Prognosis.—This is unfavorable—The United States Government and the Health Officers of the several States require all suspected cases of Foot and Mouth Disease to be quarantined, and upon the full development of the disease all animals infected, to be killed. Human beings are liable to become infected, great care should be exercised in handling diseased animals or their carcases.
Rheumatism
This disease is almost invariably the consequence of cold and wet, or chill after over-exertion. The symptoms are as follows:
Dullness; loss of spirits; disinclination to move, and painful stiffness of the back or joints when moving; loss of appetite; pain in the back, manifested by the animal flinching when pressed upon; the joints, one or more, become affected, and the animal prefers to lie down, and cannot move without great pain and difficulty; the joints, or one or more of them, become swelled, and are also exceedingly hot and tender to the touch. In some cases, there is considerable heat and fever, in others, it is but slight. The complaint is quite liable to return from exposure, changes of weather, or even the wind blowing from a different quarter. The disease not unfrequently changes from one joint or limb to another.
Treatment.—The B.B., is for all the usual forms of this disease, giving twenty drops, three or four times per day, in severe cases, and morning and night in the mild ones.
When the disease is ushered in or attended with considerable heat and fever, either during its continuance, or from the first, the A.A., in doses of twenty drops, should be alternated with the B.B., at the intervals mentioned above.
Lumbago
This is merely a form of rheumatism, locating itself upon the muscles of the loins. It may be mistaken for some other or different disease, and hence its symptoms should be known.
Symptoms.—After some exposure, especially to cold or wet, or a draft of air, the cow will suddenly become lame in one leg, without other signs to explain the nature of the attack. Another leg may then be affected, while the first one seems better or quite well. Some pain and heat may be discovered in one of the joints; and then the muscles of the back show more clearly the location of the disease; or from the first the disease may be referable to this point; the animal yields and flinches when they are pressed upon, in consequence of the pain; the beast is not able to walk, or does so very stiffly and awkwardly, in consequence of increased pain from movement. These attacks may continue for a time, disappear and return again, in consequence of new exposure.
Treatment.—The B.B. should be given, a dose of twenty drops, three times per day, which follow with J.K.