82 THE DISTEMPER. 



It has been supposed that this direful disease was 

 first introduced into this country, from France, where 

 it was designated by the term of, " La Maladie." It 

 may now, however, be considered to have become 

 naturalized amongst the whole of the canine race in 

 this island ; and not only are some kinds of dogs more 

 subject to the disease than others, but in some kennels 

 this dreadful scourge seems inherent in particular 

 breeds ; I could enumerate several packs of hounds 

 (but the exposing the misfortunes of some of the most 

 justly celebrated establishments of the day, is by no 

 means my intention) where undoubtedly the dis- 

 temper, in a very aggravated form, has been handed 

 down from one generation to another, until it has 

 become one of the peculiar characteristics of the blood. 

 Mr. Blaine's remarks upon distemper are so excellent, 

 that I would advise the reader to peruse them 

 attentively ; they are far too extensive to insert in this 

 short chapter, but the few following lines are so 

 exceedingly descriptive of the cause of the disease, 

 that I shall insert them without apology. " The dis- 

 temper has become so naturalized amongst our dogs, 

 that very few escape the disease altogether. A con- 

 stitutional liability to it is inherent in every individual 

 of the canine race, which predisposition is usually 

 acted upon by some occasional cause. The predispo- 

 sition itself in some breeds seems sufficient to produce 

 it, and such have it frequently very soon after birth ; 

 but the predisposition is more frequently acted upon 

 by some occasional cause, of which there are many. 



" Contagion may be regarded as the principal of 

 these ; few dogs who have not passed through the 



