272 EPIZOOTIC APHTHA. 



treatment of affected animals, so as to mitigate the losses 

 sustained by it, in interfering as it does with the thriving of 

 cattle, and especially with the well-being of dairy stock. 

 Laxatives and salines must be had recourse to, and the 

 affected parts require to be dressed with chlorine water, 

 carbolic acid lotion, or other antiseptic and healing applica- 

 tions. The practice of rubbing common salt in the mouths 

 of animals, is a cruel one, as it leads to extensive excoriation, 

 and for days food cannot be properly grasped with the lips, 

 and effectually masticated. It is not desirable to attempt 

 to feed animals affected with this disease, except allowing 

 them slops, such as gruel, &c. 



The prevention of epizootic aphtha in this country, can 

 only be secured by a different system of management at our 

 ports where cattle land and in our markets. Many cargoes 

 of animals infected with this disease are regularly imported 

 from abroad, and it spreads with great rapidity. Dairymen 

 declare that they would rather have the lung disease than 

 the murrain amongst their stock, and to avoid it they 

 should be careful with their purchases. Newly bought ani- 

 mals should be placed in quarantine, and milked last by the 

 milkmaid, so as to prevent the milking of healthy cows after 

 the diseased one. The hands should be well washed after a 

 cow with this disease has been milked, and antiseptics 

 should be freely used. The complications, such as severe 

 irritative fever, mammitis, &c., which occur in epizootic 

 aphtha, call for special treatment according to circumstances. 



ENZOOTIC DISEASES. 



The very important and extensive class of diseases, the 

 leading character of which is a dependence on the peculiari- 

 ties of soil, climate, and system of culture, has never attracted 



