Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-03-30
good deal OF the needed material but hone
meal is better.


THE TEAAS CATTLE DI-EASE
The subject Of this lecture was the Texas
cattle disease" The late Prof. Stiles of
this institution, called this the yellow
fever Of cattle" 1t Is disease which
originates on the tide waters Of the Gulf
of Mexico and in localities on the coast
as far north as Charleston, $. c. Ii is a
specific, contagious fever. oil very malignant
TYNE. propagated by contagious oifuvia,
the source of which is probably the dis
charges from the bowels. This disease oc-
ours but once in an animal and only in
boyincs. The Texas cattle will give the
disease though they may show no appear
ance Of the disease at the time. Our native
cattle will take it only from the Texas
cattle, and will not take It from
native cattle though the latter may
be sick and die with the disease
1t can thus only be prOpagated by
actual exposure TO contagiOn from Texas
cattle, and if the sc are wintered in North
ern climate above the line of snow, the dis
ease will be eradicated. No danger need be
apprehended from any Texan animal which
has spent one winter Moth. Ticks found on
cattle are an indication of the possible pre-
sence of the disease, as they are the South
ern cattle tick but they do not cause, or
propagate the disease by getting on the
Northern cattle. Yet their presence may
give warning Of the disease, as they arc
also killed by Northern winter. This disease
is propagated from efiluvia from the evsc-
uations Northern cattle put into car in
which Texan cattle have been kept will be
infected, and a single Texan animal put
into fifty acre lot where there are other
cattle will infect the herd. If Texas cattle
have been in lot alone and been taken
out, and other cattle turned in, the latter
will take the disease, though three weeks
may have passed between the taking out OF
the Texans and putting in the natives.
Northern cattle placed in lot, through
which ran q stream. coming from lot
above containing Texas cattle, have been
known to tako the disease, the contagiOn
having been evidently carried by the
stream. The disease is most violent in hot
weather, and cattle brought North in the
Summer will give the distemper in ten days.
In cattle seized with this maladY the death
rate ia very large. The first indication of
the disease is dark cOlorcd or bloody urine
and constipation OF the bowels; at this early
stage physic will be beneficial and exciting
urinary action equally so. Diarrhgi Is
symptom of secondary stage of the dis
ease. There is tendency to bloody urine
and a stoppage of the urine by mucus,
which should be treated by giving sweet
spirits of nitre, acetate of potash, buchu,
turpentine, or large doses of gin. to which
extra oil of juniper should be added. If
these do not afford relief the catteter should
be used.
Ii is of the greatest Importance that these
remedies should be applied as soon a. the
presence of the disease is detected, and the
first remedy should be physic, for which use
salts. in pound to pound and halt
doses. Give also all the salt the animal
will eat A good effect is often produce
from salt alone.
The best diuretic is acetate of potash and
gin. No treatment has been yet discovered
so efficacious in the treatment of this class
of disease. as stimulation with alcohol, and
in this disease gin is to DO preferred. He
had given as much as a gallon of gin in 4
day to a single animal, and he had added
as much as one ounce OF oil of juniper to a
gallon of gin, to secure increased urinary
action.