30 



and even wild animals. This and cattle plague are tLe most 

 infectious diseases in stock. In both diseases the infection has 

 Tbeen often wafted across a road, and carried considerable distances 

 in men's clothes ; while numerous iu stances are on record where 

 stock which merely crossed the track of diseased animals have 

 become infected. 



The incubation varies from twenty-four to ninety-six hours, and 

 the attack from ten to fifteen days. In aggravated cases the 

 disease mav last a month or more, and in that case there will be 

 sores and ulcers on the animal's body. 



The average deaths directly attributable to the disease range 

 about 2 per cent. 



3. — Symptoms. 



These are shivering, dulness, staring coat, cough, loss of appe- 

 tite, fetid breath, frequent movement of the jaws, vesicles on 

 the gums, lips, tongue, red membrane of the mouth, great dis- 

 charge of mucus from the mouth, smacking of the lips, champing 

 of the jaws. Accompanying these, but sometimes without them, 

 are lameness and great heat, and tenderness around the hoofs 

 and between the clefts ; and in the females, eruptions on the 

 teats and udders. In sheep and pigs, the disease falls very 

 heavily on the feet, and they frequently lose their hoofs altogether. 



4. — TeeatmeisT. 



The best treatment is rest, gruel, mashes, and a cooling lotion 

 for the mouth. 



5. — EooT AND Mouth Disease in Gbeat Beitain. 



The first well-authenticated case of foot and mouth disease iu 

 G-reat Britain occurred in 1839. It then spread with gi-eat 

 rapidity, and the outbreak which was a very severe one, lasted 

 for several years. Since then there have been frequent out- 

 breaks. Those of 1852-4-5, 1862 and 4, being the most serious 

 until that of 1869 occurred. In that year the disease soon became 

 widely disseminated and only began to abate in the beginning of 

 1873. It is estimated by good authorities that this visitation cost 

 the Country more than £40,000,000, although the direct death 

 rate of the disease seldom exceeds 2 per cent. The loss mentioned 

 was caused principally by the great waste in the condition of the 

 fat stock which were so generally affected, and through cows cast- 

 ing their calves when attacked, and never breeding again. _ This 

 latter feature of the disease was particularly noticeable in the 

 case of highly bred cows ; and some of the owners of pure herds 

 have had to dispose of 50 per cent, of their cows to the butcher, 

 which were regular breeders before they were attacked, and many 

 of which they could have sold at prices ranging from £100 to £1000. 



