The New York herald., 1879-08-08
PLEURO-PNEUMONIA.

RAvAGEs OF THE DREADED CATTLE sCoURGE
In NEW JERsEY-ALARM AT PATERSON AND
PROMPT ACTION OF THE AUTHORITIES.
Considerable excitement caused in Paterson.
N. j.. on Wednesday and yesterday by the report
that pleuro- pneumonia had broken out among some
cattle belonging Mr. Tunis Kievet. proprietor OF
dairy in Goodwin street. A meeting of the Health
Board at once held. and City Physician Myers
instructed to have autopsy made of one OF the
dead animals three having died within three days.
A post-mortem accordingly held in the presence
OF DR.. Marsh president Of the State Board of Health
Dr. Myers. the City Physician; Drs. Bal
ThaS rasn anI MP, & Ana NV IT, rSs,;s,,oun tS~un,
most OF tho doctors thought that the animal had
died OF some kind OF malignant blood poisoning.
In order to be the safe side the authorities at
quarantined the rest of the Drove thirteen in
number forbade Mr.. Kievet to sell any milk. had
the animals milked under their supervision and
threw the milk away. They also advertised in the
papers that 1t unsafe to any of the milk of
these cattle and telegraphed for General Stirling.
tle. to so vt to Paterson In the meantime all
excitement and pleuro- pneumonia WAS made the
opinions expressed. somo going far as
advocate the killing the rest of the hcrd and the
burning down OF the barn in which they were quar-
tered
General Stirling sent Mr.. J. C. Force one of the
state Inspectors. to Paterson yesterday to in
vestigatc the matter. This gentleman arrived about
noon. and at made examination, and de-
carcd that the dead animals perfectly free
from pneumonia, were also the rest OF the
herd. He also told the astonished physicians that
pleuro pneumonia IL not disease which kills the
infected animal suddenly; that there is no harm in
drinking the milk OF animal infected with this
disease. ana that it Is in dangerous to people
The restrictions placed on Mr. Kievet's property
were removed and the fright OF the residents dissi
pated.
In conversation with "a HERALD reporter Mr..
Force said that there were no cases OF the disease
north of the Hacksnsack River: that the disease is
the most virulent between the Hudson and the
..Do you think the disease is the decreases"
asked tho reporter.
..If there is any change at all in its status it is
certainly not on the decrease. replied MIR. Force.
mo. it ~ not the decrease. Yesterday examined
herd OF fifty head Secaucus. and among them
found forty-seven who were moro or loss affected
with the disease. That certainly does not look much
like decrease. or course. all OF these animals
not dying with the disease. but all had it in
some degree"
'Is there anything that would increase the activ-
timcs?"
'Thc late dry weather has had very bad effect on
the pasturage and has tended materially to increase
the spread and virulepcc OF the disease.
what do you do with cattle that you find and
condemn ss infectedy'
1--WE do not do anything with them. 1t Is only
our duty to find out where the disease is. and then
the State authorities do the rest They generally
quarantine the cattle until they die or yet over it,
II had my way ABOUT IL would kill every infected
animal, and lthnk any regular veterinary surgeon
would"
''ls the milk of these animals sold in the
ketr'
"Certainly The herd which examined yesterday
belong TO dealer in milk, and the milk is sold daily
in New York city. We always decline to give TO the
public the names of the of cattle affected by
plcuro-pncumonia because 1t would create an unjust
prejudice against tho milk. Az animal is
so tar gone In pcuro-pneumo ~ to infect tho
milk It would dry up and tho tactical huid cease to
how"
"now long does IL take for an animal TO recover
from attack of plcuro-pneumoniayi
''rhc medical authorities say from thirty to forty
days, but my experience. and l have had great
deal OF IL, teaches me that IL generally takes
longer. l know of a where herd of cattle,
after all the unsound animals had been removed.
were quarantined for eighty-hvc days, and on the
eighty sixth day when allowed to mix with other
cattle. pcuro- pneumonia declared ITSELF
Mr. Force Is of opinion that II the disease ever gets
west OF the Aeghanes 1t will devastate the entire
wost