Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-06-15


ing tho lungs themselves. In Europe, this
disease has existed for long period Of time,
in the mountainous countries;
thence it has been carried to Holland. France
and England, and more recently to Africa and
Australia. Its principal location, Of late
years, has been in Holland, from which
country it has made occasional insoads into
France and England. Wherever 4 appeared,
the destruction Of cattle WAS immense. No
medical trsatmsnt was Of avail. incubation
has been trisd, but without encouraging
success. Isolation Of the infected cattle, -
prevent the spread Of the disease, has bean
practiced in some instances, whilst in others
wholesale slaushtsr Of tho infected animals
was decided On - tho only resource. Immense
sums of compensation money have been paid
BY the governments where wholesale daughter
has been determined on. Its character,
whether epidenical or simply contagious, has
not yet been fully settled.
The first recorded appearance Of the disease
in this country was in 1854, when some
infected cattle ware brought to New Jersey
from England. Effective measures were 1t
ooce taken, and the disease sxtrpatsd. The
present visitation i supposed to have origin
atsd with some cattle brought from Holland
which were imported into Massachusetts,, Nay
9sd, 1859. The disease was confined fer
some time to the towns of Brookaeld and
Braintree, but in the Spring Of this yeaz
assumed such formidable proportions that
general panic snsued among the farming and
grazing population Of Massachusetts,, and
legislative action was deemed necessary. The
attention Of other States has been attracted ia
the subject, and committee has been sent
from Ohio, BY Gov. Dennison, to investigate
the history and diagnosis Of the disease.
The interest In this matter 10 Of national
proportions. The neat cattle in the United
States, in 1850, according to the census returns
Of that year, were 1888, 900. Estimating
the increase in ten years At 20 per cent, the
number in 1850 would be more than
~, 00o, 900. The number of mich cows, In
1850, was 5000, 900, and the number Of
working oxen 100000. Estimating the
value of the animals annually slaughtered,
from the aggregate herd Of the country,
together with the annual product of butter,
cheese and milk, and the annual value of labor
of the working oxen, we would have the
yearly product Of something like $3.50, 0O0, OO0'
The value of all the cattle in the country a
tho present time, estimating their number 81
80, COZ, 900, and their worth at go per head,
ID 4540, 600, 900. A virulent murrain, raging
unchecked among this tremendous herd Of
animals, must be attended by Wait destruc-
ton of the wealth of the country.
At its last session, the Massachusetts,
Legislature appointed three Commissioners to
examine into the disease, and take measures
for its extermiaation. They were empowered
to kill and bury all cattle which had been
diseased or had belonged to diseased herds,
and to cause the premises where they had
been kept to be cleansed and purified. They
were directed to appraise the cattle killed,
which were apparently free from the disease,
and to pay the owners f,r them out Of ~
appropriation Of 900 made by tho Legis'
lature. The disease spread more rapidly than
was anticipated, and the Commissioners spent
more than double the appropriation, slaughter
ing 1s4a cattle. The deficiency was made up.
and $4,000 added, by private citizens, on
the faith that the State would reimburse
them. Even this is net sufficient, and Gov.
Banks, at the request Of the people, cc>leo the
together. The Governor recon-
mended the prohibition of the expectation Of
cattle to other States, and their
complete isolation from other cattle.
This is subject on which the people Of the
West are As deeply interested As those Of New
England. If the disease spreads ell over the
United States, as it now threatens, the West,
already noted tor its cattle raising, will feel it's
effects worse than any other part Of the
It behooves cur people, therefore,
10 keep watchful eye on the progress Of the
disease, and to adopt, as soon as it is deemed
measures for protection. The States
vest Of the Mississippi should prohibit the
crossing Of any cattle from tho eastern side of
The, river This appears to be the most
,ffectual way to keep our stock free from the
Infection. ~
Let us hear from our farmers and cattle.
,aisers on this subject. ga.
WHAr OF PlKR's P8AX2--We begin to hear