The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1866-03-01
farmers Cptnt,,tl.
THE CATTLE PLAGUE.

THE CATTLE PLAGUE. :
The coincidence of the appearance of
the cholera and the cattle plague is re-
markable, and il is striking that no eff
fectual preventive is yet discovered for
either. The loss of stock in Great
Britain is already so great that the
most earnest attention is given to the
subject, and while Commissioners are
investigating and advising, the whole
history of the subject is faithfully ex-
plored. 7 -.
1t appears that the cattle plague,
from Pharaoh's "grievous murrain"
down to our time, has been constantly
known, and during the ninth century it
was especially severe. The armies of
Charlemagne with their necessary sup
plies, strewing whole countries with
decaying carcases, are held responsible
for the pestilence at that time, as arm
les. are responsible for some other of
the fearful scourges of humanity. The
North British Revie,c, which contains an
interesting paper upon the subject, says
that the eighteenth century, also, gen
Grated the cattle plague, and that in the
three years, from I'LL to lila, 1,50O,-
600 cattle died of it in Western Europe
1t lasted seven years in Italy, and Hol-
land, in ten years, lost more than 200,-
600 cattle. In eight years after the
death of Charles vi, over thre millions
Of cattle died of the cattle plague in
Central and Western Europe. Between
1745 and 175S at least 500, 900 were de-
stroyed by the disease in Great Britain,
and the Review says that no method of
cure tried i'm 1865 was not tried in 1915
and found wanting 1t is computed
that during the eighteenth century,
from I'LL to 1896, more than 200, ,000,-
600 of horned cattle were swept away
by the plague in Western Europe.
The result of research and compari-
son is, that it proceeds from the step
pes of European Russia. The lower
part of the Dnieper is bordered by
Russian provinces which breed some
100000 cattle, among which the
plague always prevails. The stock
sent from these steppes to PnliSh n"d
A---.-i.s.4 luarneUs introduce the disease,
which then penetrates Europe. The
neighboring countries struggle to keep
out these herds. Prussia destroys even
birds and dogs that might convey the
plague, but when it is smuggled in it is
trampled out wherever it appears
Austria is not so rigorous or so sue
cessful. 1t is supposed that 1000
infected cattle pass yearly into Hun
gary and Galicla, and in the former
country it is now destroying sheep as
well as horned beasts. The Hungari-
an cattle known as Dutch beasts are
often seen in the London markets, and
they are supposed to have brought the
present plague into England. ie
The disease is apparently very conta-
gous. Dogs, sheep, pigeons, hens which
have pecked among the affected cattle;
the attendants on the sick beasts
ponds and streams into which sheds of
diseased animals have been drained
high winds and public roads along
which the herds have been driven all
retain and convey the deadly virus
The disease appears in five or seven
days after the poison is taken into the
system; and although upon the step
pes inoculation checked the disease,
~ Luis w dlICSb IL clSCWucIc IIlGl1 It11dS
coursed through seven or eight beasts
and it is remarked that the pestilence
increases in intensity and fatality as it
spreads northward
The British Commission appointed
to investigate the subject have decided
that the only way to arrest the spread
of the disease is to prohibit. the move
ment of cattle thus conining the rava-
ges to one district. 1t is in accord
ance with this conclusion, that Mr..
Wentworth, of Illinois introduced his
blu into congress forbiding the present
importation of cattle. The latest ac-
counts from England make the loss at
present time, in consequence of the
plague, about 10000 week. An eff
ficient and universal act of prohibi-
tation of import during the rage of
the pestilence would doubtless save our
own stock from it's ravages; and it is
the interest of the whole country that
such an act should be stringently en-
forced.-Harper's Weekly. - 'a@@