Prairie Farmer, Vol. 56: No. 12, March 22, 1884: A Weekly Journal for the Farm, Orchard and FiresideVarious
Science
Prairie Farmer, Vol. 56: No. 12, March 22, 1884: A Weekly Journal for the Farm, Orchard and Fireside
Various
Agriculture -- United States -- Periodicals; Farm life -- Periodicals; United States -- Rural conditions -- Periodicals
This disease, which is one of the most easily transmitted of contagious
and infectious diseases of domestic animals, is characterized by the
appearance of vesicles or small bladders on the mucous surfaces and those
parts of the skin uncovered by hair, such as in the mouth, on the gums and
palate, on the tongue, and the internal surface of the lips and cheeks; on
the surface of the udder and teats, and between the claws. The disease
passes through four different stages or periods; but for present purposes
it will be sufficient to merely mention the most prominent of the
successive changes and appearances, as they occur to the ordinary
observer. The incubatory stage, or the time between contamination and the
development of the disease, is very short (from twenty-four hours to one
or two weeks), and the disease is ushered in by the general symptoms of
fever, such as shivering, increased temperature, staring coat, dry muzzle,
dullness and loss of appetite. The animals seek seclusion, preferably in
sheltered places, where they assume a crouched position, or lie down, and
there is more or less stiffness and unwillingness to move. The mouth
becomes hot and inflamed looking, and covered with slime, the breath
fetid; the animal grinds the teeth, smacks with mouth, and has difficulty
in swallowing. There is more or less tenderness of feet and lameness, and
in cows the udder becomes red and tender, the teats swollen, and they
refuse to be milked. Depending upon the intensity of the fever and the
extent to which the udder is affected, the milk secretion will be more or
less diminished, or entirely suspended; but throughout the disease the
quality or constituents of the milk become materially altered; its color
changes to a yellow; it has a tendency to rapid decomposition, and
possesses virulent properties. Soon yellowish-white blisters, of various
sizes, from that of a small pea to a small hickory nut, appear on the
mucous surface within the mouth, and which blisters often in the course of
development become confluent or coalesce. They generally break within two
to three days, and leave bright red, uneven, and ragged sores or ulcers,
to the edges of which adheres shreds of detached epithelial tissue. The
animal now constantly moves the tongue and smacks the mouth, while more or
less copious and viscid saliva continually dribbles from the mouth. The
lameness increases in proportion as the feet are affected, and if the fore
feet are most affected, the animal walks much like a floundered horse,
with the hinder limbs advanced far under the body, and with arched back.
The coronet of the claws, especially toward the heels, becomes swollen,
hot, and tender, causing the animal to lie down most of the time. The
blisters, which appear at the interdigital space of the claws, and
especially at the heels, break in the course of a day and discharge a
thick, straw-colored fluid; the ulcers, which are of intensely red or
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account