2^6 THE DISEASES AND DISORDERS OP THE OX. 



again break out in England. On the contrary, the moat deter- 

 mined ** stamping out " would be imperatively demanded in the- 

 interests of the nation ; and in burying the carcases of slaugh- 

 tered oxen the most stringent antiseptic measures would be 

 requisite. 



CATTLE-PLAGUE AS IT AFFECTS THE SHEEP 

 AND THE GOAT. 



That justly dreaded and well-known scourge known under the 

 name of cattle-plague, the disease which decimated our herds of 

 oxen in Great Britain from 1865 to 1866, is, as we have just 

 said, frequently met with in certain countries in a mild or be- 

 nignant form. The oxen of those places have, as it seems, in the 

 course of many years, gradually become so accustomed to the 

 disease that it produces very little deleterious effect upon them. 

 Now all kinds of ruminants, not even excluding deer and camels,, 

 have been known to suffer jfrom the ravages of cattle-plague. 

 As for sheep and goats, they are very much less likely to- 

 contract the disease than oxen, and, moreover, oven if they 

 are attacked by it, they are not so severely affected. It has 

 been proved that these animals may be afflicted with the com- 

 plaint, both as a result of ordinary infection and also by means 

 of inoculation, and that the malady may be communicated 

 from them to oxen or to other sheep or goats. Viseur (quoted 

 .by Dr. Fleming) states that at a place called Auchy-lez-Labas- 

 see, in France, during the outbreak of cattle-plague in the year 

 1871, the disease was conveyed from cows to a flock of 400^ 

 sheep, which were very much overcrowded, and that in less than 

 eight days' time no fewer than 63 sheep were dead. 



The symptoms are briefly as follows : — The animals become 

 weak, lose desire for food, do not chew the cud nor bleat, they 

 droop the ears, and the rate of the pulse and that of the respira- 

 tions are both accelerated. The lining membrane of the mouth,, 

 that of the nose, and that of the eyes become greatly congested,, 

 tears in profusion flow down the face, a copious discharge also 

 issues from the nostrils, and a thick saliva flows from the mouth.- 

 Red spots appear on the inner surface of the lips and gums, and 

 on the latter a cheese-like substance may be seen. As we said 

 above, the breathing is quick, and we may add that as the disease- 

 advances, each respiratory movement is accompanied by a jerking- 



