360 History of Animal PlagiLes. 



perienccd in making a judicious selection from among them to 

 illustrate what was then believed to be the pathology and nature 

 of the plague, or the measures, medical and legislative, most 

 appropriate for its cure or prevention. However, a brief notice 

 will be offered of some that now come to hand, and the student 

 desirous of learning more can refer to the works, the titles of 

 which are given. 



We will commence with Holland, 



The physician Clerc,^ who was in that country when the 

 disease raged there in 1744-5, and at the commencement 

 of ^46, informs us as to the character presented by it at that 

 time. 



The symptoms were : staring of the coat, universal shiver- 

 ings, the eyes red or yellowish, and looking as if buried in their 

 orbits. Tears ran from them, and mucus from the nostrils, which 

 were in many cases swollen, and in others constricted and very 

 red, without discharge; sometimes convulsive tvvitchings were 

 noticed about them. The upper lip appeared tumified, the under 

 one pendant, the gums were often red and inflamed, and the 

 veins in them enlarged ; there were also small yellowish pustules, 

 ulcers, and aphthae over the gums and palate as well as the 

 tongue ; these increased before death. There appeared buboes 

 or inflammatory swellings about the dewlap and the flank. The 

 hind quarters could not support the least touch, they were so 

 painful. The throbbing of the arteries was strong and frequent. 

 The labia of the vulva were tumified, and secreted a virulent mat- 

 ter. Towards the end of the second day, the respiration became 

 difficult; this difiiculty increased rapidly. The animal gave 

 utterance to deep sighs and groans, and saliva flowed from the 

 mouth. This matter became bloody on the approach of death. 

 The animals never slept; and they died on the fourth, the fifth, 

 or the sixth day, as if they been slain by the stroke of a polcaxe. 

 The urine was not much altered, but the faeces were yellow- 

 coloured, purulent, and fetid shortly before they perished. Un- 



' Le Clerc. Verhandeling van de tegenwordige, &c., door vier Geneesheeren. 

 Hague, 1 745. Essai sur les Maladies Contagieuscs du Betail, avec les moyens de 

 les prevenir et d'y remedier efficacement ; par Clerc, ancien Medecin des Armees 

 du Roi en Allemagne. Paris, 1766. 



