80 DISEASES OF SHEEP. 



The cleft is opened more widely than usual, the foot is 

 swollen and the claAvs stand further apart, so that the dis- 

 eased animal can be recognized by its larger footprints in 

 the snow or in soft ground. 



At first the sheep is but little lame, but if the separation 

 of the horny shoe and the downward tendency of the secre- 

 tion have advanced, considerable lanjeness becomes evident, 

 and the animal suffers much pain. It steps but little on 

 the lame foot, and if both fore feet are affected, it slides 

 along on'its knees while eating, and lies down almost con- 

 stantly during the rest of the time. This condition may 

 last several months, and the animal nevertheless may ap- 

 pear healthy, eat, chew the cud and be in good spirits. 

 There is no fever, and the sheep loses no flesh while re- 

 maining in the stable, if it receives good food. Finally, 

 however, — especially if both feet be attacked, — the animal 

 loses flesh on account of the exceedingly great pain, ceases 

 to chew the cud, the appetite diminishes, an insidious fever 

 sets in, and after half a year or a year, when the animal 

 has wasted down to a mere skeleton, it dies from suflering 

 and exhaustion. 



The preceding is a picture of the disease in single animals. 

 Its course as an epidemic or plague among a flock will be 

 described directly. 



Foot rot is very highly contagious, as has been deter- 

 mined with certainty by numerous observations and experi- 

 ments, made by inoculating the secretion. The disease 

 appears to be peculiar to the Spanish merinos, which are 

 exported to other countries. It seems to have been intro- 

 duced into the United States a number of years ago by 

 Spanish merinos, when I had an opportunity to apply my 

 treatment with good success. It has not been ascertained 

 whether the cause of the malady lies in the transportation 

 of the herds to distant parts or iu the change of climate. 



