Daily Republican., 1879-07-30
PleurO. Rneam0nla.

u6 OllOWIuB lottoT HuA Ahoo' -
Edge, Secretary OF the Penna. Board Of
Agriculture, shows that plsuro pnenmo.
MIA prevails among cattle in the neigh :
boring county Of Lancaster. Copsidera
bic alarm has been prevalent among
the farmers in Colerain township, that
county, for some time, when letter
addressed to Mr.. Edge ELECTED the fol-
lowing reply. 1t Is to be hoped the ef-
forts to prevent the spread Of the dis
ease will b- successful.
OFFICE BoARp OF AGRICULTURE, HAIR
RIsBURG, July %, 1S79,-Your letter Of
inquiry relative to pleure pneumonia
in your county was duly received, and
in reply would say, that there can bs
no doubt as to the nature of the cares
on the farm alluded to, as the charac-
teristics we're unmistakable at the first
post. .mortem. We have but little doubt
that with the assistance and co-opera.
tion of the owner any his neighbors, we
shall be able to prevent the disease
from spreading. On Monday last the
whole herd was carefully inspected by
competent veterinary surgeon in our
employ, and every diseased animal
killed. They::will be carefully exam
ined every day, and all cases in the
least doubtful at once isolated for fur
thsr developments.
In reply to your second query as to
remedies have to say that we know Of
none. 1t is true that cures by the use
Of medicine have been claimed, but
Wa have yet to find them Of any practi-
cal use, the best that can BE- done is to
build up the system with tonics
and give nature the best possible oppor-
tunity to fight the disease; good con-
stitutions and light cases get apparent
ly we'll, but that portion of tue lung
(be 1t ever so small) which once becomes
thoroughly diseased never RECEIVERS so
as to admit OF the passage Of the air.
As soon as reported to me all cases
are at once examined, and If the dis
ease proves to be contagious pleuro-
pneumonia all suspected cases are iso
lated from the herd until the further
development: Of the disease renders a
mistake impossible, when they ara
killed and buried with tho hides en-.
My instructions from the Governor are
not to issue certificates of value tor any
animal belonging to an owner who has
concealed or allowed any one to conceal
the existence of the disease in his herd.
In all cases of infected herds the
neighboring farmers may themselves
do much to prevent its further spread
by avoiding all contact with the dis
eas.d animals, for like other contagious
diseases, this may be carried in clothing.
In infected herds the same man should
take care of the sick, and shonld avoid
all contact with the well. OF course
the animals should be prevented from
coming in contact with the we'll of their
own or adjoining herds.
All stables, stalls and feed boxes
should be thoroughly white washed
with hot lime to which chloride OF soda
(blacking powder) has been added;
tar may be placed in feed boxes AID at
any point where its odor will reach the
COWS. In stables where the infection
exists, sand saturated with carbolic
acid may be kept in boxes in places
out of reach OF the cows.
In reply to the question rs to the
value of incubation of prevention,
l would say that it is grave error to
adopt it, and under my commission
from the Governor would be warrant
et in prosecuting anyone who attempt
ed to practice 1t.
In conclusion allow me to say that
there Is no cause of alarm on the part of
stock owners in your county, for feel
satisfied that we can hold the disease in
check, and eventually eradicate it, or at
least very much decrease the loss re-
sulting from it. Respectfully Yours,
THekAs J. EDGE, Secretary.