The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-06-13
From the Cleveland Herald.
The Cattle Disease.

attempts to check its progress. IL is now
feared that il has made inroads into New
Hampshire, several deaths from pleuro Pneu-
monia having occurred among cattle brought
into that State from Massachusetts,. Gov.
Banks has called q special meeting OF the
Legislature of Massachusetts, to consider
what action is necessary in relation 10 the
N after, and in the Governors Message we
find much valuable information relative to
the disease.
The malady is said to be very similar in
its symptoms and effects to the disease
known in Europe as .Pleuro Pneumonia,
which is an inflammation Of the memboneous
lining of the lungs, gradually extending TO
and destroying the lungs themselves. In
Europe this disease has existed for a long
period of time, especially in the mountain
Gus countries; thence it has been carried to
Holland, France and England, and more re-
Gently TO Africa and Australia. Its princi-
pal location of late years has been in Hol'
land, from which country it has made occa.
sional inroads into France and England
Wherever 1t appeared the destruction OF cat
tie was immense. No medical treatment
was of avail. Inoculation has been tried
but without encouraging success. Isolation
of the infected cattle to prevent the spread
of the disease has been practiced in some
instances, whilst in others wholesale slaugh'
ter of the infected animals was decided on
as the only resource. Immense sums Of
compeu sation money have been paid by the
Governments where wholesale slaughter
has been determined on. Its character,
whether epidemical or simply contagious,
has not yet been fully settled.
The first recorded appearance Of the dis
ease in this country was IN 1854, when some
infected cattle were brought to New Jersey
from England. Effective measures were at
once taken, and the disease extirpated.-
The present visitation is supposed to have
originated with some cattle brought from
Holland, which were imported into Massa-
chusetts, May 23d, 1859. The disease was
confined for some time to the towns OF
Brookfsd and Braintree, but in the spring
of this year assumed such formidable pro
portions that general panic ensued among
the farming and grazing population of Mas
sachusetts, land legislative action was deemed
necessary. The attention Of other States
has been attracted to the subject, and {
Com mittee has been sent from this State BY
Governor Dennison to investigate the histo
ry and diagnosis OF the disease.
At it's last session the Massachusetts Leg
islature appointed three Commissioners t
examine into the disease and take measure
d for it's extermination. They were empow
g cred to kill and bury all cattle which ha
u been diseased or had belonged to diseose
= herds, and to cause the premises where the
:. had been kept to be cleansed and purified
. . They were directed to appraise the cattl
u killed, which were apparently tree from tn
disease, and to pay the owners for them ou
II OF an appropriation of $4,000 made by tn
ii LEGISLATURE. The disease spread more rap
y idIy than was anticipated, and the Commits
u sioners spent more than double the appro
: priation, slaughtering l842 cattle. The de
o iciency wus made up, and $4,000 addet
ID by private citizens, on the faith that tn
. State would reimburse them. Even this
10 not sufficient, and Gov. Banks, on the requeI
, of the people, called the Legislature togett
~ er. The Governor recommended the prob
" bition of the expectation of suspected cattl
81 to other States, and their complete isolatio
~ from other cattle.
~, 40 An official diagnosis of the disease hi
= u been printed by order Of the sachuset
Legislature. We extract from it th1t POI
ton whice is OF especial use to the practice
farmer and grozer:
DrAGNosIs.-The symptoms of the diseat
called Pleuro Pneumonia described by EN-
lish authors, do not essentially differ fro
s. those OF the animals affected by the diseOi
= in this country.
|e. Among the signs or symptoms are thest
- If the animals are at pasture at the cor
II. mencement of the disease, they will
90 found, early in the morning, separated fro
the head, with arched backs, coats starin
iv and refusing to eat; while, as the day d
"a. vances, they will ioin the rest, and appe
he to be in usual health.
A slight bu, husky cough will be occ
at sonally recognized, and at times the hrea,
q. inc will be increased, as if the animal h
f. made some extra exertion; and in mil
nm COWS there will also be diminished amou
on of milk.
on As the disease progresses, the cough
as. comes more frequent and husky; the res
Ter ration is humid; the pulse increased, a
a somewhat oppressed; the appetite diminis
,es ed; rumination suspended; bowels constiE
&c. ted; surfuce of the body and limbs cold;
,at skin rigid, and almost immovable over
a ribs; the animal, on pressure upon the spiI
flinches and is unable to bear pressure
percussion on the sides of the chest or c.
tai regions.
m In more advanced stages, the respirat
to is difficult, lubored and painful. The
ur. NAL frequently lies down; and, when sta'
=, ing, the head protrudes, the mouth cove
=" with frothy saliva, the muzzle cold, and
OF aspect spiritless and haggard.
cry On striking or percussing the aztec
ia. side, dull or dead sound is usually elici
. ;e to a greater or less extent; but this will
-, pend upon the extent to which the lungs
ulo become consolidated, and the presence
ess absence OF fluid in the cavity OF the che
IRE On applying the ear to the sides OF
his chest, one or the other is found to be ottt
10 ed; sometimes, though rarely. both are
'' plicated. When applied in the reglor
the diseased part, the ear fails to perce
the low, rustling murmur of healthy lur
ave and detects a crepitating sound or raj
inn which, as the case advances towards an
favorable termination, becomes duller,
'"s at last is altogether inaudible.
ties, An examination Of animals, which b
ost died of the disease called Pleuro- Pneu
X to mia, will present various appearances.
49,. lungs of the same animal will show all
'"1' different stages OF the disease; red hepi
oho' ton, dark spots, and an effusion OF serun
that -..s..--
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