THE STEPPE DISEASE. 265 



Treatment and Prevention. The curative treatment of 

 this disease has failed as a rule. Preparations of chlorine, 

 iron, or neutral salts have been used, and only with success 

 in mild cases, and especially in Kussian cattle. 



The prevention of the disease when it is known to origin- 

 ate spontaneously, or to exist constantly, is sometimes at- 

 tempted by inoculating the cattle, a practice recommended 

 first during the last century, when the disease appeared in 

 Britain. When, however, the disease enters a country like 

 our own, it is proper and prudent to kill out the diseased 

 and infected animals, and prevent contagion by all known 

 means. 



EPIZOOTIC APHTHA. THE FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE. 



In 1840 and 1841 the 'epidemic' broke out in England 

 and Ireland. The then so-called epidemic is the epizootic 

 aphtha of continental authors ; the eczema epizootica of Pro- 

 fessor Simonds; the Tongblaar of the Dutch; Maul und 

 Klauenseuche of the Germans; and la cocotte of the French. 



It is a contagious eruptive fever, affecting all warm-blooded 

 animals, and attacking man, under certain circumstances, as 

 readily as any of our domestic quadrupeds. 



Valentini noticed, as early as 1695, the existence of this 

 disorder in cattle, in Hesse, and at the same time aphthse 

 amongst human beings. 



Thanold, Heusinger, and other learned writers on epizootic, 

 and epidemic diseases, have furnished us with abundant 

 proof of the spread of epizootic aphtha, from east to west, and 

 it has been frequently traced into Asia, whence I believe it 

 invariably enters Europe. 



In 1707, the disease was described as existing in Fran- 

 conia, and in 1708 in Silesia and Poland. 



Epizootic aphtha prevailed frequently after this period, but 



