History of Animal PI agues, 421 



themselves in some parts of the feet ; that the aphthre were found 

 in the nostrils in such quantity that the passage of the air was 

 intercepted, and that this was the cause of death to many ani- 

 mals. I'he milk conmiunicated the disease to dogs, cats, and to 

 people who used it as food. When put near the fire, it separ- 

 ated quickly into butter and cheese; it had neither its usual 

 sweetness, nor yet its natural consistency. The oxen were the 

 first attacked, but when these and the bulls were vigorous scarcely 

 any died; some of them lost their hoofs. Sheep were worse 

 affected, for nearly all that were attacked cast their hoofs, and 

 they had to limp about until new ones grew ; but few, however, 

 died. Goats suffered in the same way. Pigs, of all animals, were 

 the most severely attacked, and many perished. All those which 

 escaped death shed their hoofs. The men who were infected by 

 the disease experienced a great difficulty, amounting to impossi- 

 bility sometimes, in swallowing, owing to inflammation and 

 tumefaction in the back part of the throat. Sagar attributed the 

 cause of this epizooty to an eclipse of the sun, and to the red 

 blight or ' rust^ which affected the plants^ as well as to the intem- 

 perature of the air. 



At the same time, this aphthous fever was prevalent in the 

 neighbourhood of Paris, and in Perigord and Auvergne, attack- 

 ing horses as well as cattle.^ M. Huzard remarks: ^ It appears 

 that during the year 1763, and at the commencement of 1764, 

 aphthous diseases form the essential characteristics of the epizoo- 

 tics which have reigned amongst horses and cattle over nearly 

 the whole of France.' ^ 



In the public papers of the time, it is also mentioned that in 

 Holstein, and at Nordhausen and its environs, a contagious disease 

 which attacked the horned cattle, and horses, sheep, and pigs, had 

 been observed. A putrid and purulent matter was seen to issuefrom 

 their feet; the skin on the surface of the hogs' bodies and their 

 flanks was observed to peel off". None of the affected animals dicd.^ 



In Switzerland, and also in Suabia, erysipelas [rothlaiifcs) 

 was epizootic amongst swine, and killed a considerable number.'' 



' Ilurtnl a' Arboval. Diet. Vet., i. p. Ii6. 



* Iluzard. Instructions and Observations. 



3 Paulel. Op. cit., vol. i. p. 397. ^ IVirlh. Op. cit., p. no. 



