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THE VETERINARIAN, NOVEMBER 1, 1880. 
Ne quid falsi dicere audeat, ne quid veri non audeat.— Cicero. 
FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE. 
Since the introduction of foot-and-inouth disease into this 
kingdom in 1869 we have never been quite free from it for any 
considerable length of time ; in fact, it may be questioned if 
at any time the affection has been completely extinct. The 
history of the disease includes times of excessive prevalence 
and intervals of decline, and we had one or two long 
periods during which very little notice appears to have been 
accorded to its progress by veterinary and agricultural 
writers. 
So far as our own observations and the records of the 
affection enable us to judge, there have been something like 
nine outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in this country 
between 1869 and 1880. The duration of each outbreak 
may be roughly estimated at eighteen months to two years. 
In the succeeding interval of about the same number of 
months the disease has declined to a minimum state of 
existence before it has again began to spread. A reasonable 
solution of this phenomenon of periodic occurrence and 
decline has been offered in the following terms: 
During the prevalence of the complaint in all parts of the 
country the majority of susceptible animals are attacked, and 
the disease decreases for want of new material; in the 
interval of decline another generation of susceptible animals 
springs up, and the requisite conditions for the extension of 
the affection are thus supplied. Whether or not this view 
is correct, the fact remains that the occurrence of outbreak 
of more or less severity, after short intervals of comparative 
freedom, is a feature peculiar to foot-and-mouth disease. 
In 1874 the last serious outbreak of foot-and-mouth com¬ 
plaint occurred, and the progress of the malady was rapid 
during that year. In 1875 the affection began to decline, 
and the decline continued through 1876; but in 1877 
