Litchfield enquirer., 1860-05-31
The Cattle Murrain.

The most serious and alarming interest is felt ''y the Farmers in this neighborhood at the re- ports ef the cattle murrain, which are being ex. iensively noted in the public journals of the State, and have been the subject of discussion in the Legislature. The wealth of this county con- ists in large measure in the stock of horned cattle every farmer possesses in greater or less numbers, and every town in the county has from une to two hundred thousand dollars invested iu horned stock within it's limits. Should the in. fectious disease therefore by any chance be in t-oduced this side of the Connecticut river, and find it's way to our hills and valleys, the devasta- 1ion and ruin that would ensue, becomes terri he even for the thought to contemplate.
 But we are happy to be able to say that thus Gar it appears that owners of stock in Etchieid County have little need of alarm, as no well au. thenticated case of the disease seems to have heen discovered on the west side ofthe river, and even those reported in eastern towns in the State f'ave been doubted and strongly denied, <'r have been at once taken in hand, and with .sach efficiency as, we are induced to think, has certainly prevented any extensive contagion
 In this extremity however, we deem it wise to warn our farmers to watch we'll their own stock, :okeep them separate as far as practicable from sthers, and to take every precaution in importing stock from any quarters where the infection may he known to have gained foothold
 It seems satisfactorily ascertained that the contagion carries itself in the air and from the breath of the infected cattle, 50 that instances nave been found, where farmers stock have caught the disease in pastures rods removed from inc public highway, through which drove of cat lie had been driven which had among it one or TWO of the diseased animals, and wherever one in T herd has caught the disease, all the rest with more or less rapidity seem certain to attain it.
 By the report of Hon. Amasa Walker and Dr. Dadd of Massachusetts, before the Legislature May 18th, we learn that this disease which is styled pulmonary murrain," land differs from .pleuro pneumonia" in that it is contagious Hhich the latter is not,) was imported into this country from Holland where it originated and
 
 years, and where, as also in Germany and other portions of the continent it has destroyed count less thousands of valuable cattle.
 In June 1859 the gentleman who imported ihis stock sold three calves to MT. Stoddard nf North Brookfeld, Mass, without of course the slightest idea that either of them were in. 'ected' 1t is proved that the disease long remains iatent in the system, and it was not until Octo- 'sr that one of those calves was taken sick The tuner oi this Mr. Stoddard soon after took this cait to his own farm thinking that he had greater 'achties Tor It's cure, but it did not grow bet t"r under his management he took if heo,, .,.a;, Very soon his own herd were taken s;o,. h,.. not until January of this year did the fact cra.to any sensation or alarm.
 The disease then rapidly began to ;ncroos. neighbors about begun to lose their stock ths eontagion spread and the farmers grew alarmed entil at last the Massachusetts Legislature was petitioned upon the subject, and the work of ex. termination, in the infected districts, ohich al tgree, is ase only cure, commenced.
 We eowe it to our readers, and to our farming com inunities, to present this brief statement to the consideration. It Is terrible calamity truly and precentiom is hhe only cure. On the bank of the Thames river in England ninetyJece pe cent of the animals attacked by this disease perished. Let our farmers then be watchfu with the most jealous watchfulness of every steE ot this insidious destroyer. While thers is nt reason for present fearfulness among us, there ii certainly reason for watchfulness n is an i, terest 'chich underlies au interest" as has beer wisely said' and most devoutly may we hope that We may be spared its dread contagion.