322 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



have had an origin without any contagious element to 

 produce it. This, I firmly helieve to be one of those 

 diseases, depending not so much upon contagion, as upon 

 what Sydenham would call the peculiar constitution of 

 the year, exercising certain deleterious influences on the 

 system, and soon followed by disease of some portion, 

 or other of the body. 



Symptoms. — Sore mouth, sore teats and sore feet, eleva- 

 ted vesicles within the mouth, on the teats, contain pus 

 soon discharging and drying up by a scab forming. 

 Fever and other constitutional symptoms now subside. 

 When the feet are sorely affected, the sores burrow deep 

 in between the hoof, and the sensitive structure of the 

 foot, resulting in a complete separation of the hoof, 

 and finally it is thrown off entirely. 



It is painful to look, as I have done on several occa- 

 sions upon a whole row of cows suffering from suppura- 

 tion, and falling off of the hoofs. The loss to the dairy 

 men, consists in the loss of milk, and loss of condition in 

 the cows; for if the cows are properly attended to, not any 

 of them need die. The hoof will grow again, and be 

 as useful as ever, from the fact, cows like pigs are not 

 kept for racing purposes, so a second hoof although not 

 so strong as the first one, will answer for the purpose 

 of walking on soft ground, and gathering their food. 



Treatment. — Apply to the sores the following lotion : 

 sulphate of zinc, two drachms ; water, one pint. 



Prevention. — When once fairly established in a place, 

 it is almost a certainty that all cows and neat cattle will 

 take it, some developing it sooner than others; and to 

 save time and expense, take the bull by the horns, and 

 inoculate every one of them. Thus by producing the dis- 

 ease in this way, a week or so will see the last of it, and 



