Murrain

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Umbrella term for deadly disease, especially of livestock

title: "Murrain" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["curses", "livestock", "ruminant-diseases"] description: "Umbrella term for deadly disease, especially of livestock" topic_path: "general/curses" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murrain" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Umbrella term for deadly disease, especially of livestock ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox UK legislation"]

Field	Value
short_title	Distemper Amongst Cattle Act 1745
type	Act
parliament	Parliament of Great Britain
long_title	An Act to enable His Majesty to make Rules, Orders, and Regulations, more effectually to prevent the spreading of the Distemper which now rages amongst the Horned Cattle in this Kingdom.
year	1746
citation	19 Geo. 2. c. 5
territorial_extent	Great Britain
royal_assent	13 February 1746
commencement	17 October 1745
repeal_date	15 July 1867
amendments
repealing_legislation	Statute Law Revision Act 1867
status	Repealed
original_text	https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=wVQDAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA398
collapsed	yes
::

The word "murrain" (like an archaic use of the word "distemper") is an antiquated term covering various infectious diseases affecting cattle and sheep. |url =http://www.taa.org.uk/TAA/murrain.htm |title =The Murrain Now Known As Rinderpest |publisher =taa.org.uk |accessdate =2008-07-28 |last =Scott |first =Gordon |url-status =dead |archiveurl =https://web.archive.org/web/20080828122919/http://www.taa.org.uk/TAA/murrain.htm |archivedate =28 August 2008 |df =dmy-all The word originates from Middle English moreine or moryne, in parallel to Late Latin morina ("plague"), a probable derivative of Latin mori ("to die"). |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/murrain |title=murrain - Dictionary.com |publisher=dictionary.com |access-date=2008-10-15

The word "murrain", much like the word "pestilence", did not refer to a specific disease but rather served as an umbrella term for what veterinary science now recognises as a number of different diseases with high morbidity and mortality, such as rinderpest, erysipelas, foot-and-mouth disease, anthrax, and streptococcus infections. Some of these livestock diseases can also affect humans. The term "murrain" also referred to an epidemic of such a disease.

There were major sheep- and cattle-murrains in Europe during the 14th century, which, combined with the Little Ice Age, resulted in the Great Famine of 1315–1317, weakening the population of Europe before the onset of the Black Death in 1348.

Biblical references

The term murrain is also used in some Bible translations relating to the fifth plague brought upon Egypt. |url=http://www.christiananswers.net/dictionary/murrain.html |title=Murrain (WebBible Encyclopedia) - ChristianAnswers.Net |publisher=christiananswers.net |accessdate=2008-07-28

Exodus 9:3: "Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain."

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/033.The_Fifth_Plague._Livestock_Disease.jpg" caption="illustrations for ''La Grande Bible de Tours'']] (1866)."] ::

"Pestilence", which is mentioned 47 times in 46 verses of the Bible, can be translated "murrain" by Christian apologists. [Enhanced Strong's Lexicon]. see Psalms 91:3 KJV

The word in Hebrew is דֶּבֶר "dever" (Strong's #01698), derived from the primitive root "dabar" in the sense of "to destroy."

Superstitions

In some parts of Scotland, force-fire was believed to cure it. In some remote regions of Cumbria, England, and the Isle of Man, murrain is still used as a term for a curse, specifically one placed upon land or livestock. It is believed that the medieval term has, by a process of syncreticism become synonymous with witchcraft. |url =http://www.northernearth.co.uk/86cure.htm |title =Northern Earth - Medical Care, Magical Cure |publisher =northernearth.co.uk |accessdate =2008-07-28 |last =Billingsley |first =John |url-status =dead |archiveurl =https://archive.today/20060925024416/http://www.northernearth.co.uk/86cure.htm |archivedate =25 September 2006 |df =dmy-all This usage inspired the ATV television play, Murrain, written by Manxman Nigel Kneale, which was broadcast on 27 July 1975 as part of the channel's Against the Crowd drama strand.

Distemper among cattle in England, 1745–1757

In those years, acts of the Parliament of Great Britain were passed to "more effectually to prevent the spreading of distemper which now rages amongst the horned cattle in this kingdom".

::quote

Notes

References

(2018). "Collins English Dictionary". HarperCollins.
Jordan, William C.. (1996). "The Great Famine: Northern Europe in the Early Fourteenth Century". Princeton University Press.
(1765). "The Statutes at Large: from the 23rd to the 26th Year of King George II". Charles Bathurst.
(1946). "The Cattle Distemper in Mid-Eighteenth-Century England". Agricultural History.

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