Treatment of Foot-and-MoiLtli Disease 



313 



be continued. Oil-cake in small pieces, 

 although an apparently unpromising diet, 

 has been taken in many instances when it 

 has been carefully introduced into the side of 

 the mouth and pushed back towards the 

 molar teeth. Gruel and linseed tea are only 

 to be used when solid food is persistently 

 declined ; and in giving either of them by 

 means of a horn, or bottle, great care is re- 

 quired to avoid injuring the tender mouth. 



Medical treatment in all cases which are 

 progressing regularly should be purely local. 

 The sore mouth may be washed with a lotion 

 of chlorate of potash, made by dissolving one 

 drachm of the salt in a pint of water ; and 

 the tender feet may be syringed with a solu- 

 tion of common nitre, made by dissolving an 

 ounce of nitre in half a gallon of water. 



At the same time that this treatment is 

 being carried out, all the animals of the herd 

 may be placed under the antiseptic influence 

 of hyposulphite of soda, or carbolic acid ; 

 both agents, it may be said, have proved 

 beneficial in the treatment of the disease. 

 Hyposulphite of soda is easily administered 

 in the drink-water, about half an ounce being 

 added to a gallon of water or more, the 

 quantity being so arranged that each animal 

 may get about two ounces of the hyposul- 

 phite per diem. Carbolic acid may be used 

 in the form of vapour, the atmosphere being 

 charged with the acid, as described in the 

 concluding paragraph of this article. 



Should the fever become very acute, as 

 indicated by high temperature, hot and dry 

 muzzle and horns, with redness of the visible 

 mucous membrane and constipation, saline 

 laxatives may be cautiously administered. 

 The dose should not exceed eight ounces of 

 sulphite of soda or magnesia, and if it is 

 thought necessary to repeat it, not more than 

 half the quantity should be given 3 the use 

 of the mouth lotion and wash for the 

 feet will also be continued. Ulceration of 

 the secreting membranes of the feet will re- 

 quire the application of caustic : carbolic 

 acid, undiluted, is very effective for this pur- 

 pose. A dressing of tar may be afterwards 

 used, and some kind of bandage may be 

 necessary to prevent movement of the 



loosened horn, otherwise complete separation 

 of the horny covering may take place, and 

 the animal be crippled for weeks. 



It may be necessary to remark that while 

 foot-and-mouth disease will, in the majority of 

 cases, terminate favourably, great skill is re- 

 quired in the treatment of those instances 

 which tend to assume a virulent form \ in no 

 disease, in fact, is the aid of a competent 

 veterinary surgeon more indispensable. 



Foot-and-mouth complaint is a malady 

 which, according to its varying aspect, either 

 requires no treatment at all, or the most 

 skilful management; and the failure of stock- 

 owners to recognize this fact is the cause of 

 a great deal of mischief 



First on the Hst of preventive measures 

 stands "isolation," not merely the separation 

 of the animals from other herds, but the 

 placing them in a position so secluded that 

 no conmiunication, even of an indirect kind, 

 shall take place between them and the outer 

 world. A herd so situated will have, accor- 

 ing to its size, one or more attendants, who 

 will be required to refrain from visits of in- 

 spection to neighbouring farms (in the cattle 

 plague time a vigilant farmer would not allow 

 the stock men to leave his farm at all). No 

 curious investigator on any pretence will be 

 permitted to examine the animals ; dogs will 

 be forbidden to enter the premises on pain 

 of death ; and all fat stock will be sent to the 

 butcher, or to the market, never to return. 



So far the recommendations are simple, and 

 in most cases easily carried into effect. We 

 are aware, however, of circumstances which 

 in certain localities render isolation impos- 

 sible. In great grazing districts there are 

 sometimes small homesteads which are widely 

 scattered, and quite inadequate to the accom- 

 modation of a third of the stock, which graze 

 on the land all the year round ; in such posi- 

 tions isolation cannot be effected, and an in- 

 fectious disease once established among the 

 cpttle in the open grounds — say, for instance 

 central Somerset — runs its course in simple 

 obedience to the laws which govern the spread 

 of epizootics. If we are asked for a specific 

 which will render the animal's system proof 

 against infection in such a case as this, we 



