LAMENESS. 207 



the mouth. Lambs eating harsh grass are often affected by it. 

 This disease will be found more fully described at page 223. 



LAMENESS. 



Foot-rot is said to be a preventable disease. This, although 

 possibly true as an abstract statement, is not always equally 

 practical. For example, ewes heavy in lamb cannot be 

 handled and turned for dressing without danger, and the dress- 

 ing of their feet is for this reason often postponed. A sheep 

 lame from foot-rot will always be found to have an exuberant 

 growth of horn doubled under the sole of the foot, or splayed 

 outwards in a ragged condition. The sheep should be turned, 

 and every portion of loose and detached horn pared away. All 

 fungoid sproutings should be removed by the knife, and the 

 cutting should be continued as far as the disease has burrowed, 

 or the hoof is detached from the sensitive foot. This we 

 regard as fundamental, and we repeat that every part of the 

 horny portion of the hoof that is in the slightest degree 

 separated from the parts beneath must be cut away with a 

 proper knife for the purpose. Any fungoid granulation must 

 be removed, and then a caustic application must be used. 

 Washing the foot perfectly clean before applying the caustic 

 cannot be objected to, but, in practice, the cleaning is more 

 usually accomplished by direct paring with the knife. As to 

 the " dressing" which may then - be applied, it is always of a 

 caustic or strongly astringent character. Butter of antimony 

 applied with a feather is found useful. Also various foot -rot 

 pastes which may be purchased at the druggists, or dry, 

 powdered sulphate of copper, or blue vitriol. Speaking of 

 " butyr of antimony," William Youatt says, " There is no 

 application comparable to this. It is effectual as a superficial 

 caustic ; and it so readily combines with the fluids belonging 

 to the part to which it is applied that it quickly becomes 

 dilated and comparatively powerless, and is incapable ot pro- 

 ducing any deep or corroding mischief." If the foot has been 



