Murrain

Murrain is a term that was historically used to describe various diseases that affected livestock, particularly those that resulted in mass deaths. The term is derived from the Old French word "moraine," which means "plague" or "pestilence." Murrain is not commonly used in modern veterinary or medical terminology.

History

The term murrain has been used in historical texts to describe various epidemics among livestock. It was particularly used in the context of diseases that caused mass deaths among animals. The exact diseases referred to as murrain have varied over time and place, and have included diseases such as anthrax, rinderpest, and foot-and-mouth disease.

Biblical references

Murrain is mentioned in the Bible in the book of Exodus, where it is one of the ten plagues inflicted upon Egypt by God in order to convince Pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery. In this context, murrain is described as a severe epidemic disease that killed the Egyptian livestock.

Modern usage

In modern usage, the term murrain is rarely used. Instead, specific names of diseases are used, such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease, or avian influenza, also known as bird flu.

See also

• Epidemiology
• Zoonosis
• Veterinary medicine

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