434 
GEORGE FLEMING 
In the first portion of this paper, 1 alluded to sheep-pox being 
mentioned at the Vaccination Conference, and observed that it 
was there admitted that the sheep had a variola of its own. On 
again looking over the report of that meeting, it appears doubt¬ 
ful whether the speaker who referred to it thought it was peculiar 
to the sheep, or whether it was not also derived from human- var¬ 
iola. The best proof that it has no relationship whatever to 
small-pox, is to be found in the fact that it prevails continuously, 
and sometimes most extensively and fatally, in countries where 
small-pox is extremely rare, as in East Prussia; and in regions 
where the latter is never absent, and is often epidemic, sheep-pox 
is only known as an imported disease. In England it is never 
seen unless introduced from countries where it is enzootic. The 
terrible outbreak which ravaged our flocks in a.i>. 1276, and con¬ 
tinued twenty-eight years, was due to importation from France; 
and the appearance of the disease in 1847 and 1862 was due to 
foreign sheep. It has been unknown in the country since the lat¬ 
ter date. 
Notwithstanding the close resemblance of sheep-pox to small¬ 
pox (the pustules in the former being, however, acuminated, but 
the course of the malady is very similar, the complications the 
same, and the mortality as great), yet the one disease has no in¬ 
fluence either in the production of or protection from the other. 
It appears to be finally established that human variola will no 
more produce sheep-pox than it will cow-pox, notwithstanding the 
close affinity between the two ; and while variolation will not 
protect from sheep-pox, neither will inoculation with the virus of 
the latter prevent mankind having small-pox. 
Some authorities have denied that ovine variola can be trans¬ 
mitted to the human species; and the extreme rarity of cases of 
supposed accidental transmission certainly gives countenance to 
the opinion. But several instances are recorded, nevertheless, of 
veterinary surgeons who have been accidentally inoculated with 
the virus, suffering from local and general disturbance, like that 
produced by vaccination.* Kornerf reports that a child who 
*See “ Medizin. Jahrbuch des Oesterreich. Sfcaates” ; also “ Mittheilungen 
aus tier Tbieriirztlichen Praxis in Preusseu.,” Jahrgang 17 ; and 11 Magazin fiir 
die gesamnite Tbierheilknnde,” 1873, p. 467. 
t “ Mittbeiluugeu auf'der Thierarztlickeu Praxis in Preusschen Staate fiir 
1876-77 und 1877-78.” 
