Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-04-16
PLEURO-PNEUMONIA.
The Result of an Omclal InvestIga-
tIOn-RepOrt Of the Secretary Of the
Treasury.


transmitted to Congress the result of an
investigation made by skilled officers
into contagious diseases affecting ami
mails. In his communication the Secre-
tary says;
THE Department of the Treasury has been
long embarrassed with several questions aris.
ing from the prevalence of the disease known
as pleuro-pncumonia, or lung plague, IN neat
cattle. These questions relate: ~ to the ex-
tinction and prevention of the disease i'm the
United states; C2) to our commerce with Ma
tions beyond the seas, especially with Great
britain; l3l to our trade in cattle with the DO-
miniun of Canada.
with view TO such legislation as circum-
stances may seem to require, it seems proper
ut this time to submit TO Congress some brief
remarks upon the nature of the disease in
question, the history of its prevalence in other
countries and the United States, with state
ment of the provisions of law now I'm force and
of the various orders issued by this depart
ment relating to 1t, and some suggestions ns to
what measures may be properly enacted by
Congress for the suppression and prevention
of the disease"
A description and history of the disease is
then given at great length, covering not only
its appearance in the United States, but in
other countries. The value of the cattle inter-
est and the extent of stock-raising in this
country is described in detail, and an exhaust
i've review of the various measures that have
been used from year to year in this and other
countries to suppress the plague is given. The
letter then goes on to recommend measures to
prevent and suppress. the disease.
Among the measures suggested to prevent
the spread of the pleuro-pneumonia, isolation
Of injected cattle is naturally suggested. This
method, however, has been, and no doubt will
be- found to be entirely impracticable. The
disease, as we have seen, is readily transmits
sible, not only by contact with the diseased
animals, but by contact with buildings, hay
bedding or excretions of any kind which have
been in contact with diseased animals. Neat
cattle are short lived, and when once infected
by the disease in question, even il they re-
cover, are OF very small value either for breed
NJ a nh "a
large percentage of the cattle diseased may
apparently recover, yet, upon dissection, the
lungs will be found to be seriously affected,
SO that It may be fairly said that the cattle
once infected with the disease are worthless
for any purpose.
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
the isolation of the cattle be recommended
further than for the mere purpose of ascer-
tanning definitely whether or not the disease
actually exists.
Inoculation is, as has been heretofore stated,
another method practiccd in some countries to
prevent the spread of the disease; but this has
never been employed except in counties
where the disease had broken through ali re-
strilint, and as a last resort to preserve sound
cattle from the genera infection which sur
rounds them. Besides the expense and incon-
Venience of the practice, it is often attended
with the mutiatiOn of the cattle by the loss of
their tails or otherwise, and sometimes by the
loss OF their lives. II IS not to be thought of
as remedy under any conditions such as eX.
ist at the present time in this country.
The only ctfectual method of eradicating the
disease is by prompt slaughter of all infected
and exposed cattle. By this method, energet-
ically administered, the disease has been thor
oughly stamped out in several places in Massa-
chusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and other
States. To effect this, however, prompt and
energetic measures are requisite. Several
states have adopted such measures, and are
ready to prevent, to attack and eXteTmnate
the disease wherever 1t 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 Government to pre-
vent the prevalence of disease, which, as we
have seen, would amount TO a national calam-
ity. 1t is for Congress, and not for his depart
ment, to devise the measures necessary for
this purpose. 1t may not he improper, how
ever to make some general suggestions upon
the subject for the consideration of Congress.
The Legislature of Massachusetts has recent
~ sent to Congress a memorial requesting
prompt action FOR the prevention and suppress
sion OF this disease; and from all quarters Il
cry is heard that the General Government
should intervene in the matter.
The most obvious method of meeting the
emergency is, perhaps, the appointment of
Veterinary Sanitary Commission, whose duty
1t shall be to promptly investigate all reported
cases of pleuro-pneumOnia in any part of the
country, to collect information with regard to
the disease from all parts of the world, and TO
report the result of their investigation TO some
department of the Government for publica-
tion.
1t would be necessary that such commission
should 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,
who should be responsible directly to the COM
mission. From such commission, even with
no greater powers than have been above indi.
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.
If 1t were found TO exist, State and municipal
authorities might be invoked for its suppress
sion. If found not TO exist publication of that
fact would be OF very great value, not only to
the suspected neighborhood, but to the 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
lngs would be in close analogy with the
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 June2, 1879, entitled AN act
to prevent Introduction of contagious and in
fectious diseases into the United States" it is
provided that
ate with, and, so far as it lawfully may, aid
State and Municipal Boards of Health In 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,
and into one state from another"
IL IL underst iOd 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 il is
not doubted that, through similar agencies,
appropriations by Congress might be properly
and etfectually used for the prevention and
suppression of pleurc-pneumonia among
cattle.
most obvious method of dealing with the dis
ease would be by the appointment of a COM
mission of some kind, with full power to pre-
| vent and eradicate the disease, in any manner
| they think proper, in any part of the territory
| of the United States-such power as is eXeT-
cised by the PriYy Council of Great Britain.
| Without expressing any opinion whether,
| under the power TO regulate commerce, Con-
gress has authority to send its agents into the
States and destroy, upon the Judgment Of q
may be found to be dangerous 10 interstate
| or National commerce, 1t is somewhat doubt
| ful whether measures apparently so arbitrary
! State or municipal authorities.
| The disease is not in existence in any of our
| Western States or Territories. Indeed, il has
| existed and is known in only few States OF
| the Union; and the propriety of so energetic q
| movement on the part of the General Govern
| ment might not be appreciated in those States
where the disease has not been known. Some
| scheme for the prevention and prompt eradi
| cation of the disease seems 10 be demanded
| ana IL is LOT GOngfeSS 10 ueHne inc ltnltS DOH
| of policy and legality in it's enactment.
Inspection of cattle upon railway trains on
| our great lines of transportation has been sug
! geSted as a precaution against the conveyance
| of the disease. The objections to this PROPOSE
| tion are based upon the fact that contagious
pleuro-pneumonia is not indigenous 10 this
| country, that il has never existed in our West
| ern states, whence 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 10 sixty days, during which the seeds OF
the disease would not be obvious to any in
| speotor, however skilled. The interest of al
shippers of cattle Is clearly against the ship
y mont of cattle infected with this disease. ThC
delay of trains for such inspection would be-
| expensive and would be a great obstruction
10 business. such inspection, as a genera
| proposition, Is not recommended, while there
is no practical objection TO the inspection OF
cattle by authorized commissioners, in partic
ular cases where the disease is reported tC
exist.
| CONCLUSIONS.
Having thus given a brief sketch of the his
tory and character of the disease, and a state
ment of the existing laws, the orders of thi
Department under them, with some sugges
tions as 10 the effect of the disease upon oul
axtyffl