4^2, Histoiy of Animal Plagues. 



In the autumn of 1763, the Indians on Nantucket and else- 

 where in that region were attacked by a biUous fever, which 

 killed a large portion of their number. No white people were 

 attacked, though they mixed freely with the Indians ; though 

 persons of mixed blood were affected, but recovered. Im- 

 mediately after this pestilence had disappeared, a species of large 

 fish, called '^blue fish,' thirty of which would fill a barrel, and 

 which previously had been caught in great numbers on every side 

 of Nantucket, suddenly disappeared, to the immense loss of the 

 inhabitants. Whether they perished or migrated is not known. ^ 



A.D. 1764. The year was mild, but rainy; in December, 

 Lisbon was shaken by an earthquake and a comet was seen. 

 Pestilence in mankind was very fatal in Spain, in the form of 

 miliary fever. 'Salv^arisa supposes the epidemic fever of 1764 at 

 Cadiz was occasioned by the old and corrupted corn ; amongst 

 the poor the disorder was most violent. In this year the animals 

 were first affected, and the mortality was principally observed 

 amongst birds fed on grain. ^ ^ 



Suabia was severely visited by a similar malady ; Austria was 

 no less troubled; and Scotland and Ireland had much disease 

 raging amongst their populations. 



Rutty says of the weather in Ireland : ' Spring — moist, dry, 

 and cool; summer — cool and moist; autumn — variable; winter — 

 warm and moist. The excessive moisture of the winter this 

 year, succeeded by a dry and healthful spring, may show how 

 the mischiefs of one extreme may be corrected by its contrary 

 succeeding, and indicate the expediency of a retrospection upon 

 these occasions.' ^ He adds : ' To the instances of mortalities 

 among other animals mentioned last year, it may be proper to 

 add that this spring we had an account of a mortality among 

 swine and horses in Italy ; and in June from Provence, in France, 

 of a mortality among their horses and mules; and in August, 

 from Sweden, that there was a mortality among horned cattle, 

 the horses, sheep, goats, and swine. These accounts seemed to 

 be somewhat alarming, and are here recorded and recommended 



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



- Hancock. In Cyclojicedia of Practical Medicine. 



^ Rutty, The Weather and Seasons. 



