The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-01-31
agricultural department.
CONDUCTED BY ALBERT CHAPMAN.

CONDUCTED BY ALBERT CHAPMAN.
Mouth and Foot Disease in Cattle.
The following article from the New
England Farmer upon the foot and mouth
disease throws much light upon that SUBJ
ject, and is one of the best papers we have
read, treating of that disease
Eruptive fevers, eranthemata, consti-
tute large class of diseases, which are
presumed to depend upon the presence of
some poison in the system, its subsequent
elimination, giving rise to the distinctive
symptoms of the malady.
The mouth and foot complaint belongs
to this class of disorders and altogether
one of the least fatal, 1T sometimes assumes
a very severe form, and occasions consid-
cradle destruction Of the tissues of impor-
tant parts. Perhaps there is no disease of
animals that varies more in the degree
Of malignancy which it exhibits in differ
ent seasons, under apparently similar
conditions. Foreign cattle frequently
suffer from the malady in its most viru-
lent FORM but English cattle are not ex-
empt, under certain conditions which are
favorable to the development of the
virus, from the most violent manifestation
of the morbid action.
CONDITIONS OF LIABILITY TO, AND ORIGIN
OF THE DISEASE.
Susceptibility to an attack appears to
be increased by travelling, by pregnancy,
parturition, lactation and also by change
of locality But neither age, condition,
management, climate, temperature nor
any common causes of disease, seems to
exert any modifying influence. No ex.
tremity of privation, nor the continued
action of ordinary causes, is capable Of
inducing it /; and one reason for the indif.
ference which has been shown 10 respec,
to its ravages is to be found in the belief
of its spontaneous origin, an idea which
arises out of unaccountable appearance in
isolated places.
The conviction of its spontaneousness
has gained strength from the fact long
recognized, that cattle when being ira
yelled from fair to fair are often attack
ed. But there is nothing remarkable in
this fact, when it is remembered that ,
tuft of grass by the roadside often hold
a sufficient quantity of saliva from tn,
mouth of a diseased beast to infect E;
herd, and the short period of incubation
of the affection accounts for its suddel
outbreak during a journey which oc
cupies only few days.
Some Of the conditions which are es
sential to the spread of the disease ar
obscure. 1t is certain that the malady
eminently contagious and infectious blu
it is also true, that its extension in Ger
tain years has been apparently governe,
by the laws which regulate the spread O
epidemic diseases like cholera and
has been found impossible to determin
whether the majority of the attacks ar
to be attributed to the operation of nor
bific matter or virus, or to certain non
cognizable influences, the existence Q
which can only be inferred from the Ell
fects produced.
A reference to the previous observa
lions on the history of the disease wi
show that, while there have always bee
centers Of infection in England, the ma
ady has prevailed over large extent {
country only at intervals.
NOT CAUSED BY FERMENT IN THE BLOOD.
1t is not necessary to devote any tim
to the examination of the hypothesi
which refers the origin of all contagior
diseases to the presence of ferment
the blood. If the idea is merely advan,
ed as an ingenious speculation, it may
left to amuse those who find an intere
in the investigation of chimeras but
the suggestion claims to be accepted as
theory, it may be refused ON the groun
that chemical and microscopic researc
have alike failed to demonstrate the pr
sence of the germs Of ferment, or the o
currence of any process in the circulatir
fluid at all resembling fermentation, eth
in its progress or its product. Exami
atoms Of the blood of diseased cattle ha7
been made recently, in the sheds whe
the sick animals were kept, and the hig
est powers of the microscope have be,
used in the investigation but no unus
al organic particles have been found
The fluid is in state of excessive mol
cular activity; the red discs are near
all of them stellate in form, and chan,
their aspect frequently, finally assumil
the circular form. White corpuscl,
leucothytes, are more numerous than tn
are in healthy blood, and there are al
seen many minute spherical bodies free
moving in all directions. Backteria al
Vibrions are constantly found SIN,
masses Of living germinal matter are al
present but it is worthy of partcul
remark that all these bodies have be
seen in the blood and other fluids of al
mails affected with non-contagious febr
diseases.
Further, it may be accepted as pc
tive truth, that organic particles viii
possess the power of communicating
lection to all the healthy system, cam
be distinguished from those which ass
in the support of the tissues during t
process of nutrition. Microscopic exa
nations of the discharges from the ey
the saliva, the contents of vesicles, and
the milk. have resulted In the Dissolve