Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-05-05

/ D,
throp, one of the state commissioners, for ex
terminating the disease known as "Peuro
Pneumonia Epizootic," visited the farm o.
Pliny H. Babbitt in Barre, and in company
with several gentlemen proceeded to the exam
ination of Mr. Rabbits herd of COWS. From
representations made to the commissioners by
Mr.. Rabbit, and the fact that Mr.. Babbitt had
lost several animals with disease somewhat
resembling cases in Brookfeld and vicinity,
it was deemed advisable to make rigid in
vestgation of the remaining animals OF the
herd. Two cows which had been sick were
killed, and the lungs and other organs examin-
ed by Mr.. Lathrop, and Drs. Whitcomb of
Barre, and Bates of Worcester. No disease
was found in either case which could be con-
sidered analogous to the disease prevalent in
Brookfleld.
The commissioners believe the disease is
confined to North Brookfield and vicinity, and
that they have it entirely under control un.
less there has been some spread of the con-
tagion which it has been impossible to discov.
er. They have thus far performed their duties
with much intelligence, discretion and fidelity.
The next legislature will undoubtedly make
whatever appropriation may be necessary to
cover the expenses required for thorough
extirpation of the disease. There is undoubt-
eddy much unnecessary alarm among the
farmers, but this is not surprising. 1t will
gradually disappear, and, we trust that the
disease itself will soon cease to exist in North
Brookfeld. Whatever the commissioners can
do to remove unwarranted alarm will unques-
tionably be done.
The commissioners have continued their in
vestigations during the present week, in North
Brookheld, inspecting numerous herds and
killing the cattle or condemning them to be
killed, according to the provisions of the law,
when they were found contaminated with the
disease. The whole of several herds, and por
tons of others, amounting in all to sixty head
or more, have been slaughtered. Among those
condemned, amounting in all to over 100,) are
the fine looking herd of forty-one, belonging
to j. C. Ayres, which had been exposed; the
herd of Jonathan Pellet, numbering thirty
that of w. NJ. Deland, numbering eighteen
and mostly working oxen; the remaining
eight of the herd of Charles H. Stoddard and
the herd of eight belonging to Silas H. Bige-
low. A correspondent of the Boston Journal
doubtless DR.. DADDY writing from North
Brookfeld, dated May 2, has the following
in reference to this matter -
at appears that the cattle distemper now
prevailing in this region has assumed miIder
form. Only short time ago it was quite com
mon to find an animals chest full of serum,
lymph and fibrous matter-the lungs reno cred
almost solid by emulation, and occasionally &C.
cupied by large mass Of detached and meta
morphosed lung tissue; now, most of the
cases merely show hypertrophy, or enlarge
ment of the lung, its external tunic and con-
Meeting tissue, accompanied by very slight ex-
udation, and little if any effusion into the cav
ity of the chest. Still, new cases among the
| suspected herds are constantly occurring, and
since yesterday the commissioners have order
| ed the destruction OF one hundred animals
| These animals have all, either directly or in
| directly, received the infection or contagion
from oxen used in the "big team" In fact,
the contagious element of the disease is estab-
lshed beyond the possibility OF doubt.
The commissioners feel satified that unless
infected amin ais have been sold and driven
out of the district, that they can extirpate the
cattle distemper; yet it will require much
larger amount OF money to accomplish this
object than the legislative appropriation. 1t
appears to me not only matter Of grave i'm
portance to the people of North Brookfeld the
interests of the husbandmen of the whole OIL
North America are involved, for il this disease
should spread beyond its present limits, nc
one can foretel where it will end. 1t may
prove to be as disastrous here as in the Old
World during the years 1944-45.
Your readers in Boston and elsewhere need
not feel alarmed lest the diseased meat should
be offered for sale in their several localities,
for under the stringent precautionary measures
enforced by the commissioners it is almost a
matter of impossibility to get dead caacase
beyond the limits of this town.