Cattle Plague, 2003 A History

Cattle Plague: A History is divided into five sections, dealing with the nature of the virus, followed by a chronological history of its occurrence in Europe from the Roman Empire to the final 20th century outbreaks; then administrative control measures through legislation, the principal players from the 18th century, followed by an analysis of some effects, political, economic and social. Then follows attempts at cure from earliest times encompassing superstition and witchcraft, largely Roman methods persisting until the 19th century; the search for a cure through inoculation and the final breakthrough in Africa at the end of the 19th century. The last section covers the disease in Asia and Africa. Appendices cover regulations now in force to control the disease as well as historical instructions, decrees and statutes dating from 1745-1878.

Part I: Introduction and Background. 1. The Nature of Cattle Plague or Rinderpest. 2. Species Affected and Geographical Distribution. 3. The Seat of Infection. 4. Rinderpest and the Panspermatists. Theories of the origin of diseases. Part II: The History of Rinderpest in Europe. 5. Rinderpest in History. From Ancient Egypt to the 17th century. 6. Saint Herbot Sleeps. The 18th century ravages in Europe. 7. Rinderpest Reaches Britain Again. 8. From Seven Years War to Crimean War. A century of devastation continues. 9. The Second Great Plague in Britain. 10. The Final European Outbreaks. Part III: Control Measures, Legislation and Effects. 11. Arguments and Enmities. Simonds and Gamgee. 12. Legal Measures of Prevention in the 18th Century. 13. Legal Measures after the 18th Century. 14. The Royal Commission, Legislative Failure, Insurance and Government Actions in 19th Century Britain. 15. Political, Economic and Social Effects. Part IV: Cures and Remedies. 16. The Search for a Cure. Desperate diseases require desperate remedies. 17. Remedies in the 19th century. 18. The Search for a Cure Continued. Inoculation and vaccination. 19. The Breakthrough in Africa. Part V: The History of Rinderpest in Asia and Africa. 20. Rinderpest in India. Part I. 21. Rinderpest in India and Asia. Part II. 22. The Great African Rinderpest Panzootic. 23. The Panzootic Reaches South Africa. March to December 1896. 24. The Continuance of Rinderpest in South Africa. 1897 to 1905. 25. Rinderpest in Africa in the Twentieth Century. 26. Continuation of Rinderpest in Africa. 27. Economic and Social Effects in Africa. 28. The Effect of the Panzootic on African Game. 29. Specific Effects on African Game. 30. Did Rinderpest Exist in Africa Before the Panzootic? Appendix I: Regulations now in force in the German Empire in regard to Measures against Rinderpest. Appendix II: Instructions and decrees issued by Carl, Duke of Braunschweig and Lüneburg, 1745-1782. Appendix III: Statutes, Orders in Council and Proclamations concerning Rinderpest in Britain and Ireland 1746-1878. Bibliography. Index.

C.A. Spinage, is a retired African wildlife ecologist with a particular interest in rinderpest in Africa. He is a one-time lecturer at the College of African Wildlife Management, Tanzania, and was a senior professional grade employee of the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations, responsible for advising governments at the highest level on wild life management in several African countries. He is now retired and spends his time researching and writing; Cattle Plague: A History being the result of some eight years' fulltime work and over thirty years' interest.