NINTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART X 467 
The lesion resulting from ergotism may be differentiated from those 
of foot-and-mouth disease by the lack of eruptions in the mouth and by 
the location of the disease at the tips of the ears, end of the tail, or upon 
the lower part of the legs, usually belov/ the knees or hocks. The lesion 
of ergotism does not take the form of pustules or blisters, but mani- 
fests itself first as a swelling auout the ankle, v.hich later may slough and 
circumscribe the limb, forming a deep crack extending entirely around 
the limb and forming a distinct line of demarcation betv/een the healthy 
skin above and the diseased below. The absence of ulerous sores on the 
coronet and between the claws, together with a healthy condition of the 
membranes of the mouth and the knowledge that the lesion upon the limb 
in question extends uninterruptedly around it, should point conclusively 
to a diagnosis of ergotism and to the exclusion of all fears of foot-and- 
mouth disease. 
In foul foot or ground itch of cattle the inflammation of the skin and 
toes is general and not in certain spots as in foot-and-mouth disease; the 
mouth remains unaffected, and the presence of the disease may be traced 
to filth and poor drainage. 
These severer forms of the disease might be confounded with certain 
general diseases. Where gastro-intestinal symptoms predominate acute 
gastric catarrh or inflammation of the intestines might be thought of. 
Involvement of the lungs might lead to a diagnose of acute congestion of 
the lungs or pneumonia. The distinction is apparent in these diseases 
by the lack of vesicular eruption on the mucous membrane or skin, and 
also by lack of evidences of infection in the herd or neighboring ani- 
mals. 
Prophylaxis. — The measures to be adopted to prevent the spread of the 
affection must take into consideration the highly infectious nature of 
the disease, its ease of dissemination, and the liability of the virus to 
live a sapropytic life for long periods. Great care should therefore be 
observed in keeping healthy animals unexposed to the contagion. When 
an outbreak occurs in a community the ov, ner should make every effort 
to keep other animals from coming in contact w^ith his diseased cattle. 
This especially applies to dogs, cats, goats, and poultry, which usually 
have access to the stables and barnyards and in this way furnish excellent 
means for disseminating the infectious principle. He should be equally 
particular in prohibiting any person from coming onto his premises, 
especially an attendant or owner or other person in any way connected 
with cattle. Such a herd may be placed under quarantine, with an in- 
spector appointed to keep the premises under c/^nstant surveillance. 
This method of quarantine alone, while very satisfactory in many in- 
stances, is rather tardy in obtaining the desired result. For the reason 
when the disease breaks out in a country like the United States, where 
the contagion is likely to spread rapidly by means of infected cars, 
manure, hay, and other feed, and where the loss attendant upon its ob- 
taining a firm foothold would result so disastrously, it seems that this 
method of temporizing is rather tedious, and more radical steps are re- 
quired in order to suppress and eradicate completely the infection in the 
quickest and most thorough manner possible. 
