FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE. 
By T. E. Aghion, V.S., Veterinarian State Domains, Sakha, Egypt. 
In presenting to your readers this short paper on foot and 
mouth disease, I do not profess to offer anything new, either on 
the pathology of the disease or its treatment My object being to 
clear up a point which was on my mind for some time, and con¬ 
sequently may profitably ask, Why is foot and mouth disease so 
fatal in many countries in Central- Europe, Asia, America and 
not at all in this country (Egypt), while the pathology, etiology 
and probably the period of incubation are the same? 
Is it the climatic condition of the country that favors our 
cattle with the benign form of the disease or has idiosyncrasy any¬ 
thing to do with it? 
Whatever the cause may be: I will just mention here that my 
personal experience leads me to believe that the Egyptian cattle, 
either through climatic condition, atmospheric influence or idio¬ 
syncrasy do enjoy the benign form of the disease. Now to eluci¬ 
date this point I will try to describe the disease in a general way 
as seen here by the writer and others who had the occasion of 
observing it in many outbreaks. 
Foot and mouth disease is also known by many other names 
which are no doubt familiar to all. It is a highly contagious and 
infectious fever of an acute specific nature, characterized by a 
vesicular eruption affecting the lips, tongue, roof of the mouth, 
around the coronets of the feet and between the toes. 
The disease affects cattle, sheep, pigs, etc., and, according to 
some observers, it also attacks horses, mules, dogs, poultry and 
even human beings are susceptible to it. 
On this point allow me to direct the attention of the readers 
to the fact that contrary to this statement, which may carry a good 
authority, I may say that I have never seen the disease to attack 
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