The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-06-06

Agricultural Society, upon the character Of the
disease which prevailed recently with such ia
tai results among cattle in the vicinity Of Spring.
field and in few other localities in Central Ili-
nois. DR.. j., it will be observed, decides that it
is not pleuropneumOnla, and apprehsnds no Sc
rious spread Of the murrain.
SPRINGFIELD, H., May %, 1868.
John p Reynolds, Secretary Illinois State Agricul-
tural Society:
SIR :-Being invited by the President of your
Society, together with yourself, to visit the city
to inquire into the causes of the mortality among
the mich cows, during the period from the 10th
to the Doth ultimo, and if possible to arrive at
such conclusions from the facts in the case, a.
would warrant you in calling the attention Of
the proper authorities to the importance of the
matter, and soliciting their aid in adopting such
remedial measures rs the case requires,-in COM
pliancs with your request, since my arrival in
the city, l have been diligent in making such in
quiries as would lead to the proper information
upon that subject. rtunately for the bovine
race and their owners no deaths or new cases OF
sickness have occurred since my arrival / am
consequently prevented from examining animals
while suffering from the disease or examining
them after death. Of the few cases reported to
me where intelligent account OF the symp-
toms have been given, 40 doubt is left upon my
mind OF there being an affection of the lungs.
And this opinion is confirmed by the post MOE
tenn appearance of the lungs in five cases ex-
amined by DR.. Geo. T. Allen of this city. In ev-
cry case heard of the course of the disease has
been SO rapid and death occurring 50 soon after
the first appearance Of the disease, that had the
most intelligent observer Of the symptoms been
present, but little time is had, not sufficient in
deed for a proper classification Of the symptoms,
to warrant an opinion as to the true nature of
the disease. That it is fearfully fatal no one
will deny. But whether the causes are foreign
or local, whether confined TO the cows of the
southwest part of the city, that Craze upon a GER
tain field in that vicinity, are questions not yet
determined.
1t is possible foreign influences, and by those |
mean causes that produce epidemics and conta-
gions, sufficient to produce such mortality have
only operated upon the stock in that particular
locality, and that its fury has been expended iIr
the death OF all at first effected for no new cases
have occurred in tho last three days But other
stock may have been OK posed 10 the disease by
coming in contact with those that have died, and
a fresh outbreak may occur more startling than
&he first. This say is possible, but think by
no means probable. The present cessation Of the
disease indicates that the causes were local ones
and it is to be hoped that its ravages are here
stayed.
After the most careful examination of the facts
before me, / find that there is ne analogy between
the disease manifested here and the Rinderpest
Of Russia, that made such ravages amongst the
cattlee f England during the years of 1865 and
1856 except in its mortality,) nor is it like the
epidemic Pleuro-Pneumonia, that created SO
much alarm in Massachusetts, in 1859, in its in
cepton or duration its general characteristics.
Acute inflammation of the lungs was undoubtedly
the cause Of death in those examined, and as the
symptoms were similar in ALL all may have died
OF such inflammation. But tho epidemic or conta-
gisus characteristics Of Ptsuro- Pneumonia need
not be inferred to exist here, and no alarm need
bs felt because some animals have had acute in
fammation Of the lungs. II. c. JOHNS,
Special Commissioner upon Diseases Of Cattle for
the Illinois State Agricultural Society.