
54 R. COLLETT. - [Noe 
in such great quantities that it is often difficult to place one's 
foot on åa spot that is entirely clear of them. It follows of it- 
self that all running water will be contaminated by this decaying 
excrement. To this may be added the dead animals, which will 
be found lying scattered about in great numbers, and which, 
during hot summers, become quickly decomposed. The rain cear- 
ries the putrid matter on to the nearest watercourse, whence it 
makes its way to wells, and becomes mixed with the drinking 
water of the inhabitants. 
During some great prolific years, definite forms of sickness 
have appeared in certain of the over-run districts, and the people 
have given these the name of *"Lemming Fever,” as they pre- 
sumed that they were connected with the appearance of these 
animals. 
Many of the doctors practising in the country have turned 
their attention to this disease, and diagnosed it in their reports. 
The one who has more fully entered into the subject, is Prof. 
Axel Johannessen. In his work on the spread of Scarlet Fever 
in Norway), he has first endeavoured to prove that, in all the 
great prolific and migratory years of the lemming, pronounced epi- 
demics of scarlet fever have also occurred in the same districts; 
but he does not, however, express any certain opinion on there 
being any direct connection between these two phenomena. 
Moreover he writes about the *Lemming-Fever” (1. c. 
p. 134): 
*In Verbindung mit dem Vorgehenden muss eine ganz beson- 
dere Krankheit, die zu gewissen Zeiten — wesentlich im Jahre 
1872 — und in gewissen Districten theils mit dem Scharlachfieber 
zusammen, theils ohne Zusammenhang mit dieser Krankheit auf- 
getreten ist, erwihnt werden, nåmlich: das sogenannte *Lemæn- 
fieber” oder die *Lemænsot” (Lemmingekrankheit). 
Fiir das erwåhnte Jahr (1872) liegen Berichte iiber diese 
råthselhafte Krankheit besonders von den Aemtern Romsdal und 
siidl. Drontheim vor. 


1 *Die epidemische Verbreitung des Scharlachfiebers in Norveg 
p.- 130—134 (Christiania 1884). 

