, 1860-08-03
The Cattle Disease.

The presence of disease of remarkable
fatality in the New England States should
arrest the attention of stock-raisers on the
Pacific coast. 1t seems TO be admitted that
the disease is contagious, and it is not I'M
possible that among the numerous droveS
which are sent acroSs the continent, to Cali.
fornia, Oregon and Washington, it may, in
our incipient state, be brought to our pas
lures. Should this unfortunately occur. it
would be prudent for the owner of any
beast found affected to destroy it at once,
and thus possibly prevent disaster which
has already ruined hundreds of farmers at
the East
SO virulent a form has the disease taken
in Massachusetts, that the Governor deem
ed it necessary to call n special session Of
the Legislature for the adoption of meas
ures for the public relief In his address to
the Legislature, Gov. Banks said
" This is not disaster affecting Massa-
chusetts or New England alone. If the
cantngion is allowed TO spread without
effort to extrpate Or restrain it, ultimately
il must rayage the whole country. The
neat cattle in the United States in 1850
numbered lS,37S,O00 Estimating the
number at the present time upon this basis.
by adding twenty percent. to the number
as the natural increase in ten years, it will
now exceed 100000.
The number of milch cows returned to
the census bureau for 1850, was over six
millions, and the number Of working oxen
was nearly million and three-quarters.-
the value Of butter cheese, and milk not
used for butter aud cheese returned in 1850,
as a portion Of the agricultural product,
according TO the estimate Of Professor
Tucker, exceeded eight million dollars
To this must be added on equal sum as the
value Of cattle slaughtered Tor the market;
and the value OF the labor Of nearly
million yoke of working oxen al the pres
ent time, estimating their labor for year
at $40 per yoke, aud the aagregate value
Of this yearly product exceeds one hundred
and eighty million dollars"
The previous LegisIaturcl appointed
board OF Commissioners to take the subject
into consideration, and they furnished the
following recommendations for legislative
action:
"The regulation and prohibition, so far
as it can be wisely and properly done, Of
the expectation of cattle, in which the
seeds Of the disease may possibly exist,
from this State Into other neighboring
States.
"a distinct recognition Of the policy Of
isolating and separation from contact with
other cattle suspected or diseased herds.
:" A limitation Of the discretionary power
of slaughtering condemned animals, and
also a modification Of the principle of ap-
praisal hitherto establishsi 81
1T would not seem that extravagant
appropriations would lie required to carry
out the objects specified in the report Of
the Commissioners"
The disease is described as plague. and
resembles, in its premonitory symptoms. a
lung fever One Of the writer's on its
treatment says that it prevailed in England
from l744 TO 1855. In Nottinghamshire
40, 900 head Of cattle died in six months /;
in Cheshire $4,000. During the third
year Of the disease Rl35, 900 were paid out
Of the public treasury as a recompense for
slaughtered cattle. In 1857, in forty three
villages in Holland, 1000 bend of cattle
died or were kilIcd.-S. ~ Herald.