4 CANINE DISTEMPER 
A.D, 
dogs, which spread over the whole kingdom, but 
without affecting any other species of animals. 
“1763. According to Webster, 900 dogs had died at 
Madrid alone, and in this year it is supposed that 
the malady had reached England, where many years: 
after it was studied by Mr. Darwin and Mr. E. 
Jenner. The latter, writing in 1809, said: ‘It may 
be difficult perhaps to ascertain the period of its first 
appearance in Britain. In this and the neighbouring 
counties I have not been able to trace it back much 
beyond the middle of last century.’ 
“1764. It appears to have reached England at a later 
period, as Dr. Rutty notices this plague amongst 
the dogs at Doneraile, co. Cork. The symptoms 
are a great discharge of a gleety humour from eyes 
and nose, a difficulty of breathing, violent beating 
of the heart, also convulsions, and a great weakness 
in the back and hind legs.” 
It is comparatively only recently that veterinary 
schools have come into existence, the first one being 
established in France in 1761; thus it is fair to assume 
that, prior to that date, little serious attention could 
have been bestowed upon the study of epizootic diseases, 
and scanty knowledge gained as regards their charac- 
teristics. Dr. Jenner also wrote: ‘‘ My situation in the 
country favouring my wishes to make some observations 
on this singular malady, I availed myself of it during 
several successive years among a large number of fox- 
hounds belonging to the Earl of Berkeley; and from 
observing how frequently it has been confounded with 
hydrophobia, I am induced to lay the result of my 
enquiries before the Medical and Chirurgical Society. ... 
I knew a gentleman who, about forty-five years ago, 
destroyed the greater part of his hounds, from supposing 
them mad, when the distemper first broke out among 
them, so little was it then known by those most conver- 
