HISTORY 431 



§ 342. Characterization. Rinderpest is the most fatal 

 disease affecting cattle. It is a specific eruptive fe\er, occur- 

 ring both sporadically and in epizootics. It is characterized by 

 a more or less typhpLd condition, with lesions largely located 

 in the mucosa of the digestive tract and skin, and by the in- 

 fectious nature of all the tissues, secreta and excreta. It is a 

 disease peculiar to cattle, although other ruminants are sus- 

 ceptible to it. 



§ 343- History. Rinderpest seems to have been brought 

 to western Europe by the importation of cattle from central 

 Asia as early as the fourth century. It is supposed that it 

 had long existed on the steppes of central Asia and eastern 

 Europe. The first great epizootic of which there seems to be 

 records occurred about 1709 and spread over nearly all of the 

 countries of Europe. It is reported that 1,500,000 cattle died 

 from its effects during the years from 1711 to 1714. Ramaz- 

 zini seems to have been the first (1711) to accurately describe 

 the symptoms and lesions. 



It was in connection with this disease that the first veteri- 

 nary police regulations were instituted, and it is stated that 

 because of the ravages of this affection Veterinary Colleges 

 were first established with government aid. In the latter half 

 of the eighteenth century, rinderpest was prevalent in nearly 

 all of the countries of Europe. During the years from 1740 

 to 1750 it was estimated that three million cattle died. The 

 importance of this disease is shown in the fact that in Italy 

 alone during the year 1792 from three to four million cattle 

 died from its effects. In the years 1844 and 1845, Russia is 

 said to have lost a million of cattle from this disease alone. 

 Nearly all the countries of Europe have from time to time lost 

 heavily from it. It is stated, however, that England and Ger- 

 many have practically freed them.selves from it. Preventive 

 inoculation against this disease was introduced into England 

 by Dodson as early as 1744 and later by Courtivon into France. 



§ 344. Geographical distribution. Rinderpest is a 

 well-known cattle plague in Russia and the steppes of central 



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