d susceptible animals lead to
heavy losses. Since the mortality is comparatively low, ranging from only 3
per cent or less in mild forms to 30 or 40 per cent in malignant cases, the
havoc caused by the pestilence is sometimes underestimated. But there are
other sources of loss which are much more important than the actual
mortality. The fever and the difficulty of eating cause a rapid and extreme
loss in flesh and a lessening or cessation of the milk secretion. The
udders often become inflamed and ruined by the formation of abscesses, and
cows affected in this way are sometimes rendered permanently valueless for
milk production. The inflammation of the feet may cause the horn to drop
from the toes, producing great lameness and lasting injury. Abortion is
frequent, and typical lesions have been observed in the newly born at
birth. Altogether these losses may amount to 20 or 30 per cent of the value
of the affected animals.

In addition there are indirect losses of a commercial nature. Dairy farmers
are put out of business for a time. Necessary quarantine restrictions
greatly interfere with the movement of live stock and such commodities as
hay, straw, hides, and farm produce. The business of the stockyards and
slaughtering centers is greatly interfered with. Sometimes it is necessary
to close stockyards for disinfection. The whole business of marketing,
transporting, feeding, and slaughtering is interrupted and deranged. Losses
of this character may reach enormous proportions.

[Illustration: PLATE XXXIII. FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE.]

_The disease in other countries._--Foot-and-mouth disease has prevailed in
Europe for a great many years and has occasioned tremendous economic losses
there.

In Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany, and Russia the plague has existed
so long and has gained such a foothold that it is economically impossible
to fight it with the American methods of slaughter and disinfection, for to
do so would kill a large percentage of the live stock of those countries.
In consequence, little or no progress toward eradication has been made by
the authorities, though the severity of the disease in France appears to
have abated somewhat in recent months.

The outbreak which appeared in Germany in 1888 increased steadily until
1892, when it diminished gradually for a few years, but the disease again
reached great proportions in 1899. Thereafter it continued to exist to a
greater or less extent until in 1