American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-04-17
PLEURO.PNEUMONIA.


The Result of an OmcIal Inve.uea.
tion-Report of the Secretary of lh,
Treasury.
WAsHIsGrON, April Q.
The Secretary of the Treasury ha.
transmitted to Congress the result of an
investigation made by skilled officer,
into contagious diseases affecting ami.
mails. In his communication the Secre
tary says:
1.-The Department Of the Treasury has beer
long embarrassed with several questions arts
as pieuro-pneumonia, or lung plague. in nea
cattle. These questions relate: ID to the ex
United States; q to our commerce with Va
lions beyond the seas, especially with Great
| Britain; t3l to our trade in cattle with the Do
with a view to such legislation as circum
stances may seem to require it seems proper
/ ut this time to submit 70 Congress some brief
remarks upon the nature of the disease In
question, the history of its prevalence in other
ment of the provisions of law now in force and
of the various orders issued by this depart
what measures may be properly enacted by
congress Tor the suppression and prevention
A description and history Of the disease Ia
then IN given at great length, covering not only
IT'S appearance in the United States, but in
country is described in detail, and an exhaust
(.
been used from year to year In this and other
countries 70 supp ess the plague is given. The
letter then goes on to recommend measures to
prevent and suppress the disease.
Among the measures suggested to prevent
Of injected cattle Is naturally suggested. This
method, however, has been, and no doubt will
5 BE-, found to be entirely imPracticable The
sible, not only by contact with the diseased
animals, but by contact with buildings, hay,
been in contact with diseased animals. Neat
cattle are short lived, and when once infected
cover, arc of very small value either for breed
ing or fattening, or for labor. Although @
large percentage of the cattle diseased may
apparently recover, yet, upon dissection, the
lungs will be found to be seriously affected,
so eeat T. may be ar said that the
Added to this. isolation is very expensive. is
attended with great risk to the neighborhoOd.
and the infected herd must be always suspect
ed and, therefore, unsuitable. In no view can
further than for the mere purpose of ascer-
tanning definitely whether or not the disease
Inoc1laiion is, as has been heretofore stated,
another method practfced in some countries to
prevent the spread of the disease; but this has
never been employed except in countries
where the disease had broken through all re-
straint. and as q last resort to preserve sound
cattle from the general infection which sur
rounds them. Besides the expense and incon-
venience of the practice, it is often attended
their tails otherwise, and sometimes by the
loss of their lives. It is not to be Thought OF
ist at the present time in this County, son a' ~
The only eRectual method of Graduating the
disease is by prompt slaughter of all infected
icaIly administered, the disease has been thor
oughly stamped out in several places in Massa-
States To effect this. however, prompt and
energetic measures are requisite. Several
ready to prevent, to attack and eTterminate
the disease wherever It may appear in their
borders. Most States. however, nave adopted
no such measures, and it seems absolutely
necessary that some measures should be
adopted by the General Goyernment to pre-
have seen, would amount to q national calam-
tty. 1t is for Congress, and notfor this depart
ment, to devise the measures necessary for
this purpose. 1t may not be improper. how
ever, to make some general suggestions upon
The Legislature of Massachusetts has recent
ly sent to Congress n memorial requesting
prompt action for the prevention and suppress
cry is heard that the General Government
should intervene in the matter
Veterinary Sanitary Commission, whose duty
country. to collect Information with regard to
report the result of their Investigation TO some
department Of the Government for publfcar
ton.
1t would be necessary that such commission
shoulc be composed, principally at least, of
veterinary surgeons or experts in the diseases
of cattle. The commission might be small,
consisting OF from three to seven members,
with authority to employ assistants or agents,
mission. From such a commission, even with
no greater power than have been above fndt-
Gated, much good might result.
Owners of suspected herds and their neigh
bOrs would at once be informed whether the
contagious disease was really present or not.
authorities might be invoked for It's suppress
sion. If found not to exist, publication Of that
the suspected neishbornood, but to the e coun
try and world in general.
Going step further, Government might in
vest such commission with authority, on
proper occasions, to aid municipal and State
authorities In the suppression OF the disease,
and, by means of appropriation for the pur.
pose, grant proper indemnity to the owners Of
cattle condemned to slaughter. Such proceed
methods adopted for the prevention and sup
preston of the yellow fever in the acts estab-
fishing the Board of Health.
Under the provision found in the third sec
ton of the act of June 1s79, entitled AN act
20 ptevehs OF c4ntagtons ana IN
The National Board of Health shall cooper
State and Municipal Boards of Health I'm the
execution and enforcement of the rules and
regulations Of such boards to prevent the in
PRODUCTION of infectious or contagious diseases
into the United States from foreign countries,
It is undersf I'd that this act does not apply
to diseases in animals.
Under this provision large amounts of the |
appropriation contained in the act have been |
expended in cooperation with the authorities
of several cities and states infected or threat |
ened with infection by yellow fever; and it is
by Congress might be properly |
and etfectually used for the prevention and |
cattle.
As suggested by the British Minister, the |
most obvious method of dealing with the dis |
ease would be by the appointment of COM |
mission of some kind, with full power to pre- |
they think proper in any part Of the territory
of the United States-such power IL exer-
cised by the Privy Council of Great Brit ain. |
under the power to regulate commerce, Com
gress has authority to send its agents into the |
herds belonging to citizens, which |
may be found to be dangerous to Interstate |
or National commerce, It is somewhat doubt
would meet with hearty cooperation from
State or municipal authorities.
The disease Is not in existence in any of our |
Western States or Territories. Indeed, it has
existed and il known in only a few States of
the Union; and the propriety OF SO energetic
ment might not be appreciated In those states
where the disease has not been known. Some
Of the disease to
and it is for Congress to define the limits both |
Of policy and legality in ITS Trains on
our great lines of transportation has been sug-
gested as precamtion against the &c. eonveyance
ton are based upon the fact that contagious
is not INDIGENOUS to this
that it has never existed in our West
ern States, whenc. cattle found upon such
lines of transportation are brought, and that
therefore SUCH inspection is unnecessary.
Again, the disease has an incubation of from
nine to sixty days, during which the seeds of
spector. however skilled. The interest OF all
shippers of cattle Is clearly against the ship
nent of cattle infected with this disease. The
1clay of trains for such inspection would be
expensive, and would he a great obstruction