Lamenesses of Sheep and Lambs. 
397 
to one digit. Such are the ordinary symptoms of a case of foot- 
rot ; Jjut they are liable to many complications and a<^gravations. 
Frequently the inflammation involves the mucous glands within 
and about the biflex canal, giving rise to an acrid, noisome dis- 
charge, and a chronic, unhealthy, painful ulceration. The horn, 
being little exposed to wear, generally becomes overgrown and 
mucli distorted. Sometimes the coronary substance and sensitive 
laminae are so acutely inflamed that copious exudations are 
poured out, tearing asunder the horny and sensitive lamina*, and 
occasionally, in neglected or badly-treated cases, discharging 
themselves by unhealthy, sinuous openings around the coronet. 
Sometimes these sinuses run inwards, laying bare the coffin-bone, 
and inducing disease of the periosteum — serious complications, 
which are most frequent in heavy-bodied sheep kept in wet, 
cold situations. When the crust has shelled off", granulations, 
usually known as proud flesh, sprout up. On the sole and 
heel surfaces these granulations become tough, stringy, and in- 
tractable, much like those thrown out in canker in the foot 
of tlie horse. During summer weather the accumulations of 
matter and the raw surfaces invite the attacks of flies ; and 
the wounds^ soon swarm with maggots, which materially aggra- 
vate the malady. 
Foot-root almost always leaves the parts weak and prone to 
subsequent attacks. Sheep that have once suffered from the 
disease are apt to become affected during hot dry weather, hard 
frost, or from other causes that would be inadequate to produce 
it amongst perfectly sound stock. The same foot or digit fre- 
quently suffers at short intervals. The hoofs of those subject 
to the malady become large and soft, and this altered and weak- 
ened structure is transmitted to the progeny. Indeed it is a 
common observation that a certain hereditary appearance of the 
foot predisposes to foot-rot. 
It may be interesting briefly to advert to some of the opinions 
propounded, regarding the nature of foot-rot. Sir Antony Fitz- 
lierbcrt in his ' Book of Husbandry,' written in 1523, ascribed 
it to the presence of a worm in the foot. He says, "There be 
some shepe that hath a worme in his foote that maketli hym 
halte. Take that shepe and loke betweene his clese, and there 
is a lyttell hole, as moche as a grette pynnes heed, and therein 
groweth fyve or syxe black heares, like an inch long and more." 
— (p. 40.) He proceeds to give most explicit directions for 
excising the biflex canal, which he describes as " a worme lyke 
a piece of fleshe, nyght as moche as a lyttel fynger : and when 
it is out put a lyttel towe into the hole, and it will be shortly 
hole." This absurd notion respecting the nature of the disease 
has not yet been quite exploded. The disease is sometimes 
VOL. XVI. 2 D 
