EPIDEMIC VARIOLA IN SHEEP. 
17 
attempts repeatedly made to secure an inoculated vaccinea. His 
duties were such that the flocks became his especial care, while 
the cattle and horses fell to the lot of others, his elders; and the 
sheep necessarily demanded repeated handling, his waking hours 
being almost wholly passed among them; hence the contracting 
of a variola ovince. 
In gathering material for a paper upon the relations of animal 
diseases to man, through the favor of a friend in Boston I have 
been put in possession of a copy of a letter relating to this 
epidemic as it appeared in sheep during the year 1810-’ll, writ¬ 
ten by Dr. Thomas Thaxter, of Hingham (Mass.), to Hon. James 
Bowdin, of Boston, which is of such interest that I venture to lay 
a digest thereof before the readers of the Review. The disease 
was first observed by him among a flock of merino sheep recently 
imported from Portugal, and “ was as distinctly marked as in 
man.” 
Three forms of the disease were observed, which Dr. Thaxter 
classifies as “ distinct , confluent and purpleP The infection was 
communicated from one to another in the same manner as with 
human beings—“from coming within the atmosphere of each 
other at an advanced stage of the disease (at which time they 
have a peculiar odor), from being enclosed in the same pen, or 
from feeding from the same utensils that had previously been 
used by sick sheep without cleaning.” 
The disease first discovered itself “ from the twelfth to fif¬ 
teenth day after receiving the infection.” The symptoms of 
those with variola purpura succeeded so rapidly that it was diffi¬ 
cult to distinguish one stage from another; but all were very 
much swollen about the body, and respiration soon became slow, 
labored and difficult. Such died early, exhibiting the dark, gru- 
mous condition of integument so frequently observed in man un¬ 
der like circumstances and conditions. 
Confluent and distinct variolas appeared more marked and 
afforded better opportunity for observation. At the outset of 
the attack each animal inclined to avoid the society of its com¬ 
panions, seeking retired places in the yard, and the mouth and 
tongue worked incessantly, as if tasting something bitter or un- 
