468 
Foot-and-Mouth Disease. 
remembered that the majority of the fatal cases of this disease 
are those in which the feet are chiefly involved in the destruc- 
tive changes. When vesicles appear between the digits, or on 
the posterior part of the foot immediately above the hoof, it may 
be concluded that separation is likely to commence at both those 
points. The thin layer of horny matter which in the ox con- 
nects the two horny digits together may be disconnected from 
the subjacent tissue by exudation of serous fluid ; and at the same 
time the horn at the posterior part, which is also thin at its 
commencement, may become in like manner separated from the 
membrane which secretes it. In this condition of parts every 
movement of the animal tends to assist the process of discon- 
nection. When in the act of advancing the animal presses 
on the toe of the hoof, and the forward movement tends to 
raise the internal foot out of the horny covering, just as the 
forward step of a man with slippers on which are down at the 
heels lifts the foot nearly out of the loosely attached slipper. 
When the boot is firmly laced to the foot this tendency to lifting 
of the heel is not felt ; but the foot and the external covering, 
which well represents the hoof, move together as one piece. When 
disconnection, however, occurs at the posterior part of the hoof 
even to a very slight extent, movement must necessarily assist 
its progress. 
Cattle are the more liable to loss of hoof, when suffering 
from foot-and-mouth disease, if the hoofs are overgrown and 
much elongated at the toe. The leverage thus obtained is 
detrimental to the structure even of the healthy foot, and becomes 
still more injurious when the connection between the hoof and 
its secreting membrane is loosened owing to exudation from the 
vascular surface. The feet of cattle and sheep should be care- 
fully trimmed when necessary, even before they are attacked by 
the disease if possible ; but in any case excessive growth of horn 
should be removed by saw and rasp to save the animal from the 
injuries which are likely to occur if those parts are allowed to 
remain in this distorted state during the progress of the disease*. 
Complete rest at the early stage of the disease, when the feet 
are attacked, is therefore quite an essential part of the curative 
treatment. Animals which are kept in houses will naturally 
be exempt from the danger of injuring their feet by moving 
about, and those which are at pasture, either sheep or cattle, 
may be temporarily kept from moving about by the use of rails 
and hurdles to form an enclosure, where there are no convenient 
sheds in which tliey may be sheltered. 
A dry floor with plenty of clean litter cannot be dispensed 
with, and the feet must be kept perfectly clean ; all foreign sub- 
stances which have accumulated between the digits must be 
