A practical treatise on variola ovina, or, Small-pox in sheep, containing the history of its recent introduction into England; with the progress, symptoms, and treatment of the disease; also the experiments instituted to ascertain its peculiar features, and the best means to avert its fatal consequences.

  • Simonds, James B. (James Beart), 1810-1904.
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A practical treatise on variola ovina, or, Small-pox in sheep, containing the history of its recent introduction into England; with the progress, symptoms, and treatment of the disease; also the experiments instituted to ascertain its peculiar features, and the best means to avert its fatal consequences. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    bably from time to time to break forth and decimate our flocks, as variola does, or used to do, our popula- tion*. Of late years both our cattle and sheep have suffered severely from epizootics, and we cannot but regret that the disease we are now treating of should be added to the number of these scourges ; for the interests not merely of the agriculturists, but of the whole community, must be seriously compromised if it is found to extend itself, as we have great reason to fear that it may do, since accounts are frequently reaching us of its having broken out in different and new places in the kingdom. Variola Ovina is spoken of as a very destructive complaint in most parts of the continent, and several of those who have written on the subject, tell us that it frequently assumes the epizootic type ; many sheep pro- bably being attacked during some seasons, and fewer in others. From the earliest periods down to the present time malignant diseases have raged on the continent, and some of them have visited England ; a question might, therefore, arise, has sheep-pox been one of the number ? To this it is, perhaps, impossible to give a decided nega- tive ; but we incline to the opinion, that this malady has * But a few years have elapsed since small-pox broke out with fearful violence in the city of Norwich, and carried off a large num- ber of its inhabitants. Mr. Cross, writing of the affection, says : It was comparatively dormant during the winter, and when the season became milder, it burst upon us suddenly and unexpectedly, con- tinuing its work of devastation for three or four months with undi- minishing fury. ' Upwards of 3000 persons, or a thirteenth part of the whole population were affected ; the total deaths were for the year [1819], 1352, and of these 530 died from small-pox, and 822 from all other causes.'—A History of the Variolous Epidemic, p. 4, 5, 8vo, London, 1820.