432 FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE 
44, Werpuicu. Beitrag zur Ferkeltyphusfrage. Berliner Tierdrztliche Wochen- 
schrift, Bd. XXX (1914), S. 73, also S. 89. 
45. We.LcH AND CLiementTs. Remarks on hog cholera and swine plague. First 
International Veterinary Congress of America held in Chicago, Ill., 1893. 
46. Woxpaca. The filterable viruses, a summary. Jour. Med. Research, Vol. 
XXVII (1912-13), p. 1. 
FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE 
Synonyms: Aphthous fever; eczema epizodtica; epizodtic aphtha; 
vesicular fever; vesicular epizodtic; murrain; cocotte; Maul- und 
Klauenseuche. 
Characterization. Foot and mouth disease is a specific, highly 
infectious and communicable disease which attacks chiefly ruminating 
animals and swine. The eruptions occur in the mouth and on the 
skin of the udder, teats, and interdigital spaces. Its essential charac- 
teristics are its definite, though often transient course; the eruption 
of vesicles; its extreme infectiousness; and its inoculability to prac- 
tically all species of warm blooded animals. Another point no less 
characteristic is the appearance of the eruption, especially in cattle, 
on the three primary points of election, the mucous membrane of the 
mouth, feet and in cows on the teats. 
People may be infected by drinking the unboiled milk of animals ‘ 
suffering from the disease. The mortality is not high. 
History. Foot and mouth disease was quite accurately described 
in the eighteenth century. Very destructive outbreaks are reported 
in 1809 and in the early part of the nineteenth century it was the source 
of much loss in southern Europe. In 1883, Great Britain lost heavily 
from it. In 1892, Germany is reported to have had 1,300,000 cattle, 
over 2,000,000 sheep and over 400,000 hogs affected. In 1911 that 
country again suffered severely from it. In the United States there 
have been six outbreaks. They occurred in 1870, 1880, 1884, 1902, 
1908 and 1914. In 1902 the states of Massachusetts, New Hamp- 
shire, Vermont and Rhode Island were involved. A total of 4,712 
animals in 244 herds were affected. In 1908 the disease appeared in 
the states of Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland. It 
affected animals on 157 premises. There were 3,636 animals (cattle, 
hogs and sheep) valued at $90,033.18 slaughtered. In 1914 it occurred 
again and spread to 21 states and the District of Columbia. A total 
of 2,245 herds with a total of 111,868 animals were infected. 
Geographical distribution. According to Law, it originated in 
Asia. In 1544, it appeared in Northern Italy, France and England. 
