40 8 Histoiy of Animal Plagues. 



' This is probably the distemper mentioned as prevaihng among 

 horned cattle in Germany in the Medico-Philosophical Memoirs, 

 wherein it is noted, that, in consequence of people having died 

 from drinking the milk, the magistrates had interdicted the use 

 of that article during the prevalence of the epizooty. We are left 

 in much doubt, however, as to the nature of the malady described 

 by Plenciz, and altogether perhaps incline to the opinion that it 

 was the Cattle Plague affecting oxen and sheep, occurring coin- 

 cidently, as in 1745, with some epizooty in horses. 



Anthrax was prevalent in Kitzingen, Franconia, amongst 

 cattle ; and in Livonia and Esthonia the same disease attacked 

 cattle and horses.^ 



In this year, there began a great epizooty amongst dogs, 

 which appears to have been what is since vulgarly termed ' dis- 

 temper^ [muladie des chlens, morve des chiens, in France, and 

 in Germany liundestanpe, and Jmndeseiiche). Before this period 

 it appears to have been very rare, or almost unknown, and 

 since its outbreak at that time it has lingered amongst the 

 canine species to this day. It seems to have been first noted in 

 Spain. ' In this year there was observed at Madrid a deadly 

 epizooty amongst dogs, which spread over the whole kingdom, 

 but without affecting any other species of animals.^ ^ In 1763, 

 according to Webster,^ nine hundred doo;s had died at Madrid 

 alone, and in this year it is supposed that the malady had reached 

 England, where, many years after, it was studied by Mr Darwin 

 and Mr E. Jenner. The latter, writing in 1809, says: 'It may 

 be difficult, perhaps, to ascertain the period of its first appearance 

 in Britain, In this and the neighbouring counties I have not 

 been able to trace it back much beyond _the middle of the last 

 century. .• . . I knew a gentleman, who, about forty-five years 

 aeio, destroyed the greater part of his hounds, from supposing 

 them mad, when the distemper first broke out among them, so 

 little was it then known of those the most conversant with dogs.'* 

 As Heusinger remarks, it is very probable that, in its commence- 



1 Fischer. Op. cit., p. 462. 



2 Villalba. Epidemiologia Espanola, vol. ii. p. 219. 



3 Webster. Op. cit., vol. i. p. 412. 



* Medico-Chirurgical Transactions, vol. i. p. 265. 



