Worcester daily spy., 1860-05-28
The Cattle EnIdemic.

Messrs. Brooks and Sewall, of the Board of
Agriculture, with DR.. Thayer, visited Pepper
ell on Thursday and Friday, to examine a sus-
pected COW owned by Andrew Wood, almost
his only property. He purchased her of his
brother in Brookfield about the middle of
April last, and she now had a calf three weeks
old. After examination, signs of the disease
appearing, though not very strongly, both were
killed, and both found affected. The citizens
there had become greatly alarmed, and vast
concourse greeted the advent of the committee
to look into the matter
The committee (says the Boston JournaD
were fortunately able to trace the precise
course which Mr. Wood travelled in removing
his COW from Brookfeld to Pepperell, and they
have ascertained that, at ono place on the road
the farm of Mr.. Woodbury., in North Lancas-
ter, near Shirley, where the animal was kept
one day, including the previous and succeed.
ing night, COW on the premises of Mr.. Wood
bury, has, in all probability, received the con.
tagion, and doubtless exposed a number more
This cow has been in feeble condition for
about three weeks, it having been six or seven
weeks sncesher exposure. Her right lung ap-
peared after examination to be plainly diseas.
ed, and Mr.. Woodbury. was directed to keep
her in his barn, apart from all other animals,
until further action of the commissioners, un-
der the penalty of the law.
| 1t would appear from the Hillsboro n H.,
News, of May 26, that the cattle disease has
penetrated that locality, and town meeting
was called by the selectmen, to be held on
Saturday evening last, to take action on the
matter On Thursday afternoon last, the
selectmen, physicians, and other prominent
citizens of that town, with DIR. Calvin Cutter
of Warren, in this county, visited the farm of
a Mr.. Blanchard, whose herd were suspected
and the source of great alarm there. Indica-
tions appearing of the disease, the animals
were Immediately slaughtered. Friday fore.
noon the same gentlemen visited the herds of
Nathaniel Jones and R. p Whittemore, one
animal in each of which had mingled with the
infected herd, and being slaughtered found to
have the disease. These facts are certified to
by DR.. Cutter and four other physicians of
Hillsboro', in a card. The disease was COM
municated to the herd of Mr.. Blanchard, by
two heters sent there from an infected herd of
MIR. Andrew Wellington, in East Lexngton,
to be pastured. And the News expresses the
fear that nearly two hundred others equally
diseased animals have been scattered through
the towns of Warren, Bradford, Washington,
Hancock, Stoddard, NARROW, and others, sent
thither from the same infected herd to be pas
tured. We trust these fears will prove to be
unfounded The News says:
When consider the fact that one diseased ami
NAL will quickly infect hundreds and also that
Co hundred cattle whom it is not improbable to sup
pose may be in pestiferous condition scattered
through the state is it not the duty of every
| act promptly in preventing its extension? Let the
| citizens of every town organize, and prevent the
driving of cattle from place TO place; purchase no
more and where the disease is suspected slaughter
the animals at once. Should the malady extend
throughout the state, the farming interest will be-
come paralyzed, and quarter of century will
hardly suffice to restore it to its present condition.
From Connecticut there is better news.
The Hartford Times of Saturday evening
says
We are glad to have assurance that neither of
the cattle recently driven into this from Mas
sachusetts was affected by the alarming contagion
known as pleuro pneumonia. But still as
fully impressed with the Importance of stopping the
cattle trade between Massachusetts and Connecti-
cut, as ever We look upon it as very dangerous to
drive cattle from that region into this. So rapid
and nsidious is the spread of the disease that it
goes large sections of territory before the peo-
pie aware of it-and its spread is solely by NOV
ing cattle from one place to another This the leg
islature should stop in Connecticut, whether it ap-
propriates any money not, though we dot believe
in the economy that loses pound TO save penny
If the importations from Massachusetts have al
ready brought the disease into this state they have
endangered the interests of our stock owners, and
If the practice is continued. the calamity will GER
tainly be among us in a short time.