Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1880-04-17
PLEURO.PNEUMONIA.
The Result of an Official Investiga.
tiOn-Report of the Secretary of the
Treasury.

tiOn-Report of the Secretary of the
Treasury.
WASHINGTON, April 6.
The Secretary of the Treasury has
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:
1.-The Department of the Treasury has been
long embarrassed with several questions ars-
ing from the prevalence of the disease known
Ie as lIeur9g7pneumonia, gp or lung plague, in neat
tinction and prevention of the disease in the
Unit! United States; q to our commerce with Ma
t1ons beyond the seas, especially with Great
Britain; 81 to trade in cattle with the Do
minion of Canada.
stances may seem to require, it seems proper
at this time to submit to Congress some brief
remarks remarks upon % the nature of the disease in
countries and the United States, with state
ment of the provisions of law now in force and
or the various orders issued by this depart
ment relating to it, and some suggestions as to
what measures may be properly enacted by
Congress for the suppression and prevention
-. A description and history of the disease is
then given at great length, covering not only
its appearance in the United States but i'll
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
;
letter then goes ON to recommend measures to
prevent and suppress the disease.
The only effectual 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
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 exterminate
the disease wherever it may appear. in their
hOrdarS Most States h0waVQr nay a Tod
no such measures, and it seems absolutely
necessary that some measures should be
vent the prevalence of a disease, which, as we
have seen, would amount to a national calam-
ment, to devise the measures necessary for
this purpose. 1t may not be improper, how
ever, to make some general suggestions upon
The most obvious method or meeting the
emergency is, perhaps, the appointment of a
Veterinary Sanitary Commission, whose duty
it shall be to promptly investigate all reported
cases of fpleuro-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-
ton.
1t would be necessary that such commission
should be composed, principally at least of
of cattle The commission might be small,
consisting of from three to seven members,
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 not.
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
and, by means of appropriation for the pur,
pose, grant proper indemnity to the owners of
cattle condemned to slaughter. Such proceed
ings would be in a 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 June 2, 1872 entitled IAN act
to prevent Introduction of contagious and in
fectious diseases into the United States" it is
provided that
1.-The National Board of Health shall cooper
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
treduction of infectious or contagious diseases
into the United States from foreign countries,
and into one State from another"
1t is understood 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
appropriations by Congress might be properly
and effectually used for the prevention and
sapR3eeSS'0n catp93e. 0i pieur'-pneu"0nia among
As suggested by the British Minister, the
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
Of the United States-such power as is exer
| cised by the Privy 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
| commission. herds belonging to Citizens. which
may be found to be dangerous to Interstate
| or National commerce, 1t is somewhat doubt
| would meet with hearty cooperation from
| State or municipal authorities.
| western States or Territories Indeed, it has
existed and is known in only a few States OF
| the Union; and the proPriety Of SO energetic a
ment might not be appreciated In those States
| where the disease has not been known. Some
% Cation Of I'll the ed disease seems @ to be b demanded
and 1t is for Congress to define the limits both
| of policy and legality in its enactment.
| Inspection of cattle upon railway trains or
our great lines of transportation has been sug
e the seaee The obiectons to this
tion are based upon the fact that contagious
| pleuro-pneumonia is not indigenous to this
| country, that it has never existed in our West
| ern States, whence cattle found upon suct
| lines of transportation are brought, and thai
|
| Again, the disease has an incubation of from
| nine to sixty days, during which the seeds o1
spector. However skilled. The interest TOT Of al al
shippers of cattle is clearly against the ship ship
msnt Of cattle infected with this disease Tn 3
| expensive, and would be a great obstruction
to business. Such Inspections. as a genera
| proposition, is not recommended, while there
is no practical objection to the inspection o
| cattle by authorized commissioners, in partic
ular cases where the disease is reported t.
| exist.
| CONCLUSIONS.
| Having thus given 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
eommerce with ei other Nations and with P6n som 1
remarks as to appropriate legislation by Con
gress on the subject, it may be convenient t.
the conclusions at which this department ha
arrived. They are as follows:
| /. Plcuro-pneumOnia is a contagious, infet
| tious nng-fever in neat cattle, as readily com
municated among them as smallpox anon
mankind not only by actual contact, but b
excretions of all kinds.
2. In this country it has never developed d
novo, but has always been introduced by COZ
3. 1t may be prevented by incubation, bu
that remedy is not to be thought of in thi
country under present conditions
4. 1t has a period of incubation of from min
to sixty days, usually not exceeding forty; an
tineuishable by experts from those of othe
diseases.
b. The only proper metnOQ OF SuppreSSln
the disease in the United States is by the d.
struc.ion of all diseased or exposed cattle, an
a thorough purification of buildings wher
they have been kept.
g. No contagious pleuro-pneumonia now e1
lists or has ever existed in any State west of th
Allegheny Mountains.
Z 1t does not now exist in the United State
on near the boundary of the Dominion {
Canada, and it does not now exist in that d.
mfnion.
8. The disease now exists only in the easter
part of New York, in New Jersey, Pennsylv;
| mia, and perhaps in parts of Maryland Virgini
! and the District OF Columbia.
| 9. The general course of traffic in cattle
from the West to the East. Only a few, an
those of blood stock of great value, pass ives
ward or into Canada from the East.
10. AT the present time, with ordinary car
cattle may pass from the Western State
| expectation into Canada, and through Cal
without danger of infection.
IL. With proper restrictions against contat
| with other cattle near the seaboard, cattle ma
| pass from the Western States to the ports
New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore for e,
portation with out danger of infection.
Il. State and municipal regulations are III
to be relied upon to prevent the importatio
and spread of the disease, or to effect its exit
patton.
13. Stringent quarantine regulations are e
sential to the protection of this country again
its introduction.
IA A Veterinary Sanitary Commission
whose duty it shall be to investigate all r.
x<Nf%I Scfn Of to-