The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1868-08-20
The Texas Cattle Disease.

We print elsewhere the "report of pro-
gress" of the Commission appointed by
the Pork Packers Association of this city,
with reference to the disease among our
native stock which has its origin with
Texas cattle. This report, summarized,
arrives at the following practical conclu-
siOnS
1. The malady follows the track of
Texan cattle, and is not found elsewhere
is not plague or epizootic.
9. The Texan cattle which communicate
the disease are themselves healthy.
3. Native cattle affected with this dis
ease do not communicate it to other native
cattle.
4. There is not the slightest danger of
evil from drinking the milk of a diseased
COW, and Prof Gamgee says he should
have no scruples in eating the flesh. These
animals are not, he says, poisoned by any
| specific virus calculated to do injury to
men or animals.
B. The disease is classed in Europe as
among the forms Of fevers which originate
spontaneously where there is sufficient
heat or ill-dra;ned retentive soils.
G. Texas cattle imported here from the
18th of September to the 18th Of April in
duce no disease.
We do not learn much that is new from
this verbal report and these opinions OF
Prof. Gamgee. True, it is a report OF
progress. The Commission has again re-
, turned to its researches. Prof Gamgee
now goes as the agent of the Department
of Agriculture of the United States, hay
ing received a special commission from
Hon. Horace Capron, Commissioner OF
Agriculture, to investigate this disease
The Illinois State Agricultural Society has
also appointed a Commission with the
same object, consisting of Hon. James n
Brown, of Sangamon county, and DR.. Ell
G. Johns, of Macon county. So if light
is to be had concerning the origin and
nature Of the disease, we are likely to
get it.
Mr. Richardson, another member of the
Commission, believes the disease to be O.
such q character that when complete
knowle6 ge of it is had, this class Of (Texas
stock can be handled with perfect safety
under proper manag cement and regulations
But he advises the adoption of measure!
to keep these Texan cattle isolated from
all other stock, and to cease moving then
for the present, though he has little doub
that all the injury that can be done by thu
most of them has already been done.
There are few people in this city, W.
fancy, sufficiently illuminated with scien
tific light to deliberately or knowingly
drink the milk OF native COWS a1l1Cte(
with this Texan disease much less eat o
their flesh. Our credulity must be served
with strong stimulants before we shall b.
able to swallow the assertion that our ma
tive cattle are not poisoned, in some man
ner, by the Texan herds which hav,
preceded them in the pastures. Whethe
it is animal poison or not, it is furnished
by animals to animals.
, We are quite well aware that great in
terests are involved in the results of thi
!, investigation. Some men profess to regart
the Texan beef the safer to purchase ant
eat than native animals. We do not, pro
yided the native animals do no
come to us from the pathway
made by Texan cattle. There is n,
doubt as to the apparent good health @
the Texan herds who give this disease t
our cattle If it is not an animal poisol
f that they communicate, it may be not un
safe to eat Texan beef; but until that ques
ton is settled beyond a peradventure, W
! prefer to eat chicken or spring lamb wit
mint sauce.
SO far as this whole matter is concerned
the law prohibiting their introduction her
| should be enforced until it is repealed.
is the only remedy against the introduction
: of disease among our herds, and the vend
ing uf diseased animals upon our market:
e If it is safe to permit these cattle to b
Transported during certain months IN tn