Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-05-31


The cattle disease Is spreading at an alarm
Iriurru.s IN Muuuachvvstts, and has also broken
out in some parts Of Connecticut. The
Governor of Massachusetts, has called a special
session of the Legislature 70 devise meeps 10
extirpate the disease which is called pleuro-
pneumonia. Itis supposed 70 be taken only BY
infection, and L IS stated that every case OBJ
served has resulted from direct contact or
association with animals in OF from the
district where the infection first appeared.
The disease is supposed to have been i'm
ported. The following account of its former
ravages in other countries we extract from
the New York Tribune; s1ss--..s-,-s-
"In l744 o farmer residing at Poplar, in
England, imported two calves from Holland,
under circumstances exactly similar to those
which attended Mr. Ohenery's importation.
Starting from this point, slowly at first, but
more rapidly as more means for its propaga-
ton were offered, II spread over the length
and breadth Of the land, destroying hundreds
Of thousands of cattle, and continuing its de-
vastating effects with almost unmitigated
severity down TO l754-5. Notwithstanding
the deep and painful interest which this dis
ease excited, and the efforts made by the
Government 70 stay its ravages, it was ascer-
tanned by one of the Commissioners appointed
to investigate the matter that in Noting
hamshire alone AZ, 700 head of cattle perished
in six months, and in Cheshire upward of
10000 in the same space of time"
The means used by the Government to ex-
tirpate the disease were-the killing of all
infected animals and burying them entire,
cutting off all communication with suspected
herds and farms, burning all hay and straw
used about infected animals, and placing the
movements Of all animals under strict sur
VeiIlance.
The difficulty of putting in operation such
thorough measures in this country where
there is so little power in the Government,
and where cattle are transported thousands
of miles over different States, can easily be
seen. Yet if We Judge by the experience Of
other countries, nothing short of these will
be equal to the emergency, and even with
them it is probable that the disease will
spread over the whole country. Its effect;
in England and Holland are thus stated in
the Tribune.
"In one year, the third of the existence Of
the disease, fl35,000 were paid out of the
public treasury as a recompense for the cattle
killed according to the prescribed orders
During the year $4,000 head of cattle were
killed because more or less infected, and
nearly double that number died of the disease
The prompt action Of the Government, al.
though it did not eradicate the disease, vel
much diminished its ravages, and ndoubt-
edly shortened the period of its sojourn in
England. Ilt .-r
HIn 1857 over 1900 head of cattle were
slaughtered or died, in only forty-three vii.
lagos in Holland, causing distress among
the peasantry of a lamentable nature. What
distress an equal mortality among the neat
stock of American farmers, most of them moi
over rich, would occasion, may be imagined
Let pleuro-pneumonia once get to the prairie
country of the West and sweep away twenty
per cent. of the cattle from which this city i
supplied, and what would be the effect upor
the railroads and cities, that even under ex
isting circumstances can barely hold theil
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