The New York herald., 1871-01-08
Julv 1870. November 1870.
BEWARE OF BEEF AND MILK.
A Terrible and Fatal Disease Among the Cattle
III Massachusetts,.
Boston. Jan. 6. 1871.


There is considerable excitement and alarm pre-
vailng in the eastern ana southern sections OF Mas.
sachusetts singularly contagious and fatal
disease which has recently broke cut among the
CATTLE IL is OF species OF hoof disc ase and Is said
to be the most infectious Of all the "als" to which
cattle are subject, and 1t spreads with surprising
rapdlty in any neighbornood where 1t may be intro.
duced. 1t can he communicated TO other an imais
and 1t may be also to the human race, ana the milk
OF cows affected by 1t has been used in some In
stances with fatal effect.
| Not long since Mr. Caleb Cushing, a young farmer
of bingham, bought yoke OF oxen at Brighton and
drove them home. When they reached bingham
they were lame, and he took them to blacksmith
when it was discovered that their hcofs were dis
| eased. Within two weeks not less than seventy
head OF cattle belonging to some Of the choicest
breeds IN bingham were affected by the new hoot
disease. In some few Instances sheep ana hogs are
also affected. The citizens are adopting the most
stri gent measures to prevent the disease
| from spreading. Not only Is the driving
OF cattle through the streets stopped, but
no men are permitted TO visit the stables
where the sick cattle are. except those who have
the Of them. 1t is certain that the disease has
been carried from herd to herd in the clothes OF men,
and that cattle walking the road after diseased
cattle have been there have thus caught the disease.
The sick COWS are MIXED regularly and the milk
poured upon the ground In one instance the milk
was given to dog, and ii caused the anmal's death
in short time. The cattle affected being doc
tOrcd with the prospect that most OF them will be
cured. An effective remedy is SALT which is rubbed
into the noun IN considerable quantities with a
goved h4na, care Deiug exercised that the saliva be
Kept rom the ska. as IL is by no means certain rnat
the hu ,nan system ma not be inoculated with the
disease.
tn. disease has also made It's appearance in West
port, Dartmouth Little Compton and Tiverton, ana
creating great anxiety among the farmers IN that
vicinity IL appears 10 nave been communicated to
cattie Ia We5tport Irom YOKE or oxen sod IN mat
place by Mr.. hlroy, Brighton dealer and the d-
sease has spread quite Rapidly. Ine cattle OF Mr.
Timothy Aiken were irs5 attacked by the disorder,
aad IN conversation VITA his son, George q. Aiken,
ticu!ars OF e disease in tnat vicinity. He says
disease Irs appears ut tile upper eise OF the n0o5
rhe SKIN being 0llslered ana the nair appearnr
greasy. in Il rev days slppura6on commences
between the hoois and the nesn the IN
side OF the mouth becomes blstered and the
cattle drool frothy mucous, with slight show of
biood. Ia soIe cases the tongue tdrns black. Mr..
Aiken, as remedy, 1irss ap pied blue vtrlol and
spIrs tarpent ne 10 the feet anu afterwards put
air-siacK ed line On the moor. He afterwards used
pouce OF lard ana sulphur and Then tiled cal bolIc
acld anu tar. lie used no local remedy IN The moath
lie is uaa5le state how beneficial either OF the ap.
pcGtions were, but thinks caro0c ACID aud tar the
inosG eaectaa. MIR. AlAea pronounces the disease
extremely contagious, in one case oxen becoming
dlSoaset by standing In frame at a blacksmith
shop where others Injected hal beea shod before
the disorder had made ITS appearan C. Hogs nave
caugnt IL by Stepping lii the eXcrement OF infected
catJe. Al present the disease is prevailing among
cattle belonging 10 Daniel IL. Cornell, OF Wesiport
| and Rcnard Lapnam, Pe.eg Butts and otis slocum
o. Dartmouth Al a meelng OF the Farmers Cub
OF Dartmouth, on Wednesday evening, u committee
consisting oi Messr5. William Barker, Jr Benjamin
Cummings and +. ). Potter, was appointed to lake
such acton woald tend 10 prevent the spreading
OF the disorder. 4 rumor having been circulated
that OF the diseased cattle nad been slaugh.
| tered and the meat sold in New Bedford the
thorities are now buSiy engaged III investigating
/ the charges.
In the town OF Newbury, too the disease has also
/ made It's appearance Yesterday the discovery
made that the cattle on farm IN the Belleyle par
| ism OF NewburyporJ were affected by It, a few days
! ago u hewbury farmer visited the sick herd OF
neghbor, and within q week three of his cows
! affected. The disease must have been carried
In his clothes, as his own cows had not been out OF
| his barnyard
The Boston Trdpeler of this afternoon makes the
/ following recommendations to prevent the spread
! OF the terrible disease:-.'Bnt terrible as the
dies are seasonaby applied 1t can be cured
| and the lie OF the animal saved, and with
proper regulations its spread may be stopped.
But this can be elccEed only by the enforcement OF
sanitary measures, such as the Cattle commissioners
OF the state ale now adopting We nope the authorl
ties OF all our cities ana towns will afford them nj
possible ala IN enforcing then restrictions upon the
movements OF CATTLE anu If greater power is needed
grant II without delay. We do NOT believe
any OF our makmen Will knowingly furnish
| to their customers the milk OF alected animals,
but the danger Is 50 great that the exercise
OF The utmost caution on Their part is demanded.
There IS perhaps less danger that the meat oi de-
ceased animals Will be offered for sale, but 1t would
| give better SATISFACTION TO the consumers II they
could be assured, by an Official eXamination. that
none Of the animals slaughtered ut Brighton are
affected, and tney woula han with satisfaction the
passage OF law tnar while the disease Is prevalent
no animal shall be slam for the market until some
competent official snail have pronounced 1t lie for
uSe.n