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VII. — Remedy for Foot-and-Moutli Disease. By Sir E. C. 
Keuiuson, Bart., Oaklej Park, Scole, Norfolk. 
In these days of severe agricultural depression, when it is 
diflicult for skilful farmers to make both ends meet, their mis- 
fortunes have been increased bj the continued prevalence of 
foot-and-mouth disease — newly infected districts being almost 
weekly proclaimed by the Privy Council — making the sale and 
transmission of cattle more than ordinarily difficult ; and there 
is no doubt that it is only by the most stringent measures that 
the disease can be stamped out. This is no new disease ; it 
has been known for many years ; but large cattle-markets, easier 
communication by rail, and frequent sales, have caused it to 
spread with unusual rapidity. Cargoes of foreign cattle, care- 
lessly inspected on landing, have been known by one con- 
signment to disseminate disease over a whole district. At 
the Royal Agricultural Show at Battersea, some nineteen years 
ago, I was one of the Judges of foreign cattle, some of which 
were affected by foot-and-mouth disease. Three days after a 
change of wind, which carried the disease from the foreign 
cattle to the English, a number of the animals at the Show 
were affected. Several of these animals on removal either 
died, being in first-class condition, or were seriously damaged. 
My own prize animals were much reduced in value by it, 
and a prize Suffolk bull, the best I ever possessed, had 
to be killed, as he never could stand on his feet afterwards. 
Pailfuls of the usual drinks and drenches were given to these 
animals without effect. Much the same treatment is now still 
resorted to by veterinary surgeons in the country. Some farmers 
give drinks Irom receipts twenty or thirty years old, others rub 
the noses of the animals with salt, whilst a good many let 
Nature take its course, and the disease gradually dies out. In 
all these cases, if there is no real loss of cattle, there is an 
immense loss of condition, from 5*. to 1/. a-head. In cow- 
stock sometimes half their value is sacrificed. The milk falls 
off; when they calve they are unable to bring up the calf; 
and sometimes one or more of the quarters of the cow's udder 
becomes permanently damaged. Sows die, and almost in- 
variably the pigs lately born also die. For all these ailments 
veterinary science has up to now discovered no speedy cure. 
Reading in the ' Times ' some six weeks ago that by the use of 
salicylic acid in Silesia and other parts of the Continent, this 
disease was speedily arrested, I purchased a quantity in case of 
accident. Salicylic acid has been for some time in use in our 
hospitals as a quick and speedy remedy for rheumatic fever. 
