History of Animal Plagues. 445 



wife complained that her hens would not hatch, and that they 

 laid but few e^irs. In most localities where ero-otism railed, I 

 know nothing for certain beyond the fact, that, at my request, 

 two fowls were sent to me from the vicinity of Hankensbiittel, in 

 both of which had been observed symptoms of spasms. They were 

 really so affected, for at one time they would crouch down, and 

 at another fall on their side, droop their heads, and scratch with 

 their feet. After a time they would get up, but then they ap- 

 peared cramped, and would stretch themselves out again. They fed 

 well for fourteen days, and afterwards lived for eight days 

 longer, but refused their food, became ill, and died on the fourth 

 week.'^ In Saxony, great numbers of geese died from epizootic 

 pityriasis. 'The weather in the early part of the year 177 1 

 favoured the production of innumerable varieties of insects. The 

 geese in many places suffered most, and there were great com- 

 plaints, especially in Saxony, regarding the general mortality 

 among these creatures. On close inspection of their skins, one 

 found swarms of small lice which differed much from the so- 

 called goose-louse, being of quite a distinct and more, minute 

 species.^ "- 



Epizootic aphthous fever appeared in Paris. Lafosse, jun., 

 writes : ^ On the 12th of January, 177 1, I was called by a man 

 named Antoine Louvet, living near the Barricire-Blanche, to see 

 some cows which had been attacked by an epidemic disease, and 

 which had already killed all those it seized. I opened some of 

 the dead animals, and found the pharynx, oesophagus, and trachea 

 covered with aphthae. I also found the intestines gangrenous and 

 full of liquid, which was of the same nature as the dysenteric 

 dejections they had been passing five or six days before their 

 death.' ^ 



Pallas speaks of ovine small-pox as prevalent in Siberia.* 

 A.D. 1772. An epizocity among cattle and sheep in Saxony. 

 Anthracoid diseases in Auvergne and Champagne, as well as in 

 Dijon, France. In the West Indian Islands, at St Domingo, 



^ Taube. Geschichte der Kriebel-Krankheit. 



^ Rohkucs. Die Fedcrviehzucht. Berlin, 1821. 



^ Diclionnaire d'llippiatriquc, «;■/. 'Aphtlies.' 



* Voyages dans I'lusieurs Provinces, &c., vol. iv. p. 19. 



