Lung Plague of Cattle. 647 



cattle alone suffered, that large herds suffered most, that the 

 lungs were the seat of very marked lesions, and that fever and 

 mortality were both marked, point forcibly toward lung plague. 

 Valentini's description of a fatal lung disease in cattle also stands 

 out prominently in the obscure records. The first full and 

 definite report is that given by Bourgelat of its prevalence in 

 Franche-Compt^ in 1769. I,ater the records are frequent and 

 from all over Europe, indicating its general prevalence before as 

 well as after Bourgelat. 



Much more important are its definite extensions into new 

 countries after a long interval of immunity as showing that with 

 trustworthy records such invasions can always be satisfactorily 

 accounted for by the introduction of cattle or their fresh products 

 from a previously infected area. Into Holland it was imported 

 from Germany in 1835 by Vanderbosch a Guelderland distiller 

 and spread over the whole country. Attempts were made in 

 Friesland, and at first successfully, to stamp it out by slaughter 

 and disinfection, but the demands of the trade toward England 

 grew so enormously that it was being constantly introduced anew 

 and the measure was abandoned. The British Consul at the 

 Hague, in 1839 sent some Dutch cows to a friend in County Cork, 

 Ireland, which led to the general infection of that island and in- 

 directly of Great Britian. In 1842, under the Free Trade Act, 

 England became at once deluged with lung plague cattle from 

 Holland, Belgium and France on the one side, and Ireland on 

 the other. Soon the whole island had been infected except ex- 

 clusively breeding districts (Welsh and Scottish Highlands, etc.,) 

 into which no cattle were ever introduced from outside. 



In 1847 ^° importation of English cattle into Sweden conveyed 

 the disease, where it prevailed for some time and even infected 

 Denmark through shipments of cattle, but was finally extirpated 

 by the pole axe and disinfectants. 



In i860, Norway imported infected Ayrshire cattle for the 

 Royal Agricultural College at Aas, but the imported and exposed 

 stock were promptly destroyed and the previous immunity of the 

 country has been maintained up to the present. 



Denmark was infected in 1848 by importation from Sweden, 

 and on different other occasions from Germany and England, but 

 by prompt and rigid suppressive measures, stamped out the dis- 



