title: History of the control of foot and mouth disease.
abstract: From the many existing documents on the history of foot and mouth disease, it is possible to describe the practical measures adopted for disease surveillance and control from ancient times until the 20th century. Surveillance was based on diagnosis or post-mortem examination, and also on knowledge of the conditions under which infection occurred: aetiology, pathogenesis, mode of infection, susceptible species, virulent material, etc. The historical facts are assembled and compared, with comments on each of these points. Control was based upon the application of isolation, then slaughter or aphtisation, then vaccination. A study of these various procedures makes it possible to compare their efficacy.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D005536:Foot-and-Mouth Disease / Q000266:history*; D049668:History, 15th Century; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D012756:Sheep; D014730:Veterinary Medicine / Q000266:history*