Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1860-06-07
The Cattle ptag,.p.

The entire New England States are
agitated i'll regard to the rapid spread Of
disease among the cattle in Massachus
etts which has thus far defied all efforts tC
discover its cause or prevent its exten.
sion. Reports Of its progress have reached
us for several months past, and now not
only is Massachusetts likely to be very
great sufferer from this disease, but adjoin-
ing States are threatened with similar
visitation 1t is stated that yokes Of cat
tie, cows and calves have been sold and
exported from the infected districts to
New York, Maine, Connecticut, Rhode
Island and Vermont, and it is not i'm
probable that they have carried the seeds
of disease with them. At the regular
Session of the Legislature of Massachus-
etts, lately CLOSED Commission was APP
pointed to provide for the eXtrpation OF
the disease. That Commission having
satisfied themselves that the malady had
extended over broader territory than
was at first anticipated, and that addi,ion-
al powers We're required, SO reported to
Gov. Banks, and he, acting upon the ad-
vice Of the Commission, and upon sun
dry petitions from the members of the
State Board of Agriculture and numer-
Gus citizens, called an extra session of
the Legislature, which assembled last
Wednesday at noon.
At this meeting of the Legislature a
communication was received from Gov.
Banks on the subject of the cattle dis
tn ala Til
Committee of fourteen of the House and
seven Of the Senate. The Governor es-
timated the number of neat cattle in the
United States at twenty millions, He
urged the Importance OF checking the
contagion; suggested thorough inyesti-
cation of the character of the disease;
thinks that the transit OF cattle through
the several towns may require additional
legislation, and left to the wisdom of the
Legislature the subject of charging the
number of the Board of Commissioners
and increasing their authority.
Ohio, in common with the West, has
become alarmed, and in view of the large
and important cattle interests which ex-
ist within her borders, Gov Dennison has
appointed Messrs. John IL. Klppart,
Sullivan ID. Harris, and DR.. Robert
Thompson, to proceed to the districts in
New England infected by the disease, and
report on the following points, viz
FirSt-Ascertain the history orthe Introduction
of the plcuro-p o-pncumonia, or "cattle -dlegue" into
New England. Ascertain fully the diagnosis OF
the disease by personal inspection of diseased cat
tie,
Sccopd-Asccrtain fully by personal inspection,
the morbid anatomy of the affected parts; and at
tend ms many post t-mOrtem examinations as may
be either necessary or convenient
Third-Ascertain what effect, if any, and what
kind of medical treatment has been administered
Ascertain also what sanitary measures have been
adopted, and with what success; also what meas
ures have been determined upon TO arrest the pro
grcss ofthe disease. Determine as accurately as
may be the manrerof infection or communication
of this disease from one animal or herd to another
fOmth--Colleet statements of the progress OF
the disease, and the action and results of the COM
mittccs appointed by the recent Legislatures OF
Massachusetts, and Connecticut
The report of these gentlemen will be
looked for with much interest.
Ravages of this disease among cattle
We're terrible in England in 1874, and in
Holland in 1857, Hundreds of thous-
ands of cattle persisted in England, and
it was ascertained that in Nottinghamshire
alone 10000 head Of cattle perished in
six months, and in Cheshire upward OF
10000 in the same time, Parliament
passed SPECIAL act, ordering the killing
and burning of all infected animals; the
burning of all hay and straw found about
the animals; cleaning and fumigiating
sheds; no diseased cattle to be driven to
fairs or markets; no healthy cattle to be
removed from farm where the disease
had prevailed, in less than month after
its disappearance &C., &c. Daring one
year of the disease 1000 of infected cat
tie were killed and El35, 900 were paid
out of the public treasury to their owners.
In 1857 over $4,000 head of cattle
were slaughtered or died. in only forty
three villages in Holland, causing a dis.
tress among the peasantry of lamenta-
bio nature.
In view of the disastrous results which
would follow the spread of pleuro- -pneu-
monia through the prairie country of the
West. the New York Tribune advises that
a competent commissioner be chosen by
each Of the cattle raising States to go to
Massachusetts, investigate the disease.
and report to their several Legislatures
the means of prevention found effectual,
that the necessary legislation might at
once be taken.--Nuti0naL Dem0crat.