Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-04-01
Congress and the Cattle Plague.

1ouSIeSS anu the cattle Plague.
The subject of treating disease OF cat
tie is yearly growing in Importance, and
an effort will be made to have Congress
take the matter in hand. In a recent
address, Prof. James Low, of Cornell
University, remarked that "the power
OF enforcing our live stock sanitary
laws should be exercised absolutely and
instantly, when necessary, and guided
by some one thoroughly versed in the
diseases OF animals. We have in this
country live stock worth nearly S2,O0O,-
OOO,OOO. The possibilities of loss by
the importation or spread of an animal
plague are perfectly appalling. With
4o'oOO,OOO head of live stock, England
mas lost in the last thirty-five years live
stock valued at $5OO,OOO,OOo; what
might not our experience be if we we're
TO allow general diffusion of the same
diseases among our 100000 head of
live stock? There is no need to 90 to
England for terrible example of ami
mai scourge. 1t is estimated that last
year we lost not less than $21 900 900,
from one of our native animal plaques,
the hog cholera. There Is a better
prospect now that Congress will give
some consideration to the question of
how to deal with animal epidemics.
There are eight specific disease poisons
that are communicable from animals to
men, and no less than twenty-one para
sites, any one of which may rise to the
Importance of an epizootic. There are
no less than fourteen contagious and
thirty-four parasites of farm animals
that are notcommunicablet to man. These
last may be classified as exotic and in
digenous. Maladies that are imported
and maintain their existence by con-
tinuous reproduction of seeds or germs,
and that are the true plaques, never rise
spontaneously on our soil, and may be
eradicated as surely as a noxious weed.
But maladies that develop spontaneous
~ on American soil can never be per-
manently rooted out until we can ascer-
tain every un-hygienic condition in the
climate, locality and management,
and obviate the conditions on
which the generation of such mala-
dies depends. There is one exotic
cattle plague now prevalent which de-
mands more urgent means for its extir-
patton than all the others put together.
1t is the bovine lung plague Contagious
pleuro-pneumonia), which was i'm
ported into Brooklyn in 1913. The
plague is gradually extending to the
West and South. If =. it reached
the unfenced cattle ranges of
the West and South it would
be impossible to eradicate it, as
herd mingling with herd would spread
the infection on every side. Whenever
this disease has been introduced into
common pastures it has maintained a
permanent residence. Since cattle are
shipped from Texas and the plains to
all parts of the Union, no State will be
safe if the infection once reaches
them. As the seeds of this disease re-
main latent in the system for from ten
days to three and one half
months, and only become mani
fest by their effects at the
end of this time, infected cattle may be
carried from ocean to ocean or from the
lakes to the gulf, in apparent health,
and yet spread pestilence. Unless the
United States Government steps in to
control the means of extirpating this
disease and of protecting against new
importations, our herds will never be
freed of it,
The subject, it will be readily seen,
is one of vast Importance and national
in its character, and can not be too soon
subjected to the severest sanitary re-
straints. The investigation should be
committed to men in all regards quail
fed to master it, and the remedies when
found should be applied with such vigor
as to arrest the spread of the disease.
The danger has been too long neglected,
and the demand now is for vigorous
work.-I,sdiana State Sentinel.