512 DISEASES OF CATTLE, SHEEP, GOATS, ETC. 



vulva and in the wool adjacent to the perineal region indicated the 

 presence of infection in the vagina. 



The sheath form of the disease is characterized by an ulcerated 

 condition of the external part of the sheath without the penis being 

 affected, and is not infrequent among wethers. Constant saturation 

 of the wool around the sheath with urine probably chafes the skin, 

 allowing the entrance of bacilli from infected bed grounds, etc. The 

 first manifestations of this form of the disease are the appearance of 

 one or more very small pale yellow centers within the folds of the 

 sheath at the juncture of the skin and the mucous membrane. 

 Very early there forms at each of these centers an ulcer that extends 

 outward into the skin, but rarely inward. The ulcer or ulcers ex- 

 tend, and frequently coalesce, so that the entire face of the sheath is 

 covered by a single ulcer. During the early stages, in those cases 

 where all or a considerable portion of the face of the sheath is cov- 

 ered with the ulcer, the entire external portion of the sheath will be 

 more or less inflamed and tumefied. 



No case of penis infection has been observed in wethers, except 

 a few cases that had been treated by introducing strong caustics within 

 the sheath in contact with the penis. While this condition has been 

 mostly observed in wethers a year or so old, two cases of natural in- 

 fection were reported in wether lambs not over four months old. 



3. The foot-rot form : Owing to the dryness of the soil of a large 

 part of the infected section in the West, this disease probably assumes 

 a somewhat different form from the foot rot of moist localities, though 

 foot lesions were frequently seen in connection with the lip-and-leg 

 forms. In several instances quite a number of sheep in the infected 

 districts presented only foot lesions, while in other instances lesions 

 on the feet were accompanied by ulcers on the lips. The foot lesions 

 may first become visible either at the front or back part of the cleft, 

 but usually the erosions make their first appearance at the heel. The 

 inflammation rapidly penetrates beneath the horny tissue, while 

 from the ulcerous opening there exudes a thin, purulent discharge, 

 possessing an odor pungent and disagreeable but at the same time 

 very characteristic. Sex or age does not appear to have any impor- 

 tant influence on the susceptibility of the animal, as the disease man- 

 ifests itself quite generally in a flock, attacking alike male and fe- 

 male, lambs, yearlings, and aged sheep. 



4. The sore-mouth form of the disease is characterized by warty 

 or pustular patches on the lips, covered with slightly elevated brown 

 crusts or scabs, usually seen in lambs during the fall of the year, 

 though it has been observed earlier in the season, both in sucking 

 lambs and in those that had just been weaned. 



The disease makes its appearance very quickly, the lips becom- 

 ing more or less tumefied, with a slight diminution of the appetite, 

 especially in severe cases. In some instances food is taken with diffi- 

 culty, resulting in unmistakable signs of poor nutrition and the stunt- 

 ing of the animal. At this stage the animal presents a greater or less 

 number of nodules or patches on the lips, most frequently at the junc- 

 tion of the mucous membrane and the hairy portion. In severe cases 



