History of Animal Plagues, 251 



few therefore died, and these only the animals whieh were neg- 

 lected.'^ Trunipy writes: 'In the spring of this year, there 

 came from Suabia into Switzerland a deadly disease, which was 

 called the 'flying cancer' [Jiiegende krehs — glossanthrax). It was 

 a malady characterized by bladders on the tongue. If the cattle 

 were left without medical aid and attention, these bladders soon 

 became red, then black, the tongue fell off, and the cattle perished. 

 With us a few died, but the measures taken to cure it were very 

 prompt. The disease was transmissible to mankind ; as a con- 

 sequence, the butchers' shops were closed, and the milk of in- 

 fected animals was thrown away. As the affection disappeared 

 from this and the neighbouring localities about the end of April, 

 all the strictly guarded passes were open again, and free inter- 

 course allowed.'^ 



With regard to the progress of the disease, we find that in 

 the spring of '31 it was observed in Dauphine, Haut-Faucigny, 

 Auver2;ne, and Bourbonnais, and in the neighbourhood of 

 Moulins and Gannat it prevailed in April.^ Textor says : ' To- 

 wards the end of April, 1731, this disease appeared, among other 

 places, in Strasbourg, in the district of Gannat, belonging to the 

 generalite von Moulin. Two repeatedly printed decrees were 

 published and sent the same year to all the village officials in Al- 

 sace. . . . This disease is supposed to have originated in Germany 

 in the year 1682, and thence spread itself through the Nether- 

 lands; but in the month of April, 1731, it again appeared in the 

 district of Gannat, and from that place it extended to the Ne- 

 therlands (through various Rhine districts) ; so that the malady 

 travelled from south to north at the rate of four miles a-day, 

 over a strip of country about forty miles in width, generally re- 

 maining from two to three weeks in one locality, but sometimes 

 entirely avoiding;; certain villajres.'^ On the 22nd of June, the 

 Municipal Council of Geneva published its preservative and cura- 



* IValser. Appenzellcr Chronic, p. 531. 



' Triimpy. Glarner Chronic, p. 531. 



3 Observations sur une Maladie qui aUatjuc les Betes i comes, &c. Mercurc, 

 Histor. et Politic. January, 1732. 



^ Textor. Versuch wic die Yicliscuchen wohl crkannl, &c., wculcn kunncii. 

 Tiibingen, 1767. 



