The Princeton union., 1880-07-22
The PleurO.PneumOnia.

! The Secretary of the Treasury has
transmitted to Congress the result of an
investigation made by skilled officers into
contagious diseases affecting animals.
The report concludes as follows:
l.Pleuro pneumonia is contagious,
infectious lung fever in neat cattle, as
readily communicated among them as
smallpox among mankind, not only by
actual contact, but by excretions Of all
kinds. =
2. In this country it has never devel-
oped de novo, but has always been in
troduced by contagion.
3. It may be prevented by incubation,
Sc but that remedy lis not, to be Thought Of
in this country under present conditions.
4. It has period of incubation Of from
nine to sixty days, usually not exceed
ing forty; and its symptoms, when de-,
veloped, are easily distinguishable by
experts from those Of other diseases. ~
5. The only proper method Of sup
pressing the disease in the United States
is by the destruction Of all diseased or
exposed cattle, and thorough purifca-
tion Of buildings where they have been
kept.
6. No contagious pleuro-pneumonia
now exists or has ever existed in any
State west of the Allegheny mountains.
T.. It does not now exist in the United
States, on or near the boundary of the
Dominion of Canada, and that it does
not now exist in that Dominion.
..,, s. The disease now exists only in the
eastern part of New York, in New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, and perhaps in parts of
Maryland &Verginia and the District of
Columbia. l. If
8. The general course of traffic in cat
tie is from the West to the East. Only
a few, and those of blood stock of great
value, pass westward, or into Canada
from the East.
, 10. At the present time, with ordinary
care, cattle may pass from the Western
States, which almost exclusively furnish
cattle for expectation into Canada, and,
through Canada, Portland and Boston,
to foreign ports, without danger of in
fection.
IL. With proper restrictions against
contact with other cattle near the sea-
board, cattle may pass from the Western
States to the ports of New York, Phila-
tdelphia and Baltimore, for expectation,
without danger of infection.
ZIP. State and municipal regulations
are not to be relied upon to prevent the
importation and spread Of the disease,
'or to effect its extirpation. If g
Is. Stringent quarantine regulations
are essential to. the protection Of this
country against its Introduction.
: e74.A veterinary sanitary commission,
whose duty it shall be to investigate. all
reports Of the existence Of the disease,
collect information respecting it, and re-
port to some department. for publication,
is essential to efficient action on the sub
ject.e ' = = I d = q '-, - .~ Z ''
T. Is. Authority in such commission to
cooperate with State and municipal au-
thorities in preventing and eradicating
the disease by supplying money out Of
appropriations by Congress for the pur-
pose would be effective, and is in accord
ance with the acts Of Congress in refer
fence to the National Board of Health.
5,s 16. The authority lin such board to
promptly isolate and slaughter infected
and diseased cattle, wherever found, and
to award mpensation to the owners,
would be an effective agency to extirpate
the disease. 1t is for Congress to con-
slider the policy and legality of comforting
! {such power \ u [ks