FOOT-ROT and OTHER DISEASES OF ANIMALS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 14, Issue 1152, 13 May 1870, Page 3

FOOT-ROT and OTHER DISEASES OF ANIMALS.

(From tho "Australasian.") Veterinary surgeons arc sometimes inclined to pride themselves on tho progress made by their profession within the last 20 or 30 years, and certainly rather more knowledge and common sense are brought to bear on the diseases aud ailments of the animals they have to treat ; but when wo find cattle doctors, and those the most enlightened of their class, differing on the simple question of whether certain wellknown diseases are contagious or non-con-tagious, it is impossible not to think that there is still room for much further improvement. Fancy experiments being now tried at theEoyal Veterinary College of England, to prove whether foot-rot in sheep is contagious or not. There might have been some excuse at fh % st for believing that pleuropneumonia was not so, as all other lung diseases arise either from hereditary tendency aud consequent individual weakness, or from external agencies causing a Ndtiated state of the atmosphere ; but a f&w years' experience ought to have set the question ab rest beyond a possibility of doubt, as it should have proved the valuo of inoculation. This prophylactic was tested practically 10 years since, by the Boors at the Cape, over hundreds of miles of couutry, and soon after in Europe to the satisfaction of the profession there, yet in England it is still to be proved both practically and scientifically. Then, if the leading men of the profession were alike well informed, there would be unanimity amongst them on all important subjects, and the public would know what to believe; biib no sooner does a recognised authority commit himself to writing on a question of the day than he is contradicted by another authority equally great in his little sphere. For instance, it has been stated, and proved very clearly by the aid of figures, that the people of England have lost more than they have gaiued hy the importation of cattle and sheep, that iv fact more cattle and sheep have died of imported diseases than have been slaughtered for meat after importation, and that no amount of inspection possible can prevent tho occasional, importation of these diseases foreign to the soil. On a question like this there ought to be unanimity, but no, tho authorities are divided, the majority saying that inspection is sufficient ; so importation is continued, ill-natured people, indifferent to the benefits of free trade, saying that this view is upheld by the profession as well as by shipowners with an-eyo to tho increase of business. It cannot even be decided that to prevent danger from infection or contagion all animals ought to be slaughtered at the port of arrival.opposing interests being able to obtain strong and confident opinions that such extreme measures of precaution nre unnecessary. While the doctors thus differ, too many of the people of 3Hngland are kept on a shorb allowance of meat awaiting the time when some learned professor, veterinary orotherwise, shall teach us how to send beef and mutton with safety from a greater distance than can be traversed in a few hours by a stoamer. From Professor Simonds* annual report to the governors of the Royal Veterinary College, we may judge pretty well of the state both of the profession and of the animals under their charge The practice of the year showed first that so far from scrofula diminishing amongst highly bred cattle, as was supposed, iv consequence of fewer cases coming before the public of late, scrofulous deposits in. different parts

of the body are becoming alarmingly prevalent. Shorthorns aud Devons are most subject to these, and owners are once more warned against breeding from animals so affected in the slightest degree, for the scrofulous taint is hereditary, and not to be eradicated in any way. The marked increase of plcuropneumonia and of foot and mouth disease, consequent on the removal oF^tke restrictions on the transit of cattle, is touched upon, and all fresh outbreaks are clearly traced to the introduction of newly purchased stock. In the words of the report, " the system (of restriction) was eminently protective in its influences, and not only was the eradication of the cattle plague greatly facilitated by it, but the attacks of pleuropneumonia, and foot and mouth disease, were so much diminished as to render these maladies comparatively unimportant." This indicates very plainly how both are to be banished ; yet no suggestions are offered for the eradication of these two diseases of foreign origin, as well as the rinderpest. Advantage was taken of the presence of somfe animals under treatment for pleuropneumonia at the college, to try the effect of the introduction of exuded matter into the lungs of sheep, but this had no effect. Similar experiments were to be tried with cattle ; but why was not this done first, as no man ever supposed that sheep suffered in any way from contact with cattle infected with this disease? Such beating about the bush is worse than . mere waste of time, it looks as if the experimenters were afraid of being convinced against their will. Carbolic acid was among the agents tested for the cure of the disease in question, but it was of no effect, although so useful as a disinfectant. No cure has been yet discovered. There was no danger during the year from rinderpest, but there were some narrow escapes from small-pox, several cargoes of diseased sheep having arrived from Holland. Fortunately, most of these were detected and destroyed by the inspectors before they were landed, but some lots passed muster during the early stage of the disease, while incubating, and reached the London markets before this broke out visibly. It so happened that none of the infected sheep escaped into the country, but the risk was so great that the Government was induced to issue an Order of Council, requiring all imported sheep either to be placed in quarantine for 14s days or killed within three days after beiug landed. These repeated warnings ought to convince the meat-con-suiningpublicof the necessity for rendering such an order permanent. The presence of this last disease was also taken advantage of to try experiments with it, and the temperature of the inoculated sheep invariably rose several degrees during the time of incubation, and before there was any outward indication of the presence of small-pox. The thermometer is becoming a valuable aid to the veterinary surgeon in detecting the existence of disease; but fever may be simple in the first stage of some serious disease, so that an iucrease of internal heat only proves the necessity for quarantine in cases of this sort. Apart from risks external to the kingdom, the health of the domesticated animals is not improving, for besides the increase of tubercular ailments amongst the cattle, the sheep are suffering more and more each j 7 ear from the presence of internal parasites, such as fllnria;, hydatids, fluke, &c. And it is allowed that little relief from these is to be expected until science throws more light on the mysterious changes of the entozonoa generally, very fow of which are yet understood. Even during an unusually dry season rob was puzzling, for it should not be so, according to the supposed changes the fluke insect undergoes. The prevalence of rot after a long continuance of dry weather would seem to indicate that in. its last stage the fluke remains longer in the sheep than has been lately supposed. To shecpowners out here the experiments with regard to foot-rot will be rather amusing. These extended over several months, and matter from diseased feet was applied and introduced to sound ones in every conceivable way. Even inocoulation had no more than a temporarily irritating effect on a foot kept dry ; but the rubbing of the discharge from a diseased foot on the skin between the digits of one sound, but kept wet and warm, quickly produced a " disease possessing all the characters of foot-rot," although the same foot had resisted the joiut effects of dirt and moisture for many weeks previously. The summoning up of the report on this point is, "It would appear, therefore, that under favoring circumstances, mere contact of the discharge with the skiu will suffice to devolope the disease," as every observant shepherd who lias ever had charge of a. lame flock ouly too well knows. It was, however, established by some of the other experiments that uo disease will follow if the animals arc kept on dry ground and allowed natural exercise, this fact having also been discovered here loug ago. The want of a veterinary school or college in the colonies is sometimes insisted on, but should any such establishment be founded, it will have to commence with experiments of a more advanced character than those apparently deemed of importance in England.