Daily Kennebec journal., 1902-12-05
THE DAIRYMEN
Continued from page ~

pelng exposed they show uneasiness
and a distaste for food. Saliva flows
freely from the mouth and the temper
ature runs as highsa log or 1O7. In a
Few days the SOLDERING increases and
the mucous membrane of the mouth
becomes very red. Then small or large
bIisters appear in the mouth or on the
feet. These are under the upper layers
OF the skin and are similar to those on
a person caused by slight burns. They
contain a fluid, serum or, lymph, and
may he only as large as pin head or
an inch in diameter. These appear
sometimes on the outside of the mouth
but usually on the inside, on the
tongue or cheek.
The contents of the blisters are in
fectiou5 and it is by this that the dis
ease is usually spread. These blisters
soon break, causing raw sores, so that
the animal eats with great difficulty
and suffers great pain. On the feet
they show between the parts of the
hoof or just where the skin joins the
hoof. When these break and the sores
form the animal has great difficulty in
walking and shows a great desire to lie
down much of the time. When in the
PsiStuiC tbt SUIT Ictt
for the animal to move about after
food, so it loses flesh rapidly.
In cows thu blisters often appear on
the udders or teats and on the belly
These are caused no doubt by the man
caring for the animals, as he is very
liable in tending them to get some of
.he fluid from the broken blisters on
his hands and thence to the eats in
milking. When there are blisters on
the udders their contents are easily
transferred to the milk, which makes
it infectious.
Sheep, goats and pigs are. usually
affected chiefly in the feet, although
the blisters may appear on the outside
of the snouts of pigs. In birds the
mouth, tongue, feet and combs are af-
fected. In man the disease attacks the
mouth chiefly. DR.. rockingham told
an Instance in his own experience
where a student in university in
Berlin contracted the disease. Blisters
appeared about hs mouth and on going
to a veterinarian he was told that ut
had the foot and mouth disease. 1t was
found that he was the son OF a farmer
who owned n large herd of cattle that
had become affected by the disease and
| the whole farm had been quarantined.
None of the products could be sold, so
some very nice fresh butter had been
sent to the son in college and he had
| enjoyed it very much but had contract
| cd the disease from eating it.
| The greatest danger of contagiOn for
| man is in drinking the milk. This is
| especially true of children, as they nat
| urally drink more milk than adults and
| the disease is often fatal to them. In
| animals the disease is not often fatal
except among the younger members OF
the herd. Among the younger animals
| about 90 per cent. die. Older animals
| will usually recover all right, unless
| complications set in, in the course OF
| three weeks or so. The danger in the
| disease is not i'm the loss of animals
but inf the loss Of the product and the
great interruption of business during
the necessary quarantine. AT such
times nothing from the farm can be
| sold and 1T can be easily seen what
trouble this causes.
There is no good method of treat
ment for the disease. All that can bt
done is to give the animal good care
and to ease its sufferingS as much a.
possible. A good mouth wash can b'
lmade from alum and borax. Good bed
Iding of clean, dry straw should be pro
vided and a foot wash of carbOlic acit
and glycerine may be used to ad
Vantage There is considerable dangel
from complications on account of the
lraw sores. These are liable to catci
dirt that will cause blood poisoning
1.-The danger from raw sore is famil
liar and this is one Of the worst features
lof the disease.
The cause of the disease is unknown
Ialthough it is believed to be n germ
This. however has never been discoV
erred. like the germs of many othe
diseases. Two commissions in Ger
lmany have been at work CONSTANT.
for the past six years investigating
the disease. but have as yet not sue
ceeded in fixing the cause. although
they have added much to the knowi
edge of it.
| Exuerimenters have q filter that vii
catch germs from the serum when
lis passed through it, but the germ
of this disease are apparently too smal
to be caught and they pass through
They are beyond the power of the mos
IpcWeFIul IllltIoStopt, So h'''N -
las yet regarding their nature.
The disease is spread in all manne
lof WAYS. That it may be carried b.
birds has been proven by experiments
hut this is not considered a common
lway. 1t can of course be communicates
Inv the infected animals travelling
lfrom place to place. by the cars u
(which they are carried. by the me-
tattending them. by the manure fror
, farms where there are affected am
. lmals, and by all the other product
lof the farm. There is great DANCE
, lin il being carried on the clothing O
linen that come i'm contact with TN
, sick animals.
The only preventative is to keep ou
1.-The infected animals and to guar
laroinst all forms of contagion. IN
lstrictest laws and the unceasing car
lof all concerned are necessary Tor TINS
DIR. rockingham advised the keepih
ont of all animals whatever from Tn
state until the danger is past. He ais
warned the farmers against the uan
ger of having men from the ihiec.e
districts enter their stables. Men WI
no doubt soon be coming to Maine
Il L.. a.