1872 NYC Animal Epidemic Sparks Warnings of City Collapse

In October 1872, major newspapers including The New York Times and The New York Herald published extensive warnings regarding a severe animal health crisis in New York City. The reports detailed an epizootic of Catarrhal Fever that had afflicted an estimated seven thousand horses in the city within a 24-hour period. The illness was reported across all types of stables, from modest establishments to those housing thoroughbreds.

The outbreak was reported to be impacting the city's essential services, as sick animals were being utilized for street work such as pulling streetcars, delivering merchandise, and operating fire carts. The incident prompted questions regarding the economic wisdom of relying on such animal power in a densely populated urban environment.