Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1889-09-12
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
UOOf-ROt.

| Hoof-Rot.
Randall says that the first symptom
of hoof-rot, uniformly, in his experience,
is disappearance of the smooth, dry,
colorless condition of the naked skin
at the top OF the cleft over the heels.
and of its GOODNESS. 1t is little moist,
a little red, and the skin has a slightly
chafed or eroded appearance somo-
times being Il very little corrugated,
as if the parts had been subjected to
| the action OF moisture. And on plac-
| ing the fingers over the heels 1t will be
found that the natural GOODNESS OF the
parts has given place to a degree of
heat. Tie Inflammation thencefOrth
increases pretty rapidly. The part
first attacked becomes sore. The moist
ure-the ichorous discharges in
creased. A raw ulcer Of some extent
is soon established. II is extended
down TO the upper portion of the inner
walls Of the hoof, giving them a whit
ened and ulcerous appearance. Those
thin walls become disorganized, and
the liberation penetrates between the
fleshy sole and the bottom Of the hOof.
On applying some force, or on shaving
away the horn. it will be found that
the connection between the horny and
feshy sole is severed perhaps half way
from the heel TO the toe, and half way
from the inner to the outer wall of the
hoof The hoof is thckened with
great rapidly at the heel by
an unnatural deposition of horn
The crack or cavity between it
and the feshy sole very
soon eXudcs highly fetid matter
which begins to have purulent APP
pearance. The extent of the separa-
tion increases by the disorganization
Of the surrounding structures; the Ill
ceration penetrates throughout the
entire extent Of the sole; the purulent
discharge becomes more profuse; the
horny sole is gradually disorganized,
and finally the outer walls and points
of the toes alone remain. The fleshy
sole is now black, swollen mass of
corruption, of the texture of a sponge
saturated with bloody pus, and eve.'y
cavity is filled with rawling, squirm-
ing maggots. The horny toe disap-
pears; the thin, shortened side walls
merely adhere at the coronet; they
yield to the disorganization; and moth
ing is left but shapeless mass of
spongy ulcer and maggots. Attempts
to cure the disease. the state of the
weather, and other incidental circum-
stances, cause some variations from
the above line OF symptoms. When
the first attack occurs in hot weather.
the progress OF the malady is much
more rapid and violent. The fly some
times deposits its eggs in the ulcer,
and maggOts appear almost before
sometimes actually before-therc are
any cavities formed into which they
can penetrate. The early appearances
of maggots greatly accelerates the pro-
gress of disorganization in the struct-
ures.
The fore-feet are usually first at
tacked-sometimcs both of them sim
ultancously, but more generally only
one of them. The animal at first man.
ifcsts but little constitutional disturb
ance. IL eats as is its wont. When
the disease has partly run it's course in
one foot, the other fore-foot is likely to
be attacked, and presently the hind
ones. When a foot becomes consider
ably disorganized, it is held up by the
animal. When another one reaches
the same state, the miserable sufferer
seeks its food on its knees; and if
forced TO rise and walk, its strange,
hobbliug gait bctrAys the intense
agony it cndures on bringing its ulcer
ated feet in contact with the ground.
There is Il bare spot on the under side
of the Drisket, of the size OF the palm
of IL mans hand-but perhaps little
longer which looks red and infamed.
There is a degree of general fever
and the appetite is dull. Tho
animal rapidly loses condition,
but retains considerable strength.
Nowhere else do sheep seem to ex-
hibit such tenacity of life. After the
disappearance of the bottom of the
hoof. the maggot speedily closes the
scene. Who're the rotten foot is
brought in contact with tho side in
lying down, the filthy, ulcerous matter
adhercs to and saturates the short
wool of the shorn sheep; and maggots
also are either carried there by the
foot, or they are speedily generated by
the fly. A black crust soon forms, and
raises little higher around the spot.
II is the decomposition OF the surround.
ing structures-wool, skin and muscle
and innumerable maggots are at
work below, burrowing into the living
tissues and eating up the miserable
animal alive. The black, fostering
mass rapidly extends, and the cavities
of the body will soon be penetrated, If
the poor sufferer is not sooner relieved
Of its tortures by death. Practical
Farmer.