DISEASES OF SHEEP, 83 



in a flock, never disappears spontaneously, and may attack 

 the same sheep several times. 



6. The spreading of the disease may be prevented by 

 strict separation. It is only accidentally that more than 

 one animal is attacked at the same time. 



7. Its seat is solely in the capsule of the claw. 



The mild form. — 1. At first considerable inflamma- 

 tion, heat and swelling around the crown of the hoof. 

 Blisters are formed, containing a clear liquid, which is 

 neither acrid nor offensive. 



2. It never or very rarely attacks the inner parts of the 

 hoof, or causes it to fall off". 



3. Lameness is caused as soon as the disease breaks out, 

 and is but slight. 



4. Fever is present, and the malady terminates in twelve 

 or eighteen days. It generally attacks several claws at 

 once, and does not spread afterward. 



5. It is caused by unknown or general influences of the 

 weather, attacks a whole flock in a very short time, disap- 

 pears spontaneously or after applying simple remedies, and 



,does not attack the same sheep more that once. 



6. It cannot be prevented, because the cause lies in the 

 atmosphere. Cattle and hogs suffer at the same time, and 

 it spreads simultaneously over whole districts. 



7. It aflfects only the parts above the capsule of the hoof, 

 and rarely ever, or only accidentall}', attacks the latter. 



The question, Is foot rot a dangerous disease ? cannot be 

 directly answered, because everything depends on circum- 

 stances, and especially on the treatment. Experience has 

 more than sufficiently proved that it may become destruc- 

 tive, since whole flocks have fallen prey to its ravages. 

 Again, the malady may be said to be entirely without dan- 

 ger, because its spread may be prevented by separating the 



