270 History of Animal Plagices. 



In 1745, it appears to have reached Constantinople; for, 

 according to Dr Murdoch Mackenzie, who was then residing in 

 that city, there was ' a great murrain among the black cattle in 

 Turkey/ in May of that year ; and in the beginning of June 

 'there came immense swarms of butterflies, as well as caterpillars 

 creeping everywhere. After this the plague raged severely in 

 mankind.' ^ 



I will briefly notice what some of the English writers have 

 said relative to the pestilence in this country, and will then pass 

 on to glance at some of the statements of a few foreign authori- 

 ties; observing, however, that this not being a special treatise 

 on the disease, I regret I cannot notice the subject more fully, 

 and that much valuable and interesting matter pertaining to the 

 epizooty at this time must be omitted. 



The malady was believed to have been introduced from Hol- 

 land to England, either by two calves which a farmer at Poplar 

 had sent for, in order to cross the breed of his cows, — or the 

 contagion was conveyed by a parcel of infected hides from Zea- 

 land. Perhaps the disease had its origin from both sources; 

 though it is certain that it first showed itself in the immediate 

 neighbourhood of London, on the Essex side of the river; from 

 thence it gradually spread through Essex and Hertfordshire, 

 reached London, and once there, was not long in being widely 

 propagated in every direction over the kingdom. It appears to 

 be also certain that its introduction into Berkshire was due to 

 two cows which had been purchased at a fair in Essex, after the 

 disease had obtained a footing there. 



There was nothing very noticeable in the temperature, nor 

 were there any particular diseases prevalent in mankind when 

 this plague commenced. The spring and summer had been rather 

 wet, but the autumn was dry and cold, and the early winter 

 damp and cold. The cows of the farmer who had bought the 

 calves soon sickened and died ; cases of a similar character quickly 



communication between the infected and the healthy animals. France was then at 

 war with Austria, and as cattle had to be collected on every side for the subsistence 

 of the armies, this contagious disease was spread everywhere around. The cure 

 above-mentioned thought the malady resembled somewhat the exanthematous 

 catarrhal fever that he had seen attacking man. 

 ^ Philosophical Transactions. 1764. 



