384 ACUTE EXANTHEMATOUS INFECTIOUS DISEASES 



disease appeared on a premises, to inoculate all cattle still' 

 healthy by rubbing saliva from an infected aninjal into the 

 mucous membrane of the mouth. This method infected the 

 whole herd simultaneously and lessened the virulence of the 

 attack. It is seldom permitted nowadays, although it has 

 much to recommend it. 



Protective and Therapeutic Inoculations. — Various methods 

 (for which see larger works) of preventive vaccination have 

 been tried with as yet indifferent success. 



INFECTIOUS VESICULAR STOMATITIS. 



Definition. — Infectious vesicular stomatitis is a com- 

 municable infectious disease of horses, mules and cattle, 

 characterized by the formation of vesicles which appear upon 

 the mucous membrane of the mouth, in horses particularly 

 the tongue. 



Occurrence. — ^The disease has long been recognized in 

 Europe and South Africa and occasional sporadic outbreaks 

 have occurred in the United States. It first attracted 

 attention in this country during the Great War when large 

 niunbers of horses and mules were collected for shipment to 

 the allied armies. At remount depots the best opportunity 

 was afforded to spread the disease. From these centers it 

 spread rapidly throughout the west until in the states of 

 Nebraska, South Dakota, Colorado and Wyoming, it became 

 alarmingly prevalent. Horses and mules are most often 

 attacked from which the disease may spread to cattle. 

 Natural infection has not been observed among hogs and 

 sheep. While infectious vesicular stomatitis is a benign 

 disease, unless complications occur, it occasions economic loss 

 in the animal attacked from emaciation, reduction in milk 

 supply in cows, and the incapacitation of the patient. 

 Furthermore, especially in cattle, its resemblance to foot-and- 

 mouth disease is apt to lead to error in diagnosis, causing 

 genuine cases of the latter to be considered infectious vesicu- 

 lar stomatitis. This might lead to serious consequences in 

 that an unrecognized focus of foot-and-mouth infection is 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



