The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1908-12-31
The Foot And Mouth Disease.



Of l902-l90S In New England few
herds that had passed through the
disease were left. In about one-third
of these cases the owners afterwards
asked to have their cattle destroyed,
as the cattle we're Improbable or re-
lapses had occurred. Herds that have
passed through foot and mouth dis
ease are frequently left in an unthrifty,
debilitated condition. This is especi-
ally true Of dairy herds; young cattle,
dry cows and steers are less severely
affected
There is malignant form of foot
and mouth disease in which the NOR
tality in high Outbreaks of this type
of disease, in which from ten to fifty
per cent. of the attacked animals died,
have been reported from several for
eign countries. Complications follow
ing foot and mouth disease are num-
erous; they consist of abscess forma-
tions about the feet, sloughing of the
hoofs, assesses of the udder. garget,
gastro-intestinal catarrh and blood
poisoning.
When Infected herds are not destroy
ed but are kept, the premises remain
infected for q considerable time and it
is impossible to disinfect the premises
as long as the live animals remain, as
these animals may continue TO distrib..
ute the seeds of the disease and may
re-fnfect the clean premises a long
time after the symptoms of foot and
mouth disease have disappeared. An
attack of foot and mouth disease does
not necessarily confer lasting immun-
ity. The increased resistance to in
fection that follows an attack may
continue for one to two years or long
err, but it may not endure more than
six months, and instances have been
recorded wherein ANIMALS have passed
through two, three, four and even five
attacks OF foot and mouth disease.
Some animals have contracted the
disease a second time within two
months.
The Diagnosis of foot and mouth
disease is not difficult matter where
the disease is discovered in its earlier
stages in a herd of animals. When
one animal is affected or where the
disease has reached late stage of de-
velopment there is often difficulty in
distinguishing foot and mouth disease
from some other condition. There is
also difficulty with relation to shipped
and marked animals brought together
in large numbers.
The conditions that are most likely
to give rise to error are those due tC
accidental injuries to the mucous men
brane of the mouth and form of in
flammation of the mouth caused by
fungi, known as mykotic stomatitis.
Wounds, or external injuries of tht
mouth, are sometimes seen as ulcers
upon the edge of the pad opposite thu
over incisors These may be of thu
shape of the edge of the incisors anC
manifestly are toothcuts. Such tooth
cuts may become infected, causing ;
small ulcer of irregular shape, ant
sometimes from such q wound there i
cross infection to the inside o
the upper lip. Injuries to tn
tongue, gums or roof of the moutl
may be caused by hard, rougl
objects taken in with the food
Such injuries usually appear as cuts
tears or scratches and not as fiat eros
ions.
From close grazing, especially on
stubble field, cattle may swound th
m0zle and lips, or the lining mucou
membrane of the lips. Such wound
show as scratches or punctures, O
as rough, abraded surfaces; they d
! not have the appearance of erosion
and do not have the bright, red colo
that is characteristic of the LESSONS {
foot and mouth disease.
There is another form of injury tn,
] requires special mention. Cattle shil
ped by rail and that have been in ii
cars for long time, with little or II
sufficient food and water, have tel
dency to lick and to gnaw the woo
i work of the car. From this they ma
p sustain injury to the inside of the VI
per lip and the mucous membrane CO.
p ering the front of the upper jaw. Som
times the tongue is rubbed These Il
juries appear as defects of the mucol
S membrane of irregular shape ar
: size, brownish color and rough su
face. They may be overlaid wi
n brown, thin crusts. In examining SUI
a lesion, it is we'll to wash it off wi
Il water, whereupon it will be found tn
the surface is stained and discolor,
g and that it is of rough, wary appea
d ance and looks dead" in contra
n with the bright red and "bloominl
. lesion OF foot and mouth disease.
~ such cases, the mucous membrane
x the mouth is likely to be pale al
there is little If any salvation, in co
tra-distinction to the injection OF t
mucous membrane and excessive mo
ture in foot and mouth disease. 1t
% to be remembered that in foot a
& mouth disease the epithelium is lift
IT up, leaving smooth surface belo
whereas in these traumatic defect the
40 is a mechanical tearing or a
Il mortihcati Jon, leaving rough, irrel