The Plague at Marseilles Consider'd

In the Philosophical Transactions, № 8. we have the following Observations of Insects which are the Destroyers of Plants

Some Years since there was such a swarm of a certain sort of Insect in New-England, that for the space of 200 Miles they poisoned and destroyed all the Trees of the Country; there being found innumerable little Holes in the Ground, out of which those Insects broke forth in the Form of Maggots, which turn’d into Flies that had a kind of Sting, which they stuck into the Tree, and thereby envenom’d and killed it.

The like Plague is said to happen frequently in the Country of the Cossacks or Ukrani, where, in dry Summers, they are infested with swarms of Locusts, driven thither by an East, or South-East Wind, that they darken the Air in the fairest Weather, and devour all the Corn of that Country, laying their Eggs in Autumn, and then dying; but the Eggs, of which every one layeth two or three Hundred, hatching the next Spring, produce again such a number of Locusts, that then they do far more mischief than before, unless Rains fall which kill both Eggs and Insects, or unless a strong North or North-West Wind arise, which drives them into the Euxine Sea: And it is very natural to suppose, that if the Winds have this Power over the larger sort of Insects; i. e. of moving them from one Country to another, the smaller kinds, which are lighter than the Air it self, may be interceptibly Convey’d as far as the Winds can reach.

Dr. Wincler, Chief Physician of the Prince Palatine, gives us the following Account of the Murrain in Switzerland, and the Method of its Cure, in a Letter to Dr. Slare, F. R. S. Anno 1682.

On the Borders of Italy a Murrain infested the Cattle which spread farther into Switzerland, the Territories of Wirtemburg, and over other Provinces, and made great destruction among them. The Contagion seem’d to propagate it self in the form of a Blue Mist, that fell upon those Pastures where the Cattle Grazed, insomuch that Herds have returned home Sick, being very dull, forbearing their Food, most of them would die away in twenty four Hours. Upon dissections were discovered large and corrupted Spleens, sphacelous and corroded Tongues, some had Angina Maligna’s. Those Persons that carelesly managed their Cattle without a due respect to their own Health, were themselves Infected and Died away like their Beasts.

Having had timely Notice of this Lues from our Neighbours, we made such Provision against the invading Disease, that very few of those who were infected by the Murrain died. Some impute this Contagion to the Witchcraft of three Capuchins in Switzerland. But the more learned believe it to proceed from some noxious Exhalations thrown out of the Earth by three distinct Earthquakes perceived here and in our Neighbourhood in the Space of one Year.

The Method of Cure for the Cattle

As soon as ever there was any suspicion of the Contagion upon any one of the Herd, the Tongue of that Beast was carefully examined, and in case they found any Aptha or Blisters whether White, Yellow, or Black, then they were obliged to rub, and scratch the Tongue with a Silver Instrument (being about the breadth and thickness of a Six-pence, but indented on the sides, and having a Hole in the middle whereby it is fastened to a Stick, or Handle,) ’till it Bleed, then they must wipe away the Blood with new unwashen Linnen. This done, a Lotion for the Tongue is used, made of Salt and good Vinegar.

The Antidote for the diseased Cattle is thus described.

Take of Soot, Gun-Powder, Brimstone, Salt, equal Parts, and as much Water as is necessary to wash it down, give a large Spoonful for a Dose.

After which we have a further Account of the same Contagion by the same Hand

– I lately received an Account of two ingenious Travellers, who assured me the Contagion had reached their Quarters on the Borders of Poland, having passed quite through Germany, and that the Method used in our Relation preserved and cured their Cattle. They told me the Contagion was observed to make its Progress Dayly, spreading near two German Miles in twenty four Hours. This they say was certainly observed by many curious Persons, that it continually, without intermission, made progressive Voyages, and suffered no neighbouring Parish to escape; so that it did not at the same time infect Places at great distances. They added, that Cattle secured at Rack and Manger, were equally infected with those in the Field. It were worth the considering, whether this Infection is not carried on by some volatile Insect, that is able to make only such short flights as may amount to such Computations: For the account of the Ancients concerning the grand pestilential Contagions, is very little satisfactory to this Age, who derive it from a blind Putrefaction, from the incantations of ill Men, or from the conjunction of inauspicious Planets.

The following Account we have from Dr. Bernard Ramizzini, concerning the Contagion among the Black Cattle about Padua, Translated from Acta Erudit

In the Year 1712 a dreadful and violent Contagion seiz’d the Black Cattle, which, like an increasing Fire, could neither be extinguish’d nor stopt by any Human means.

This First was observ’d in Agro Vincentino, and Discover’d it self more openly in the Country, spreading every way, even to the very Suburbs of Padua, with a cruel Destruction of the Cows and Oxen. It was also in Germany, in many Places; and is not yet wholly conquer’d.

Of this Distemper, Dr. Ramazzini made a particular Dissertation; in which he inquir’d into the Causes of the Distemper, and what Remedies might be us’d, to put a stop to its violent Course.

It is evident, that this Distemper in Cows and Oxen was a true Fever, from the coldness of the Cattle at first, which was soon succeeded by a violent burning, with a quick Pulse. That this Fever was pestilential, its concomitant Symptoms plainly show, as difficulty of breathing, a Drowziness at the beginning; a continued Flux of a nauseous Matter from the Nose and Mouth, fetid Dung, sometimes with Blood, Pustules breaking out over the whole Body on the fifth or sixth Day, like the Small-Pox; they generally dyed about the fifth or seventh Day.

The Author tells us, that out of a great Drove, such as the Merchants bring yearly into Italy out of Dalmatia and the bordering Countries, one Beast happen’d to straggle from the rest, and be left behind; which a Cowherd brought to a Farm belonging to the Count Borromeo: This Beast infected all the Cows and Oxen of the Place where he was taken in, with the same Distemper he labour’d under; the Beast it self dying in a few Days, as did all the rest, except one only, who had a Rowel put into his Neck.

’Tis no strange thing therefore, if from the Effluvia, proceeding from the sick and dead Cattle, and from the Cow-Houses and Pastures where they were fed, and perhaps from the Cloaths of the Cowherds themselves, this Infection falling upon a proper Subject, should diffuse it self so largely. When therefore this subtile venomous Exhalation happens to meet with any of the Cow-kind, joining it self with the serous Juices and Animal Spirits, ’tis no wonder it should disorder the natural Consistence of the Blood, and corrupt the Ferments of the Viscera; whence it follows, that the natural Functions of the Viscera are vitiated, and the requisite Secretions stopt. For Dr. Ramazzini not only supposes, but asserts, that a Poison of this kind, rather fixes and coagulates, than dissolves the Blood: For beside the forementioned Symptoms accompanying the Disease, the Eye it self is a Witness; since the dead Carcases being open’d while they are yet hot, little or no Blood runs out; those Animals having naturally a thick Blood, especially when the fever has continued so many Days. And he adds, that whether this Plague came first from the Foreign Beast, or any other way, it only had its Effect upon some Animal, in which there was the morbid Seminary or Ground prepared for it.

In the dead Bodies of all the Cattle, it was particularly observ’d, that in the Omasus, or Paunch, there was found a hard compact Body, firmly adhering to the Coats of the Ventricle, of a large Bulk, and an intolerable Smell: In other Parts, as in the Brain, Lungs, &c. were several Hydatides, and large Bladders fill’d only with Wind, which being open’d, gave a disagreeable Stink: there were also Ulcers at the Root of the Tongue; and Bladders fill’d with a Serum on the sides of it. This hard and compact Body, like Chalk, in the Omasus, the Author takes to be the full Product of the contagious Miasma. He adds a Prognostick, believing that from so many Attempts and Experiments, and the Method observ’d in the Cure of this Venom, at last a true and specifick Remedy will be found out to extirpate the poisonous Malignity wholly: He also expects some mitigation of it, from the approaching Winter and North Winds. He does not think this Contagion can affect Human Bodies, since even other Species of ruminating Animals, symbolizing with the Cow-kind, are yet untouch’d by it; nor was the Infection taken by the Air, after the dead Bodies had been carefully Buryed.

As for the Cure of it: From the Chirurgical part, he commends Bleeding, burning on both sides the Neck with a broad red-hot Iron, making Holes in the Ears with a round Iron, and putting the Root Hellebore in the Hole, a Rowel or Seton under the Chin, in the Dew-laps; he also orders the Tongue and Palate to be often wash’d and rub’d with Vinegar and Salt.

He recommends the Use of Alexipharmicks, and specifick Cordials; and three Ounces of Jesuits Bark, infus’d in ten or twelve Pints of Cordial Water or small Wine, to be given in four or five Doses; which is to be done in the beginning of the Fever, when the Beast begins to be Sick. Or else two Drams of Sperma-Cæti dissolv’d in warm Wine. Again he prescribes Antimonium Diaphoreticum. Against Worms breeding, an Infusion of Quicksilver, or Petroleum and Milk is to be given. And lastly, as to the Food, he directs Drinks made with Barley or Wheat Flower or Bread, like a Ptisane, fresh sweet Hay made in May and macerated in fair Water. In the mean time the Cattle must be kept in a warm Place, and Cloath’d, daily shaking Fumigations in the Cow-Houses with Juniper Berries, Galbanum, and the like. As to Prevention, he enjoyns Care in cleaning the Stalls, and scraping the Crust off from the Wall; Care also is to be taken of their Food, the Hay and Straw not spoil’d by Rain in the Making; and he judges their Food ought to be but sparing: He likewise recommends currying, with a Comb and Brush; with Setons under their Chin, made with a hot Iron run through the Part, and kept open with a Rope put through it.

After which we have the Receipt: Or the Ingredients of a Medicine for the speedy Cure of that mortal Distemper amongst Cows; sent over from Holland, where a like Distemper raged among the Black Cattel.

Recipe Veronicæ, Pulmonariæ, Hyssopi, Scordii, ana M. iv. Rad. Aristolohiæ rotundæ, Gentianæ, Angelicæ, Petasitidis, Tormentillæ, Carlinæ, ana unc. 12. Bac. Lauri & Juniperi, ana unc. 12. Misc. fiat Pulvis.

Bleed the Cow, and give her three or 4 Mornings successively, an Ounce of this Powder, with a Horn, in warm Beer.

If the Cow continues Distemper’d, after the Omission 2 or 3 Days, repeat the Medicine for 3 or 4 Days again.

I cannot help taking Notice likewise of the raging Distemper which was among the Cows about London, Anno 1714. It was so Violent and Infectious, that if one had it, all others that came within Scent of her, or even eat where she Grazed, were surely infected; it seized their Heads, and was attended with running at the Nose, and a very nauseous Breath, which killed them in three or four Days. The Herdsmen would not allow it to be the Murrain, nor could give any Account from whence it did proceed, or could find out any Remedy against it; they only tell us the unusual dry Summer, and the continued East-Winds, were the occasion of it. This Distemper had been for two or three Years before it came to us, in Lombardy, Holland, and Hambrough, to the Loss almost of all their Cattle. The States of Holland caused a Medicine to be published for the Good of those who had their Cattle thus Distemper’d; but having been try’d here, ’twould not Cure one in seven, but rather increased the Infection by keeping the distemper’d Cattle longer alive (by some Days) than they would have been without it. ’Tis remarkable, that no Oxen had this Distemper, but only Milch-Cows, which were more tender than the Males. The Herdsmen to keep their Cattle from the Infection, let them Blood in the Tail, and rubb’d their Noses and Chaps with Tar; and when any happened to die of it, they were burnt, and buried deep under Ground. It began at Islington, spreading it self over many Places in Middlesex and in Essex, but did not reach so far Westward from London as twenty Miles.

The most general Opinion concerning the Cause of this Distemper, was, that the Cattle were first infected by drinking some unwholesome standing Water, where ’tis probable some Poisonous Insects were lodged and bred; the Summer having been extreamly dry, attended almost constantly with Easterly Winds, the Grass almost burnt up, and the Herbs of the Gardens destroyed by Insects; but such as they were, (unfit for Table Use) were given to the Cattle. There was likewise so great want of Water, that many were forced to drive their Cows five or six Miles to it.

The Electuary publish’d upon this Occasion by the States of Holland, was compos’d of most, if not all the Drugs used in the most serviceable Medicines that were made use of against the Plague among Men; most of which Ingredients we know to be mortal to Insects, as strong scented Roots and Herbs; but above all, Aromatick Gums and Saps of Plants; as Rhue, Garlick, Pitch, Tar, Frankincense and Olibanum. These Ingredients are much used in France and Italy to prevent or destroy Infection, by burning them and smoaking such Bodies, Letters, or any other things as are brought from infected Places, after they have made Quarantain, and are not suffered to come on Shore ’till they have undergone this Operation.

It is not against Experience, that Insects can live and encrease in Animal Bodies: How often do we find Men, Women and Children troubled with Worms? What Varieties of those Insects are often voided by them? And how should that be, if they were not either suck’d into the Stomach with the Breath, or taken into it with some unwholesome Food? For they cannot breed in such Bodies from nothing, without either their Eggs or themselves are brought thither by some Accident: For if they were the natural Produce of Animal Bodies, they would then be alike common to all, which we know they are not.

I have been informed, that in the Year 1714, when this Mortality among the Cows was at its height, that towards the End of the Summer, some Farmers brought in fresh Cattel, and turning them into the same Fields, where many Cows had died before, they took the Infection and died likewise; but the following Spring those Fields were void of Infection, and the Cows that were put into them did very well, but what were then put into the Cow-Houses, where the sick Cows had been the Year before, were seiz’d with the Distemper, and died; which seems to inform us, that it was the Effect of Insects, which thro’ the Warmth of those Stalls were preserv’d from the Severity of the Winter’s Frost; but such as were left in the open Fields were destroy’d by the Cold. I have heard that a Woman about Camberwell cured Six in Seven of her Cows, by giving them once a Week an Infusion of Rhue and Ale-wort.

But it may be ask’d, why these infectious Distempers, subject to Men, Cattle and Plants, are not universal? And why the Plague should not be as well in India, China, the South Parts of Africa and America, as in these Parts of the World? (For I do not find it has ever been in those Places.) This Query gives me a farther Opportunity to suggest, that Insects are the Cause of it, and that they are brought with the Easterly Winds. In the first place, so far as I can learn, there is not naturally in America any one Kind of Creature or Insect that is found in any other Part of the World, and the Plants likewise are all different from those of other Countries; as it is the same in India, China, &c. whose Products are quite different from what we find elsewhere. Supposing then that these pestiferous Insects are only the Produce of Tartary, let us consider to what Parts of the World they may be carry’d from thence with the Easterly Winds; and whether India, China, the South of Africa and America, are not beyond their Reach, or can reasonably be affected by them.

Whoever considers the Disposition of the Land and Water in the Globe, may thus account for the Passage of these Insects, with an Easterly Wind from Tartary, to all the Parts of Europe, Asia-Minor, Palestine, Barbary, and other South Coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, whither, ’tis highly probable, they may come, without meeting any thing in their Way to obstruct their Course.

The best Maps do not lay down any Mountains of Note between Tartary and the places which have been subject to the Plague: The Alps run parallel with the Winds coming from Tartary, and therefore does not any Way hinder their Passage: The Mountains of Dalmatia are not high enough to prevent the Passage; or if they were, the Caspian Sea is sufficiently large to let them pass to the South Parts of Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, and the North Coasts of Africa, even to their most Western Bounds.

Now it may be expected, perhaps, by some, that these Winds should yet continue their Progress as far as America; but as yet, so far as I can learn, these Land-Winds, when they have blown with the greatest Force, and have been of the longest Continuance, have not reach’d farther than about three hundred Leagues beyond the Western Coasts of Europe, which is a Trifle in Comparison of the vast Ocean between us and America: Besides, it is my Opinion, that the Winds which blow over so vast a Tract of Land, as these Tartarian Winds must do, that I suppose convey and support the pestiferous Insects, are of so different a Nature from the Winds coming from the Ocean, that ’tis likely those Creatures which would subsist in the one, would be destroy’d by the other: So that if I am right in this Conjecture, America cannot be subject to the Plague.

Mount-Atlas, which is a vast Ridge of Mountains, running from the Ocean almost as far as Egypt, and are back’d with the Desarts of Lybia, may very likely obstruct the Passage of these Insects to the South of Africa; and for that Reason, perhaps, secure that part of the World from Plagues. So likewise Mount-Caucasus, or Ararat, which is one of the highest Ridge of Mountains in the World, running from East to West, thro’ Persia and India, may secure the South Parts of those Countries from the Plague, by stopping the Passage of those infectious Creatures, if any Winds from Tartary should happen to blow them that Way: And as China lies to the East of Tartary, so it must be Westerly Winds which must infect that Country with the Plague, if it proceeds from what I imagine: But we do not yet find that Westerly Winds are frequent in those Parts; or if they are, we may be assur’d they cannot blow at the same time when the Insects are hatch’d and carried the contrary Way by the Wind from Tartary. We are inform’d, that upon the Coast of China, the Winds are so regular, that from October to March they continually blow from the North-East, and from that Month to October, the direct contrary Way.

And Plants are no less subject to be destroy’d by Insects, than Men and Quadrupedes, is I have explain’d in the Chapter of Blights, in my New Improvements of Planting and Gardening.

Plants of all degrees are subject to Blights, which are so variously communicated to them, that sometimes a whole Tree will perish by that Distemper; now and then a few Leaves, or Blossoms only, and perhaps a Branch or two, will be shrivel’d, or scorch’d by it, and the rest remain green and flourishing. I have yet never observ’d this Disease to happen among Plants, but upon the blowing of sharp and clear Easterly Winds, which are most frequent in England about March; but sometimes happen in other Months. It is very observable, that the Caterpillars generally attend these Winds, chiefly infecting some one sort of Tree more than another, and even then not every where upon the kind of Tree they attack, but some particular Branches only; from which Observations I think we may draw the following Inferences, either that the Eggs of those Insects are brought to us by the Easterly Winds, or that the Temperature of the Air, when the Easterly Winds blow, is necessary to hatch those Creatures, supposing their Eggs were already laid upon those infected Parts of the Trees the preceding Year.

The Blights which are attended with large Worms or Caterpillars, seem to be rather hatch’d with the East Wind, than that the Eggs of those Creatures are brought along with it; but those Blights which produce only those small Insects which occasion the curling of the Leaves of Trees, may proceed from Swarms of them, either hatch’d or in the Egg, which are brought with the Wind.

Some perhaps may object, that the East Wind is too cold to hatch these Creatures; how comes it then that we find them hatch’d when those Winds reign? Or is it reasonable to conjecture that the same degree of Heat is necessary to enliven an Insect as is required to hatch the Egg of a Pullet? The Insects of Norway, Iceland, and such like cold Climes, must certainly have less Heat to produce them, than Creatures of the same Race must necessarily have in those Climates which lye nearer to the Sun. Every Creature, without doubt, requires a different Period of Heat or Cold to enliven it, and put it in Motion, which is prov’d by so many known Instances, that I conceive there is no room for any dispute upon that score.

But there may yet be another Question, viz. Whether it is not the East Wind of it self that blights, without the help of Insects? But that may be easily resolved on my side; for that if it was the Wind alone that blighted, then every Plant in its way must unavoidably be infected with its Poison; whereas we find the contrary on a single Branch it may be, or some other distinct Part of Plants.

And again, to shew how reasonably we may conjecture that ’tis Insects which thus infect the Trees, let us only consider, that every Insect has its proper Plant, or Tribe of Plants, which it naturally requires for its Nourishment, and will feed upon no other kind whatsoever: Therefore ’tis no wonder to see one particular sort of Tree blighted, when all others escape; as for Example, that Wind which brings or hatches the Caterpillars upon the Apple-Trees, will not any way infect the Pear, Plumb, or Cherry with Blights, because, were the Shoals of Insects natural to the Apple, to light only upon those other Trees mentioned, they would then want their proper Matrix to hatch in; or if they were hatch’d already, they would Perish for want of their natural Food; so that ’tis morally impossible that all sorts of Trees should be blighted at the same time, unless the Eggs of every kind of Insect, natural to each Tree, could be brought at one time with the Wind, or that an Easterly Wind could contain in it at once, as many differing Periods of Cold or Heat, as would be requir’d to hatch and maintain each differing kind of those Creatures.