Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-08-15
The Cattle Disease.

10 tie EttOr OF the AIsEtth0rtn Gn:cttc:
Tho appearancc OF several lengthy comuluul
cations on the subject of cattle disease in your
naner has induced me to contribute my mite 10
he calculating OF this, to all, MYSTERIOUS dis
c,sc Having as far back as two years ago,
written much on this subject, aud having at that
Time assumed that the Texas cattle were not
The cause of many ci the diseases attributed 10
them, then existing IN regions OF country
where hoot or horn OF lexas steer hau
never been justly and on scientific principles
contended that thev were rot the cause OF 'he
cases then under discussion. OOlbe o. NY lc
marks were extensively quoted it tha ''he, uut
at the start by strange oversight, "GlG ~ go
down and mutilatcd as TO be robbed OIL 'l!c lllos'
essential part CT the theory advanced, anu on
which the editor Of the State journal no" VI
Rchmond) made some unmcrltcu ci''ic'sh'.
stated in one OF these COMMUNICATIONS 'liat
after an extensive fire, in which food Tor many
,niIns was DESTROYED and the grass became
stumbled, that the irritation caused to the 'cct
and the nos, O! the animal seeking lood, was
hc cause OF a disease similar in some instances
r. that ascribed to the Texas cattle, that Tie
heel from which vaccine is sometimes taken
hccamc irrtatcd, and was in my opinion inc
sonrco Of the true Texas cattle disease; that
the Texas cattle were hardy stock and seldom
died Of this disease, and were not hence as apt
to suffer from it as others OF less vigorous cnar,
acter. and was satisfied that the stumbled
grass was the means oil conveying this rl'Iatcd
| vaccine virus throgh the nose OF cattle hrn"5
inv ghcrc Texas cattle had been iicrdeG. inns
"a what amused the editor OF the Journal so
much as TO elicit several sarcastic cdltorla'S 1T
nv expcnsc on the subject. Now with al! due
respect for the honorable profession OF which
am ncrhsps an unworthy member, 81: mt II
to those duly qualified 10 judge IN such mat
tors. if the report submitted to Congress on
this subject, made since | wrote the above,
docs NOT in sJmc measure bear me out 10 il'e
statements then made For the hentlii OF Your
readers and Tor their bitter comprehen*ion' re
nucst that YOU will insert the quotations pub
llshcd last week on this sutiect taken from HE
| Lynchburg News. Articles No. - t." ara =,
sd. That, though themselves hesI!hy' thTy
lett disease behind them; AID all native cA'''c
feeding upon the same pastures or drinkioS al
the same fountains were IN danger oi coiltasioh'
"2d That removal to new pastures and clean
| water UGull stay the progress 81 the Hl%''S@
among those not affected by It.
"Jth, That native cattle will not Ia"c 'i'c
disease from running On uc@ pastures WIN
other native cattle, although the latter MY ~
suffering from the disease.
1t does appear from this, that they Go mol
contract the disease on pastures that aic ho
bitten down and thereby slubb'cd. This Is al
important fact elected by the Conrrcssiona
-. Commission and one that had teen Prev
ousiy cited by myscl! rs one OF The mode:
of communicating the disease. ! our c3Tfc>-
pondent, Robert +. pay!on, u. d., q! War
rcn,on, has based his communication o.
the statements o! others, and is only light Il
we are to infer that the tick spoken oi get aLl
carry their poison from the Injected animal,
for of themselves, they would 10: be the Gauss
Of death and disease. 1t would be perhaps
deemed unctatiIab!c in me- to crlucIzt tho
: Dr's. article, and as the object Of this com
munication is to.civc and elicit Information,
D will abstain, particularly as he has been kin,
enough to write and article conTcylng muct
valuable inlorn ion on the reports OF rrac;ica
D but unscicrtEc Observers, and hence cannot 1t
deemed altogether responsible iur the crlrr
that have crept into his article.
The limited space allowed lor newI,rnre
, articles, prccuics my saying more on tins IN
y tcrcsting subject but hope tha; ha'e S1''
+ enough TO give the proper dlr,ct"n 7" III
q furthr-stussluu and exam nalon ci l..
JAMES 80 HILL, vi. D.
Alexandria, Va, August -, 1870