Histojy of Animal Plagues. 245 



side corruption of the blood, only sought to revive the absurd 

 hypothesis of Kircher, which had been for a long time abolished. 

 At all times the disease was exhibited with but little variation of 

 symptoms, and it was indeed a real pest of cattle. With regard 

 to treatment, the most celebrated physicians who have thoroughly 

 known the nature of the disease, have freely confessed that to 

 this day there is no specific or certain means of cure. God only 

 knows, and we have too often seen, that numberless hurtful 

 modes of treatment have been resorted to. Add to this, that the 

 method employed for diminishing or driving away the disease is 

 entirely empirical, and founded on no sound indication; although 

 common sense demands for the cure of animals, as well as for 

 man, that the principles of medicine shall be equally followed 

 out. But all the difficulties experienced in human medicine are 

 greatly augmented by the difference in organization of ruminant 

 animals, when compared with that of man, or even of other crea- 

 tures. Although these difficulties appear very great, yet it is to 

 be hoped that a system of treatment may be established on a 

 more certain and a more reasonable basis, than that pursued 

 by the empirics. 



The symptoms observed show that the animals take the dis- 

 ease by the mouth and the nostrils, and very rarely by the skin. 

 For these reasons, two great indications must be followed out. 

 The first is, that the pestilential poison admitted into the mass 

 of the humours ought to be thrown out as speedily as possible. The 

 second is, that it ought to be expelled with the greatest prompti- 

 tude by the salivary glands before it has had time to commit 

 great ravages. In the first case, benzoic and alexipharmic reme- 

 dies should be employed ; and in the second, medicines which 

 induce salivation. Much has been said for and against bleeding. 

 Ilamazzini, in condemning it as dangerous in all epidemics, yet 

 believes it useful and salutary in this epizooty of cattle, for the 

 reason that, as at present, he recognized the inflammatory nature 

 of the disease, inasmuch as the poison is one of those which have 

 power to coagulate the mass of the blood. Bleeding, however, 

 is not sanctioned by experience; and it is wiser to agree with 

 Lancisi, who regarded it as a very dangerous mode of cure. 



The disease is accompanied very often by diarrhoea, of which 



