MYCOTIC STOMATITIS OF CATTLE. 



By John R. Mohlee, A. M., V. M. D., 

 Chief of Pathological Division, Bureau of Animal Industry 



INTRODUCTION. 



Regularly, during the summer and fall of the past five years, 

 numerous letters have been received by this Bureau relative to the 

 existence of a disease affecting the mouths and feet of cattle in cer- 

 tain Eastern and Central Western States. These reports have been 

 unusually frequent this season and indicate that the malady has made 

 its appearance in the Southwest, where it has caused much alarm 

 among the stockmen owing to its similarity to the foot-and-mouth 

 disease of Europe and to the fear that the contagion of this latter 

 disease had spread to them from the recent outbreak in New England. 

 The disease, which is to be discussed under the name of mycotic 

 stomatitis, has been carefully investigated by this Department on 

 various occasions, and it is with the view of giving the results of these 

 clinical investigations as well as to assert its noninf ectiousness and 

 to differentiate it from the virulent foot-and-mouth disease, which it 

 so closely simulates, that this article is prepared. 



NAME AND SYNONYMS. 



The name stomatitis signifies that there is present in the affected 

 animals an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the mouth. 

 This inflammation, which quickly develops into ulcers, is one of the 

 principal and most frequently observed lesions. Mycotic stomatitis 

 refers to that form of stomatitis which results from eating food con- 

 taining irritant fungi. Thus the name not only suggests the cause of 

 the disease, but also indicates the location of the earliest and most 

 prominent symptoms. Other names which have been applied to this 

 disease by different writers are sporadic aphthse; aphthous stomatitis; 

 sore mouth of cattle; sore tongue; benign, simple, or noninfectious 

 foot-and-mouth disease; mycotic aphthous stomatitis; and sporadic 



stomatitis aphthosa. 



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