748 
Foot-rot in Sheep. 
unite to form an imperfect horny layer upon the diseased 
membrane. 
In order to test the contagious nature of the disease, the 
affected sheep were placed in a pen, the bottom of which was 
covered with a sufficient quantity of straw. As the pen was 
not cleaned out, and as no fresh supply of litter was given, the 
sheep were compelled to stand upon a soft mass of manure, which 
was purposely kept moist that no conditions might be wanting 
for the production of the disease. Three sound sheep, obtained 
from a locality where foot-rot is unknown, and whose feet were 
perfectly sound, were placed in the pen with the diseased 
animals on January 1G. For ten days the sheep were left un- 
disturbed, and at the end of that time the feet of the sound 
sheep were again inspected and found to be still quite free from 
disease ; the skin between the digits was also perfectly healthy. 
To test the compai'ative effects of inoculation and exposure, 
two of the sound sheep were inoculated, and also one of the 
diseased animals in a healthy foot ; the other sound sheep was 
left untouched. 
Without reciting the details of these experiments, it may 
suffice to say that the results were not sufficiently definite to 
warrant the assertion of a positive opinion either in favour of, 
or opposed to, the contagious nature of foot-rot. They, however, 
established the fact that the introduction of the matter of the 
disease under the skin in the vicinity of the foot was followed 
by the development of symptoms of the incipient stage of the 
affection. But the morbid changes did not in either case 
advance to any great extent, and perfect restoration occurred in 
two months after inoculation, notwithstanding that no treat- 
ment was attempted, and the sheep during the whole course of 
the experiment were confined in a pen, the floor of which was 
covered with moist litter, and at the same time they were in 
contact with three animals affected with foot-rot. 
Further experiments were made with the same sheep, and 
the results were so far definite as to establish the fact of the con- 
tagious nature of one form of foot-rot properly so called ; but at 
the same time to prove that the contagious property is only 
developed after along period of exposure, and then under certain 
conditions. On a perfectly dry surface the disease, so far from 
extending to sound animals, will quickly subside ; but if the 
necessary amount of moisture is present in the land, foot-rot, it 
was shown, may be communicated by simple contact in from six 
weeks to three months after the introduction of the diseased 
animals. 
Professor Brown concluded that these experiments teach the 
