346 Foot-and-Mouth Disease-. 



extremities are not preceded by febrile sjonptoms, but that, if 

 they are present, they follow upon the appearance of the lesions. 

 Further there is no formation of vesicles, and the affection 

 is confined to the feet, while the mucous membrane of the mouth 

 is not simultaneously affected (this fact in itself of course does 

 not exclude the infectious foot-and-mouth disease). 



The diseases which should be considered in this regard are : 

 The interdigital panaritium of cattle, which occurs especially 

 in filthy stables, also in pastures, sometimes in enzootic exten- 

 sion; in this affection the skin of the interdigital space swells 

 to a thick roll, which extends from the interdigital space and 

 over which the skin sometimes may even become gangrenous, 

 resulting in a discolored ulceration, and in a separation of the 

 interdigital band. — ^A necrotic (malignant) inflammation of the 

 hoofs in cattle, which occurs in cows shortly after parturition 

 or towards the termination of pregnancy, exceptionally also in 

 bulls, and which is probably produced by the bacillus necro- 

 phorus (Bang, Hess) ; in this affection rapid softening necrosis 

 of the skin in the interdigital space takes place, which also 

 penetrates into the deeper parts, but fever develops only in 

 the later stages of the affection. — The' inflammation of the inter- 

 digital space in sheep (Moderhinke), from which many animals 

 may suffer at the same time, in continuously moist weather. The 

 affection consists in a serous, and later purulent inflammation 

 of the skin, which may easily lead to a separation of the coro- 

 nary band, and the horny wall ; the suppuration usually occurs 

 at the heels, while the anterior part of the interdigital space 

 is less affected. The so called hoof worm (inflammation of the 

 biflex gland) only occurs sporadically, provided it does not 

 develop as the result of foot-and-mouth disease, and the inflam- 

 mation is confined to the vicinity of the swollen gland, which is 

 filled with smeary material. — The so called malignant (French- 

 Spanish) disease of the hoof commences with an inflammation 

 of the hoof proper, which feels warm to the touch, while an 

 affection of the interdigital space becomes apparent only in 

 the later stages, frequently after suppuration of the sensitive 

 lamina has already developed. Furthermore this affection 

 spreads more slowly in the herd than is the case in foot-and- 

 mouth disease. 



To the latter probably belongs also the disease of the hoofs known 

 in America as foot-rot of sheep, in England as contagious foot-rot, in 

 France as pietin contagieux, in which the inflammation commences on 

 the coronary band, whereupon small ulcers with purulent discharge of 

 a peculiar odor develop on the heels. The process extends to the deeper 

 parts, forming fistulas, and resulting in the separation of the horns of 

 the hoofs, and sometimes also in necrosis of the ligaments, tendons and 

 bones (Mohler and Washburn). 



Exanthema on the udder might be mistaken for pox, but 

 this affection remains as a rule exclusively confined to the 



