INFECTIOUS DISEASES OF CATTLE. 381 



The disease prevails in European countries and occasions great 

 losses. Although the actual mortality is quite low, serious losses 

 result from the diminution of the milk secretion and consequent inter- 

 ference with the business of the dairy. There is likewise more or less 

 loss of flesh in animals. > 



Every appearance of foot-and-mouth disease upon American soil 

 has been quickly followed by the total suppression of the disease, and 

 it will therefore be necessary to go abroad for evidences of the devas- 

 tation which always follows in the wake of an outbreak of this scourge 

 and for estimates of the loss which it entails upon the farmers and 

 stock owners in affected districts. 



According to the very accurate statistics collected by the German 

 Empire, 431,235 head of cattle, 230,868 sheep and goats, and 153,808 

 swine were affected with the disease in that country in 1890. The 

 infection, quite insignificant in 1886, had been gradually spreading 

 until it reached the enormous figures given above in 1890. During 

 this same year it prevailed in France, Italy, Belgium, Austria- 

 Hungary, Switzerland, Roumania, and Bulgaria. 



The losses from this disease in England in the year 1883 were esti- 

 mated at $5, 000, 000. An English practitioner of wide experience states 

 that it is none too high to place the loss upon each animal that becomes 

 infected but that ultimately recovers at $20, when milch cows or feed- 

 ing cattle that are nearly finished are under consideration. On store 

 cattle and calves the loss is proportionally less. 



Estimating the losses upon the surviving animals from this basis 

 and adding the value of those that die, it will be seen that an outbreak 

 of this disease may quickly result in direct losses of many millions of 

 dollars. In addition to this, a considerable spread of the contagion 

 in this country would entail the entire loss of our export trade in live 

 animals, interruptions of domestic commerce, and quarantines, which 

 would surpass the loss caused by the ravages of the disease. 



Unlike most other infectious diseases, foot-and-mouth disease may 

 attack the same animals repeatedly. The immunity or protection 

 conferred is thus only of limited duration. Hence protective inoc- 

 ulation with the virus, in whatever manner it may be practiced, 

 is not only of no use, but decidedly dangerous, as it will introduce the 

 disease. It is, however, not uncommon in European countries to 

 practice inoculation after the disease has appeared in a herd in order 

 to hasten its progress. This is highly recommended by some, since 

 it not only hastens the infection, but the disease is apt to be milder 

 and limited to the mouth. It consists in rubbing with the finger or a 

 piece of cloth a little of the mucus from the mouth of a diseased ani- 

 mal upon the inner surface of the upper lip of those to be inoculated. 

 From 50 to 75 per cent of the inoculated animals take the disease. 



Cause. — As with other communicable diseases, the source and ori- 

 gin of foot-and-mouth disease has given rise to much speculation. 



