Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-10-27
Wafrhman & gnnrnaL.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER OF, 1880.
The Fairlee Cattle Disease.

at Fairlee, vermont would
first state the case as presented by o. NJ. Tinh-
ham before the society August 1, 1880, Gard
ner s. Melendy Of Fairlee purchased in Cam
bridge, Underbill, Fairfield and Fletcher, forty
three calves and thirty-three yearlings Driving
them home (he arrived August 14th) they were
turned into moving lot near his house, dry
upland, with good feed After few days he
drove twenty to pasture n mile away, and ten
into pasture two miles away, and week later
he put twenty-five calves into a moving field on
the same farm. On September Sth he found
yearling sick In the pasture, and drove him home.
His eyes were sore and running, as did also his
nose and mouth, respiration rapid, with frequent
coughing, discharging when he coughed much
matter. This yearling lived until the
18th, when he died. A week later a calf in the
home field was likewise taken SICK having the
same symptoms for four days, and died; week
later he was told that yearling was dead in the
pasture, which he found true, and that several
more were coughing, and a few days later others
had died. October sth six had died, and eighteen
more had the disease At this time he was
alarmed, and 1t seems from good cause, and Mr..
Tnkbam made a post-mortem examination, and
found the lungs badly congested and the air pas
sages filled with small white thread-worms from
one to two inches in length, and that their num-
Der was countless. This proved to be the strongy-
hs micrurls, and Is the entire cause of the dis
ease. 1t is described by Cobbold, and Is alluded
to by Siebold In his work on Entozoa. In 1888
there was a serious epidemic from this cause in
England, destroying many cattle, especially
calves and yearlings description Of the same
may be found in the Veterinarian volume six.
In Guys hospital report for 1895 the disease is de-
scribed as causing symptoms exactly identical
with what occurred at Fairlee, and thousands Of
cattle died. In 1910 they were found by wyman
infesting cattle in Connecticut, and were con-
founded with strongylus yfiarie, similar worm
infestng the lungs OF sheep. His description
may be found in the American Journal Of Science,
volume thirty-nine. In 1Si3, j. B. Simonds de-
scribed an epidemic among young cattle caused
by worms in bronchi, which were also found in
the bladder and ntestines, with symptoms
actly as found in our case His paper was pub
lished in Transactions of the Veterinary Medical
Association " published for that year.
In 18i5 calves and young cattle died from this
disease in France under same symptoms. 1t was
epidemic and incurable and thousands perished
In 1S4S it was equally epidemic in England, and
is described in volume twenty-one of the Veter-
marian. But great benefit was derived from
nasal inhalation Of ether, chloroform, oil of tur-
pentine, and rectifed oil Of amber.
In 1S49 it was described by J. G. Sandie, who
says the same parasite infests sheep
1t was again epidemic in 1851, and benefit was
derived from inhalation of sulphuric acid vapor,
and from taking oil of turpentine in one ounce
doses.
In 1869 this disease was first observed in New
York. 1t broke out in herd belonging to Mr..
Wood OF Woodville. His herd was isolated, and
the infected kept away from others. The disease
was controlled in that place, only to break out
with great violence in Allegheny county, New
York. in 1870 The cases were examined by
Thomas L. Harrison, secretary of the state agri-
cultural society, and an interesting account Of
them was published in the journal Of that society
in 1871
In the same year there was another outbreak
Of this parasitic disease in Seneca county. Sew
eral cases were fatal, but as the authorities had
full control, and all cattle belonging to infected
herds were isolated, 1t did not spread to any ex-
tent. 1t was, however, noticed that all the poul-
try upon the farm died from gapes" showing
that this species Of worm il not identical with the
species causing "gapes' in chickens, is at least
capable Of doing the mischief.
But without referring further to special cases,
would say that it is the great cattle plague Of Hol
land and Germany, as well as England and
France, and some authorities say that in the low
meadows of Hammersmith, England, where cattle
do not thrive, even donkeys which feed there
have numerous specimens in their lungs when
killed, and the pheasants in that vicinity nearly
all die with the gapes." 1t would be supposed
that so fearful and often ncurabe disease
would have history of its rise and progress, but
such is hardly true Of this parasite and even it,
habits are not well understood. In England it |,
said to have originated in Cuba, while here it /,
spoken Of as a disease of European origin. Somt
say one thing of the parasite and others talk oi
write exactly opposite. Some say it is more likely
TO be epidemic In a wet season, others In dry
one, and while show full Difference to authority
shall describe the strongylus micrurus as 1t ap
pears evident to TO exist in this section first be
came acquainted with them by finding them abou
| sedge roots on wet ground as microscopic worms
am not sure upon what they feed, but have nc
ticed fine brown sediment in their intestine,
which believe to be vegetable matter though they
| tufiNc ucet, ptouuSiuB uoot auu BfoWiuB lhIB
est, when in the bronchial tubes of the calf Ihav,
no doubt but that they attack the OK, horse
mules and poultry as well as most wild animals
but the great fatality is among cattle. The numer
Gus cases Of heaves" in horses, unaccounted fo
by over-draft other disease, may largely owe t.
| this worm their commencement. When full growI
they are a thread-like worm, with the female tive
inches or a little more in length and the mall
about half the size. The head Is slightly rounded
with no neck The mouth is furnished with thre
hooks, or, as called by some. papilla. They ar
called viviparous, yet do not half the time produce
their young alive, as in the specimen presented t.
me. Some OF the lung cavities were full OF egg
in which the outline OF the worm could be trace,
under high magnifying power, appearing like tn
outline of the figure 8, and though put In glycer
inc were alive and In healthy condition when pu
in water several days after their immersion Il
glycerine. After two hours immersion In waite
they matched, and the little worms were barrel
visible to the naked eye in strong light.
When the females are expelled from the lung i
coughing, they are filled with eggs, which, thong
afterwards dried, or immersed in water, retail
their vitality, as has been shown, for three years
ready to infect the creature that gets them nsid,
90 IL IL unsdib W PASTURE inecteu ground LOT lou
years at least. When thrown into water, the
live, after Matching, for long time, seem to col
gregate about sedge roots. and though they
not seem to become entirely matured, will a
tain considerable size and cattle are infected
drinking them. When the eggs are dry they al
like invisible dust, and, in dry weather, doubles
waited by the wind to considerable distance
and cattle are infected by breathing In the egg
Thus 1t can be seen why the infection Is consit
cred to be from over-wet, as well as from very dr.
seasons. 1t is not at all necessary that the fema
should lay her eggs for II she dies she becomes II
orally bag containing hundreds OF thousands
them all ready spring into existence under favo
subtle enemy? for such 1t indeed Is Had we
board OF health, as we should have, with fu
powers to look after such epidemic diseases
cattle as well as elsewhere, and isolate such hero
as are infected, experiment with various remedi,
suggested for their eradication, and study full
into the entire habit Of the parasite, no doul
but that ten times the cost OF such board woul
be saved every year to our state. In England al
in Europe, shires larger than our counties ha,
lost their herds. It Is often called pleuro-pne
mona and treated as such, and Is one OF It's form
II is as fatal, as contagious and as dangerous
any disease can be. Let our state awaken befol
1t is too late No one knows where the infectic
of this herd In Vermont was taken They we