750 
Foot-rot in Sheep. 
effect under such circumstances. "When, however, the oily secretion is 
washed off, the skin is in an irritable and probably sore state from the 
friction of the wet and dirt between the clees, the horn long at the toe and 
ragged underneath, and particularly the upper or coronary portion which 
unites with the skin, and consequently is very thin. When this part is 
blanched, weakened, and probably in some degree separated from the skin 
above, we cannot be surprised that such a state of the parts must greatly 
expose them to the action of any infectious matter from without. 
The author revives the argument of the late Professor Dick, 
that, as the state of the pasture affects simultaneously all the 
flock upon it, so it is no wonder that many suffer from the same 
result of a uniform cause ; hence the apparent contagiousness of 
foot-rot. Further, the seeming invasion of foot-rot among fresh 
sheep brought into contact with lame ones is mostly a result of 
the former being subjected to the conditions which have already 
given rise to it in the latter, and generally it will be found that 
supposed contagion is due to this. Again, the frequently 
recorded instances of a diseased ram bringing the disease among 
ewes is associated with the fact that pregnant ewes are notori- 
ously liable to foot-rot as being much better cared for, better 
fed, and less travelled than flocks intended solely for wool or 
mutton, and such cases may often be associated with specially 
wet seasons, which remain unnoticed as possible causes of 
increased spread, coincidently with putting the ram with the 
ewes. 
" The question at issue should not," says Professor Steel, 
" be worded, ' Is foot-rot contagious ? ' but, ' Is there a contagious 
form of foot-rot ? ' " He asserts that there is, but that it is not 
Fig. 5. 
Fig. 6. 
Condition r>f internal wnll of iligit 
iii an early stage of foot-rot. 
Confirmed stage of the first form tit 
foot-rot. 
nearly so frequent in Great Britain as the simple foot-rot, and 
that the latter must not be mistaken for the former when it arises 
