History of Animal Plagues. 507 



Influenza was epidemic in many countries, and remark- 

 able for its bilious characteristics. Forster says for 1781 : 'In 

 spring prevailed the influenza in America, and next year in 

 Europe. . , . Clouds of sand martins in London. Beetles and 

 cockchafers this year were numerous ; hornets in plenty, wasps 

 few or none.^ For this year: 'Earthquake in Calabria, contem- 

 porary with great fall of barometer in Scotland. Early spring 

 severely cold, with April floods. In March the memorable influ- 

 enza prevailed all over Europe ; in England its particular range 

 was very easily to be traced ; effects of this epidemic were sudden, 

 and it was among the most recent striking proofs of the atmo- 

 spherical nature of these peculiar morbific stimuli. Theepidemy 

 assumed more of a violent nature towards May.^ 



An epizobty of influenza in horses appears to have prevailed 

 in Europe at the same time as the epidemy in man. Huveman 

 observed and reported upon it, as it manifested itself in Ger- 

 many ; and Abilgaard, the talented founder of the Veterinary 

 School at Copenhagen, has left an admirable monograph on the 

 disease, which he had ample opportunity for studying during the 

 period it affected the King of Denmark's stallions. 



The Annual Register says for May, 1782: 'The weather 

 was uncommonly severe, not in England only, but almost all 

 over Europe. At Vienna the frost continued so rigorous, that 

 the vines were thought to be materially injured. In Italy such 

 a fall of snow as has never been remembered. In Russia many 

 thousands have perished of a sickness owing to the rigour of the 

 season. In Sweden men and cattle have perished for want of 

 food. In the Highlands of Scotland cattle die, or are killed, for 

 want of fodder. In short, the severity of the weather has been 

 generally felt.^ - 



In Gcrn)any, Metzger mentions a bilious disease affecting 

 horned cattle at the same time as influenza in man.^ From this 

 year until 1785, at Bray, in the Seine-Inferieure, France, epi- 

 zootic ophthalmia, complicated with 'albugo' or ulceration of 

 the cornea, was observed in cattle.^ In the arrondissemc.nt of 



' Forster. Op. cit., p. 171. ^ Tlic Annual Register, vol. xxv. p. 207. 



3 Mdzger. Gcschichte dcr Friihlings-epidemie, p. 35. 



* Cloqud ; Chabert. Instructions Velcfninairc, vol. iv. p. 312. 



