FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE. 299 



country on several occasions. It was introduced in 1847, and again 

 in 1862; in 1865 it was introduced again, and active measures of 

 repression were at once taken. The diseased flocks were carefuUj- 

 isolated, and day by day as fresh cases occurred the diseased animals 

 were killed and buried. Owing to the adoption of these precaution- 

 ary measures, the affection did not extend beyond the flock among 

 which it first appeared. It was introduced again in 1866 at Long 

 Buckby, in Northamptonshire. In this case the disease was exter- 

 minated by the slaughter and burial of the whole flock, and imme- 

 diate application of disinfectants to the hurdles and other things with 

 which the sheep had been in contact. Then it was introduced 

 again in Cheshire, and strict isolation being enforced the infection 

 died out. Since 1866 we have had no outbreak of sheep-pox in 

 this kingdom, but foreign sheep have been landed with sheep-pox 

 in 1868, 1869, 1870, 1871, 1875, 1876, 1878, and 1880, but the 

 disease has been prevented from spreading. 



The Sheep-pox Order of 1895 provides for the notification of 

 the disease, for disinfection and for compulsory slaughter of infected 

 sheep, and prohibits the movement of diseased or suspected sheep, 

 and the local authority may, if they think fit, order the slaughter 

 of suspected sheep and of sheep which have been in contact with 

 diseased sheep. 



Foot-and-mouth Disease. 



Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious and infectious 

 febrile disease, characterised by a vesicular eruption affecting the 

 lips, tongue, roof of the mouth, and feet of sheep, cattle, and pigs, 

 and according to some observers it also attacks horses, poultry, 

 hares, and rabbits. Sometimes the mouth only is affected, in other 

 cases the principal seat of the eruption is in the feet. The vesicles 

 soon break and give rise to ulcers. When these occur in the mouth 

 they cause pain and difiiculty in taking food. Extensive ulceration 

 may occur on the feet, causing great pain and lameness. In milch 

 cows it sometimes happens that the eruption occurs on the udder and 

 teats, and it is this manifestation of the disease which has received 

 so much attention from Eayer. The milk is contaminated by the 

 discharge of the vesicles, and is unfit for use, either as food for the 

 human being or for the lower animals. It induces a vesicular 

 eruption in the mouth, larynx, pharynx, and intestinal canal. It 

 acts most vigorously when administered warm to young animals, 

 and calves occasionally die quite suddenly after sucking cows 



