Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1860-07-27
The CnttIo plague.

~ VIII Oo TSCOleCteu tuht III may lastt
when the Cattle Disease was raging to an
alarming extent in portion Of Massachu-
sets, Gov. Dennison appointed Messrs.
John H. Klippart, Sullivan D. Harris, and
Robert Thompson, commission to investi-
gate and report upon the disease, for the
information of the Ohio public. A MAORI
ty of the commission proceeded early in
June to New England, and their report is
now in process of publication. From the
advance sheets the State Journal gathers
the following among other interesting facts.
When the commission arrived at Boston
they found the Legislature convened for the
purpose Of devising means to arrest the dis
ease, still in session. The Massachusetts,
Board Of Commissioners, together with
other commissions, who like those from
Ohio, were appointed to investigate the
subject, were also in attendance. Besides,
the presence Of experienced stock raisers
from all parts Of the country, afforded
rare opportunity, by thointerchange of opin-
ions and observations, to collect information
on the subject.
The Ohio Commission are of the opin-
ion that had the discovery of the contagious
character Of the disease been made at the
outset, its progress could easily have been
arrested, and neither alarm or excitement
would have followed. Such a panic can
not again occur, especially in the West,
which can profit by tho experience of the
East, being thus forewarned, and acquan-
ted with the symptoms indicating the car
lier approaches Of the pleuro-pneumonia,
(for the cure of which, little time or atten-
tion is necessarily the disease never need
obtain so deep hold upon our herds. On
this point the report further says:
ain any event, isolation with us of the
West, where untold acres afford such ample
opportunities, would cffectually cut short
this disease. Having such great advanta.
ges over New England in this regard,
the necessity for slaughter, would, in great
measure, be set aside, excepting in so far
as the destruction of life became mercy
in cases clearly beyond the possibility o
recovery. In another very important poin
of view, would our vastly extended grazing
grounds and woodlands contribute to the
ultimate welfare of the country, as connect
ed with this great interest. We allude tc
the fact that here we would have the meant
; of testing the value of curative and preven
tive measures to any desired extent, and a
comparatively trifing expense, both as re-
, CARDS the first cost of animals and the ia
cilties afforded by suitable locations to-op
crate in. Here also, might for the sam,
J reason be repeated and made upon origi
nal suggestions, experiments determinin!
: beyond all question, the verify of contagior
! and the utility of incubation, which will
Q doubtless, (as it has in other countries) b,
J made to occupy the minds Of men, unit
! the most incorigible opposers yield to
repetition of experiments which skeptic
: should be ashamed to call in question"
The report says that the truth of auscul
tation and percussion as practiced on tn
, living animals by the veterinary surgeon
i of Boston was verified in every instance b.
D . post mortem examination. In every in
= stance the surgeons had pointed out correct
y ly the several peculiar changes of structur
u u and other more obscurely marked results c
diseased action, which were afterwards full
9 revealed by the knife.
ne MaSSacnuSetIS commissioners Qe
s. stroyed up to the 18th of May, s42 ami
q mails, valued at $40, ,432, and the estimate,
number Of cattle still diseased in variou
localities in Massachusetts amounts to ,O59
, About $50 animals had died Of the dis
. ease, making an aggregate loss of 2,02
" cattle, of the value of about $4,000.
The Ohio Commissioners came to th
= conclusion that there is none of the pleurC
= pneumonia cattle disease in New Englan
;, except in Massachusetts, and none in Ne,
4 Jersey, Pennsylvania nor Delaware, as hs
: been reported.
With the turning of cattle out to gras
6 the disease has so far abated in Massachl
sets as to quiet alarm, and the sanitar
g regulations adopted it is thought will fire.
- - the infected district of the disease, whic
! ! created no little panic early in the Spring