120. THE VETEEINAKIAN 



FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE 



(Infectious Aphtha — Epizootica Eczema) 



Cause: This disease is produced by a specific agent 

 or germ, the exact nature of which is not known. It will 

 pass through the Berkf elt filter, which is the n^ost minute 

 filter known to science, and is therefore known as a filter- 

 able virus. This is an eruptive fever and belongs to the 

 class of Exanthematous diseases such as smallpox, 

 measles, scarlet fever, etc. Every outbreak starts from 

 some pre-existing infection. The infection is distributed 

 by manure, pastures, barnyards, hay, drinking troughs, 

 box-cars, ships, boats which have been previously oc- 

 cupied by animals affected with this disease, travel over 

 public highways or man may carry the infection of this 

 disease on his clothing and transmit it to healthy cattle, 

 etc. Foot and Mouth Disease not only affects cattle but 

 attacks a variety of animals, as the horse, sheep, goat, 

 hog, dog, cat, also wild animals as buffalo, deer, antelope, 

 and man himself is not immune from this disease. Chiidren 

 also suffer from Foot and Mouth Disease, resulting from 

 drinking unboiled milk from infected cattle. Therefore, 

 when purchasing cattle be very careful, as you may be 

 buying an infectious disease. Keep the newly purchased 

 animals to themselves for two or three weeks, if possible. 

 This will give ample time for the majority of infectious 

 diseases to develop. 



Symptoms: The disease usually makes its first ap- 

 pearance in three to six days after being exposed, by 

 chilling, rise (Tf temperature, and in a day or so pustules 

 varying in size from that of a pin head to that of a pea 

 appear. They appear upon the inner surface of the lips, 

 gums and upper surface of the tongue. The feet also be- 

 come affected between the digits. The udder usually be- 

 comes affected, especially in milking cows. As soon as 

 this disease becomes well established the affected animal 

 evinces great pain when attempting to eat. The animal 



