Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-07-06
The Cattle Disease.

lo Ca%tl0i DlseaSe. ~ L
The Following is extra cted from the
report Of the Committee appointed by
the Governor Of Massachusetts to in /
vestigate the nature, origin and manner
of treating the Cattle disease, now pres
vailing in that State and other parts of
the country:
.Af.Mensber.-I would like to in-J
quire, Mr.. Walker, where tho disease
came from tohis Mr.. eAlsry in Bel
mont !? 49, Ei
Mr.. Walker.-I understand, -and
I believe there is no doubt about the
fact,-that he imported it from Hol-
land, in which country it has existed
TWO hundred years. .1.....,]
Q.-Have you obtained any facts
relative to his herdY
.3.-Perhaps Il shOad have alluded
to that. Soon after tho appointment of
the Commission, .hty[ went to Mr.
Chenery's herd, and found that he had
them all kept close in his barn, and
they were apparently safe, as far as
giving infection to other herds was
concerned. He thought that his cattle
had got well, pretty much, except one
animal which was sick. We killed the
one that was sick, and it proved to DO
very badly diseased. We killed one
which had been cured twice, and that
was in about as bad state. We killed
another and found that diseased, but
We went no further at that time, mainly
for the reason that his herd was safe,
while all around US there was imminent
danger.
The great, drawback was the fact
that before the Commission was ap-
pointed, cattle began to 60 out to grass.
The trouble and expense and loss would
have been much less if we could have
begun operations before the cattle left
he barns.
fl Mensber.-I would like to ask if
any animal has recovered?
Mr.. Walker.-Anlmals have re-
covered in this way. We went to Mr..
Woods, and he says: "There is an
animal that has recovered. 1t mas been
sick twice, very sick, but it is now all
over it," 1t was an OK, apparently
well, Illuminating and gaining flesh.
Now think all that was true; it ap-
peared so. Our surgeons examined it,
and said the animal was diseased. It
was killed, and both lungs were found
in a hopeless case, very badly diseased
indeed. Yet the animal looked well,
and was gaining flesh. We found a
great many cases Of that kind, where
animals appeared to be in way Of
recovery, and yet, when they we're
killed, it appeared that they were hope
lessly diseased.
Q.-Have you formed any opinion in
regard to the time necessary for the
development Of disease after exposure:
.a-In regard to that, We have not
And it is the want of knowledge Of the
laws Of the disease that is the great
obstacle to our operations, and it is the
most alarming fact in regard to the
disease, that it don't seem to be under
stood at all in this country, or even n
Europe, where they have had it for tive
hundred years.
II Member. Il would like to ask,
how long after the exporting of these
cattle from Holland, the disease broke
out in Mr.. Chenery's herd ?
Mr.. Wdlker.-They arrived here in
the early part of the spring Of 1859,
and the disease appeared IN about two
months In fact, some Of the animals
we're sick when they got here. Two Of
them were carried n trucks to MS barn;
but they had 30 idea then what the dis
ease was. These calves Of Air. Stoi-
dard's left there on the Ia or 18th Of
June.
Q.-Haye any measures been taken
to disinfect any premises!
.A-The farmers who had lost their
cattle we're requested to whitewash their
barns inside thoroughly, and the Com
mission, before I was put upon it, pur-
chased some tons Of disinfectina
powder for the advantage Of the per-
sons who wished to use it. In some
places, that disinfecting process has
gone on. We advised it to be done as
early as possible, in order that they
might put their hay into their barns
this coming season. .-.- -r..sa
Q--Do you know Of any disease
beyond the Connecticut River?
IL have no idea of . case west Of
the Connecticut River, and I,have no
idea Of any in Essex County, where it
has been reported. a great many cases
brought to the notice Of the Commits
sioners are mere matters Of suspicion
l am satisfied that no case has occurr-
ed in the Commonwealth or out Of it
that cannot be traced directly to expo
sure. SD.
Q-Out Of the eight hundred, what
portion were diseased what were not ?
.2-The Commissioners have no ac-
curate knowledge Of what number Of
that eight hundred and forty were
actually diseased and what were not.
They have nothing except the pro-
nouncement Of the surgeon himself.
But 1 would state to the Committee
that in no case has an animal been
pronounced diseased that it was not
found so. A yoke Of oxen that were
killed, presented very extensive
almost carnifcation = Repatriation Of
the lungs. The lungs did not collapse !;
their weight was more than twice the
ordinary weight Of healthy lungs. They
,,,o,.o olnooet imnervions To air The