202 THE DISEASES AND DISORDERS OF THE OX. 



fluid is poured out. The ulceration between the claws becomes 

 wider and deeper, and gives rise to still greater pain than before. 

 If the loose horn is removed, the structures beneath are seen to 

 be red and swollen, and covered with the offensive matter above 

 spoken of. The sheep is dull and feverish, cannot put the 

 affected foot to the ground, in fact can only stand with great 

 suffering, and therefore assumes the recumbent posture, or, 

 if grazing, moves about on its knees, or even crawls with its 

 belly trailing on the ground. Before long the hoof comes off 

 entirely, or only remains slenderly attached. The mischief, how- 

 ever, does not end here; for, unless the disease is cured, another 

 hoof may be secreted, and again thrown off. 



If the hoof is not thrown off, it may grow irregularly to a large 

 size, and be much deformed. Extensive suppuration may super 

 vene, and gradually advance higher and higher up the leg, even 

 involving perhaps the second phalanx. In such cases the agony 

 may be intense, the febrile symptoms continue, the appetite be 

 quite lost, and the animal's sufferings closed at length by death* 

 In hot weather even more evil may be occasioned, for the fleshy 

 sole, having become a black and swollen spongy mass of corruption, 

 maybe invaded with maggots, which, of course, greatly facilitate 

 the process of decay. As the distressed animal lies upon the 

 ground in helpless agony, these noisome creatures may be com^ 

 municated to its sides, and set about ravenously devouring their 

 helpless prey alive. 

 As a rule, only one hoof is affected at first, but the disease soon 

 spreads to the other feet, and, unless measures are taken to arrest 

 its progress, it may break out again and again in the same feet, 

 and may last for even as long as a year or more before a fatal 

 result is brought about. Even if the sheep should after all 

 recover, bony deposits, anchylosis of joints, and deformity of the 

 hoofs remain. If the disease is of a very intense character, the 

 digestion being stopped, and marked fever produced, death may 

 occur in about nine weeks' time. 



The virus of the disease is contained in ihe exudation which 

 is discharged from the foot and it may be communicated by the 

 medium of grass, litter, fodder, fairs, markets, roads, sheds, or 

 stables, by lack of cleanliness in regard to railway-trucks or ships 

 used for the transport of cattle, or by any means whereby direct 

 or indirect contact of any kind may be occasioned. It is not 



