History of Animal Plagues. 439 



accident, and the hardship and misery ensuing was very terrible. 

 It is said that during the earthquake innumerable fissures were 

 opened in the ground throughout the island, from which mephi- 

 tic vapours emanated, and that these produced the disease which 

 followed.^ An epizootv of anthrax was a result of these misfor- 

 tunes, and the unfortunate slaves of North St Domingo expe- 

 rienced a most awful famine; for the cod fishery entirely failed, 

 and the Spanish Colonists, to provide sufficient food, were com- 

 pelled to salt or smoke the flesh of all their cattle — dead or 

 dying from the anthracoid malady. The consequence was, that 

 acarbuncular epidemy appeared, and in less than six weeks more 

 than fifteen thousand black and white people had perished. The 

 plague did not cease until the consumption of the poisonous 

 flesh or ' tassau ' was interdicted." 



Pallas mentions that the Siberian anthrax [Yasvn) was very 

 prevalent among the cattle, and even attacked the camels, in 1755 

 and 1767, in the province of Isetsk. In 1768, it was wider spread 

 than in any former period. With the Baschkirs of this province, 

 the epizooty attacked the camels before it visited the other 

 domestic animals, and so destructive was it with them, that the 

 breeding of this useful creature had to be discontinued. They also 

 lost the greater part of their cattle. In 1770, during the visit of 

 Pallas, the malady was raging in all its fury in the southern and 

 eastern part of this province, especially where the country was 

 open, and had marshes, salt lakes, or lakes of Sweetwater. The 

 disease was almost annual, but in this year it was more than 

 usually mortal. Pallas states that, at the same time, an epidemy 

 raged in mankind. The disease usually manifested itself during 

 the hottest months, especially when south winds prevailed ; it 

 ceased when those from the north began to blow ; if these are 

 late the plague may last until the end of the autumn. The 

 mortality is then very great ; all the horses and cattle perish at 

 the same time ; though the ravages are greater in some districts 

 than in others, it is rare that men or animals are attacked in the 

 interior (jf tcnvns or fortresses. Men do not usually feel its effects 



' Lyell. Op. cit. 



2 PlaciJc-Justin. Ilistoirc de I'lle d'Hayti, p. I20. 



