CONTAGIOUS DISEASES OF DOMESTICATED IXIMALS. 39 



we surely cauiiot couceive of its being brought to so mauy widely sep- 

 arated i)oiuts at about the same time, especially where there had beeu 

 no communication between these places. In Kansas there were the 

 Keith, Goodrich, and Beard herds which might be grouped together; 

 14 miles from these was the Pribbernow herd; 20 miles from any of 

 these was the cow at Hall's Summit; across another space of 15 

 miles was the O'Toole herd ; then it was necessary to travel nearly 200 

 miles to reach the Osborne Countj" cases. Again, the same disease un- 

 doubtedly existed at several points in Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri. 

 There had been no communication between these places, and if we 

 assumed that they were the result of a foreign contagion it was neces- 

 sary to conclude that a considerable number of independent introduc- 

 tions of this had occurred at very nearly the same time. This assump- 

 tion, in view of the difficulties in the way of introducing a contagion to 

 the interior of the country, and the impossibility of tracing such intro- 

 duction at this time, was so improbable that it could scarcely be ad- 

 mitted even if all other evidence had pointed to foot-and-mouth disease. 



Comparison of symptoms. — The symptoms of foot and-mouth disease 

 are constitutional and local. The constitutional symptoms are loss of 

 ai)petite, elevation of temi^erature, and other signs common to fevers. 

 The local symptoms consist in an eruption of blisters in the mouth, be- 

 tween the toes, about the coronet, and on the udder and teats. In order 

 to understand the difference in symptoms between the recejit disease in 

 the Western States and foot-and mouth disease, it is necessary to ex- 

 amine each of those points separately. 



The constitntional symptoms. — In foot and-mouth disease there is usu- 

 ally a very marked increase of temperature, reaching from 104^ to 107°. 

 At iS'eosho Falls the temperature, as a rule, did not exceed what might 

 reasonably be expected in health. Some of the perfectly healthy year- 

 lings had a temperature of 103°, while that of most of the sick ones was 

 below this point. One of the steers in the early stages of disease at 

 Keith's showed 104.4° on March 0, which was about the highest point 

 reached by any. In foot-and mouth disease there is loss of appetite and 

 difficulty of swallowing, but here the universal testimony was that the 

 appetite had remained good throughout and there was no trouble iu 

 mastication or swallowing. In Illinois there were marked symi)toms of 

 digestive disturbance, and the disease was ushered in by diarrhea. 



The mouth syinptoms. — In foot-and-mouth disease there is an eruption 

 of blisters on the mucous nuMubraues of the lips, gums, tongue, and 

 palate, which are numerous and i)ainful. Often they unite with each 

 other and form large patches, from which the covering becomes detached, 

 leaving ulcerous patches of a bright red color and of great sensitiveness. 

 It is almost impossible for animals in this condition to oat hay or other 

 dry food, and it is necessary to support them with gruel. Such animals 

 stand, making a peculiar and rather loud smacking noise with the lips 

 and tongue, griiuling the teeth and slavering i)rofuse]y. In Jvansas the 



