the Cattle Plague still prevailed 

 in Russia, Livonia, and Courland. In the year 1728, it con- 

 trived to extend itself beyond these countries by being in- 

 troduced into the March of Brandenburg;^ and in 1729 it was 

 spread over that country and Austria," where it continued until 

 1730, when it appeared in Saxony.'' In Frankfort-on-the-Odcr, 

 it was observed and described; and in this year, also, it was 



* Hahn. Buechner, Miscell. 1729, p. 765. ^ Wirth. Op. cit., p. 1S4. 

 ' Sir C. Lyell. Principles of Geolot^y, p. 437. 



* Dr Bascome. A History of Epidemic Pestilences. London, 1851. 

 ' Loritiser. Rinderpest, p. 18. 



' Gohl. Von den in der Mittclmark, 1729-31, grassirenden Vicliscuclien. 

 Leipsic, 1741. 



'' Bonier. Inst. Medic. Legalis, p. 124. 



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