390 * History of Animal Plagices. 



inclination to drink frequently, and profwse salivation. The 

 lameness and the other symptoms disappeared as the contents of 

 the vesicles was discharged, and the ulcerated surface had grown 

 healthy. Where the disease became more virulent, there also 

 appeared on the udders of some cows vesicles and abscesses, 

 and these animals recovered more slowly than the ones which 

 had been less severely attacked in the feet and mouth. The 

 most favourable circumstance connected with this disease lay in 

 the fact that no animals died from it/ ^ From the same source, 

 we learn that the inflammatory symptoms were more urgent than 

 usual, pigs in particular suffering severely, and frequently losing 

 their hoofs. ^ 



At Bale, in Switzerland, sheep small-pox was prevalent. 

 ' From autumn until winter a pestilential disease .of sheep in- 

 creased in the village of Reichen. Bv inoculation, such as is 

 practised as a prophylactic in the small-pox of the human 

 species, a flock much exposed to the contagion could be rescued 

 from danger and destruction.^ ^ 



This is the first time, I think, that we have a notice of 

 inoculation being employed to mitigate the effects of ovine 

 small-pox. Gasparin,* however, writing in 1821, remarks: ' In 

 Languedoc, where this malady is common, the people have 

 resorted to inoculation from time immemorial, to prevent exten- 

 sive epizootics. To this end, in September of every year, when 

 the hot weather is nearly over, and the temperature is most 

 favourable for the purpose, they take the skin of a sheep that 

 has died from small-pox, and hang it in the sheep-fold. All the 

 year's lambs, already six or eight months old, and in a condition 

 to withstand the disease, acquire it by rubbing themselves 

 against this skin ; and by this means the whole flock is insured 

 from the malady in future. 



It may here be noted, that the value of inoculation was at a 

 later period frequently and carefully tested. Venel, Professor of 

 JVledicine at Montpellicr, Chretien, Thorcl,^ Tessier,*^ Coste, and 



* Hoffman7i. Frankische Sammlungen, vol. i. p. 384. ^ Reuss. Ibid. p. 462. 

 ^ Zuinger. Acta Helvetica, vol. iii. p. 301. 



* Gasparm. Des Maladies Contagieuses des Betes a Laine. 



^ Avis au Peuple sur le Claveau. '' Mem. de la Soc. de Medecine, 1 786. 



