Foot-rot in Sheep. 
747 
perfect ; a careful search was made to discover, if possible, any 
minute fissure, or other defect in the horn, of the kind depicted 
in fig. 2, but without success. The disease was confined to the 
skin, between the digits of the fore-feet : the surface was red, 
tumid, and pulpy, and a small quantity of white purulent matter 
existed on the inflamed parts. These cases subsequently became 
much more decided in character, the hoof grew to an extra- 
ordinary length, fungoid growths appeared, and all the indica- 
tions of the worst form of foot-rot were apparent in two months 
after the sheep were received. The illustrations, figs. 3 and 4, 
Fig. 3. 
Representation of a sheen's foot affected with 
foot-rot in the early stage, produced by 
rubbing the matter from a diseased foot on 
the integument between the digits at the 
part indicated by a in the figure. — (Brown.) 
Fig. 4. 
Representation of a sheep's foot affected with 
foot-rot in an advanced form. The hoof- 
horn of both digits lias grown to twice the 
normal length, and, at the inner surface, is 
found to be broken and rotten, as shown at 
b. From one digit the hoof-horn is nearly 
detached, exposing the internal foot a, 
covered with fibres of soft horn (fungoid 
mass). — (Brown.) 
indicate the extent of abnormal alteration of structure in the 
early and advanced stages of the malady. 
Foot-rot, of the variety under discussion, may be aptly de- 
scribed as primarily a disease of the skin which induces the 
exfoliation of the cuticle and the abundant exudation of a fluid 
containing a large quantity of epithelial scales ; and, secondarily, 
as the extension of inflammation to the membrane of the foot 
(the analogue of the true skin), causing the exfoliation of the 
hoof (the analogue of the cuticle) and the development of fluid 
containing a quantity of detached epithelial scales, which 
