1905.] 



Foot-Rot in Sheep. 



41 



affected, it will be found sufficient for those that appear sound 

 to pass through a shallow trough containing a solution composed 

 of 1 lb. of chloride oflime to 12 quarts of water. This solution 

 should have a depth of at least 4 in. in the trough, which 

 may bs made of wood, tightly constructed, 20 in. in width and 

 a foot or more in depth. The length should be proportioned 

 to the size of the flock to be treated. For small lots that are 

 accustomed to being handled, the trough need not be over 6 ft. 

 in length. In such cases, however, the animals should be allowed 

 to stand for a few seconds in the solution before passing out. A 

 greater length of trough would necessitate the preparation of a 

 larger amount of fluid, and, consequently, would entail greater 

 expense. Where a large number of sheep are to be treated the 

 trough should not be less than 20 ft. in length. Hurdles may be 

 arranged by the sides of the trough and along the pathway 

 leading to it, so that each animal may be obliged to pass through 

 the bath with but very little urging. Instead of the mixture of 

 chloride of lime, a solution composed of 1 part of carbolic acid 

 crystals to every 30 parts of water, or 1 lb. of pure carbolic acid 

 to 4 gallons of water, may be used. 



After this treatment has been applied to the sound part of 

 the flock, they should be at once placed in fresh, uncontaminated 

 quarters. In case the flock from which the healthy sheep were 

 separated is badly diseased, it would be advisable to have the 

 sound animals pass through the bath as described above on 

 several occasions. This may be done on every second day 

 until three or four treatments have been applied. 



In regard to that portion of the flock in which disease has 

 become actually established, it should be remembered that the 

 principal requisites are to lay bare the affected surfaces and to 

 destroy the infectious matter which has lodged in them. The 

 bacteria to which the disease is due yield very rapidly to the 

 application of disinfectants, and one must constantly aim while 

 treating foot-rot to expose the diseased areas to the action of 

 the disinfectant used. The treatment already suggested will be 

 found very efficacious for early stages of the disease, but after 

 the animal has become more seriously affected its feet should 

 be carefully examined and all shredded or loosened portions of 

 the horny tissue pared away. This will often prove to be 



