New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-03-06
THE MURRAIN IN MASSACHUSETTS,.
Correspondence ofThe N. Y. Tribune.


NORTH BRooKFIELD, Macs, March s. $780,
The good farmers of this town have been thrown
into quite state of panic by the Sudden appearance
among their neat cattle of novel and fatal disease
which seems to be contagious in its character The
symptoms are, sluggshness of disposition, quick
ened respiration and All inability to take the usual
quantity of food and drink. Several valuable animals
have been carried off by it within the past year. and
the fact that it has spread from herd to another
causes the greatest alarm among the large owners of
stock for although the disease has not yet entered
their barns, they feel security against its dreaded
invasion. They have not yet given the distemper any
distinctive name, but many call 1t consumption. II
have no Doubt however from an examination OF sew
eral animals affected, and from the evidence of an
autopsy which have just witnessed, as well as from
the history of its intro duction that is the dreadful
nurran Of the Old World, which has at last crossed
the threshold of the New.
Mr.. Winthrop W. Cbenery, Boston merchant and
farmer, has imported large number OF cattle
from Europe, for the double purpose of turning an
honest penny and Of improving the stock OF this coun-
try. About year ago. by his orders, his agents in
Holland selected in dIe rent parts of that country four
cows of the very best kind, which were shipped TO
Boston. Upon their arrival, one OF them was in
most loathesone state of dfease Externally she was
almost of putrefacon and the stencil arising
from her sores was almost oyerpowering Another
evidently sick, but there were few external marks
of disease. The first one was conveyed upon truck
and the others driven TO Mr. Chenery farm in
Belmont, in the suburbs of Boston, where they were
duly installed.
A skillful veterinary surgeon from Boston was
called, who examined the invalids but the first advice
that he could give was that the sckest should be
killed. This advice was followed but mob )dy
willing, as nobody could endure, to make post
norton examination. The illness OF the other In
creased and she also killed. An examination of
her organs convinced the Boston surgeon that the dis
ease was ncurable but at the urgent request of Mr.
Chenery he continued TO visit the latter gentlemans
herd, many of which sckened, and about twenty-five
Of them have died.
None of these animals, however presented 30 loath-
spectacle as the first, and indeed, in most OF
them there was no external indication of disease.
Now for the manner in which the contaGon was in
troduced into this quiet rural district. Mr.. Curtis
Stoddard, I'd, young and public-sprited farmer Of
this town. hearing that Mr. Chenery kept a supply of
valuable stock, visited him the Doth Of June last
and purcbased three calves from three to four months
old, raised by Mr.. Chenery from imported animals.
Mr.. Stoddard took them homo, and kept them at first
in small field by themselves, but afterward allowed
them to run with bis other cattle. Some time in Au-
gust be noticed that of these calves heifer from
a Durham mother and Dutch sire) stood "curled up"
but the same symptoms continued, and she seemed to
breathe with great difficulty. His father, Mr..
Leonard StoddaId, took the, heifer, to his
own farm for treatment, and kept her three
or four days in a horse-bain, apart from
other cattle, and she was then taken home again
by Mr.. Stoddard. the younger. Bat marx the sequel
None of the sons other cattle have suffered while the
father has been heavy loser. He thinks that his calf
may have met s other cattle al the watering place, at
time when its illness most contagious. During the
month after the, calf left Mr.. Leonard StoddAds
place, three of his and the cow died. This last
Winter he has lost four more young cattle, and two
sick until this afternoon, when he sacrificed
one upon the altar Of science. The chest of this au-
NAL Ia yearling) was found to be filled with straw
colored serum, nearly pailful. Nearly pound of
albumen, formed by the coagulation Of this serum,
was also in the chest and the presence Of this vast
quantity of foreign matter sufficiently accounted for
the short, hurried breathing of the animal in life its
ply steal weakness and its inability to eat The lungs
greatly compressed and hardened, unit to fulfill
their proper Office.
From Mr. Leonard Stoddards farm the disease has
spread to those of few of his neghbors Last Fall
he exchanged COWS with Mr.. &. T. Huntington, giving
him one TO all appearance perfectly healthy, and not
thinking there was any further danger to be appre
hended The cow was afterwsrdl taken sck, how
ever and Mr.. huntington thought that it was suffering
from the horn dstemper. It's sickness proved fatal
and during the Winter Mr.. H. has lost seven eight
head. Mr. Olmstead Of Brantree, has also suffered
ed from the came cause. Mr. Needham Of New Brain
tree, who received cow and two yoke of oxen from
Mr.. Stoddard, has Loot two and has more sick.
sick.
The above are all the cases that have yet occurred
but perhaps only the first page Of endless caa-
logue. The disease if possible, should be nipped in
the bud before it spreads among the Woodworking
VI tiJb recllOu VI VI pclcIdlth
the stockrasing regions of the West. The people of
the town meet tonight 10 discuss the subject and DIR.
Dodd Of Boston, who has paid it considerable atten-
ton, will throw what light he upon the subject.
II seems to that the mort stringent should
be adopted TO suppress this disease and that the owner
Of every animal that maneste any symptoms should
be required TO slay IL at once. For doing he would
have just claim Ia the gratitude of his ello citizens
and even TO indemnity at the public expense. Bos.
From The Boston Journal March Q.
destructive disease has made It's appearance among
he cattle in North Brook field and vicinity and con
siderable excitement exists among the farmers In that
region The disease was introduced last Summer by
,af Of foreign breed brought from the Town Of Bel.
mont. IL fixes itself upon the lungs and produces
violent cough, and the lungs finally destroyed
Some Of the cattle attacked with II linger along for
weeks others die in few days after the attack None
nave recovered.
Letters from farmers In North Brookfeld say that
he ofease s apparently making clean sweep through
be herds in that section where il has got foothod.
One man has lost ten head of cattle and has many
-. ILL Annfhar tnan haa savan and tina haaf