190 THE DISEASES AND DISOBDERS OF THE OX. 



rounding membrane. In colour they are of a yellowish-white 

 hue. 



The mouth is usually so sore that food cannot be taken with 

 any comfort, much less masticated. Sometimes the mouth is 

 mainly or only affected, sometimes it is the feet which are 

 thus singled out, while frequently both parts are the seats of 

 the vesicular eruption. Especially in sheep, goats, and pigs, the 

 feet are often invaded. The mouth, if opened, displays the 

 presence of these vesicles, which may perhaps be of about 

 the size of a bean or that of a hazel nut. The vesicles are 

 never depressed in the centre, and they do not become pustular, 

 the fluid which is contained in them being always clear. In the 

 course of about twelve hours they usually dry up or burst, and 

 the red and painful raw and eroded surfaces which are exposed 

 may either soon be closed with a scale of epithelium, or, on the 

 other hand, may lead to the formation of ulcers. When this 

 is the case, the saliva then flows forth in still greater quantity 

 from the mouth, and collects in the form of frothy foam around 

 its opening. When the morbid action in the mouth is severe, 

 a large portion of the epithelial covering of the tongue may 

 peel off — like a glove, as it were. 



One of the most characteristic of the symptoms of foot-and- 

 mouth disease is the continual smacking of the lips, together 

 with champing and dripping of the saliva, and of thick mucus 

 out of the mouth. The animal grinds the teeth, and suffers 

 much pain, owing to the wretched condition of the lining mem- 

 brane of the mouth and tongue. In most cases an eruption of 

 vesicles similar to those just described also appears on the 

 feet around the coronets, and in the space between the claws of 

 cloven-hoofed animals. Indeed, the structures which secrete 

 the horn may be so greatly inflamed as to lead to the casting 

 of the hoofs. The coronets swell, the vesicles may even extend 

 all round, and, the inflammatory action increasing, the animal 

 often assumes the recumbent posture, in order to relieve the 

 pain occasioned by standing. Otherwise the animal may stand 

 with back arched and four feet close together, reluctant to 

 move ; or may move its feet up and down even before the 

 vesicles have appeared between the toes. There is a discharge 

 from the eyes and nose in animals affected with this disease, 

 those organs being inflamed. 



