Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-02-10
PRECAUTIONS AGAINST
PLEURO-PNEUMONIA.
Action OF the Berkeley County
Agricultural Association.

the Agricultural ASSOCIATION Oh berAe'ey
county, on Saturday last, the proceed
ings were had upon the subject OF pre-
venting the introduction OF pleuro-
pneumonia among the cattle OF West
Virginia:
The Association having elected Its
officers for the coming year and disposed
Of its ordinary business, Col. j. b. A.
Nadenbousch submitted to the meeting
the following resolution:
Resolved, That the thanks OF this AS
ISOLATION are due, and they are hereby
accorded to our State Senator, +. Boyd
Faulkner, ESQ, for calling the attention
of the Legislature of this State to the ex.
pediency OF adopting some timely and
efficient legislation TO protect the cattle
interest from the ravages OF the disease
called pleuro. pneumonia, and We beg
leave TO second the movement OF our
Senator by respectfully urging this sub
ject upon the prompt attention oil the
Legislature. :.
Col. Nadenbousch was very compli-
mentary to our Senator, and as q farmer
expressed his high qualification that the
ia erests of the grazing and farming
classes received their proper attention
at Wheeling.
The chairman then called upon Hon.
Chas. j. Faulkner for the expression oil
his views upon the subject then under
consideration. .,
Mr.. Faulkner remarked that he had
nothing to say upon the resolution OF
thanks. III the Senator from this dis
trict was the first to bring this subject to
the attention of the Legislature, it was
a very natural movement coming from
citizen of Berkeley county in view OF
our close proximity to the county OF
Washington, in Maryland. This de-
structive disease, it is understood, made
its appearance for the first time last fall
in Washington county-a county only
sep lrated from this by the narrow chan
mel Of the upper Potomac-and it is well
known that there is much commercial
intercourse between the two counties.
Berkeley is therefore more exposed to
the invasion Of this disease than any
county in West Virginia, and it might
therefore be expected that the first
warning cry OF alarm should come from
this quarter.
Mr.. Faulkner said that he had, for
some wears, had his attention drawn to
the losses caused by the disease called
among cattle, both
in Europe and in this country. The
losses in Great Britain have amounted
10 many million OF pounds. He had
not seen any statistics OF any other
country in Europe, although 1t is known
that it prevails more or less in every
portion of it. The disease was intro
duced into this country some twenty
wears ago by an importation OF Holstein
cattle into Boston. Ii soon began TO
spread, and the alarm became so great
that special session of the Legislature
of Massachusetts, was called to stamp
ont the disease by the most vigorous
and decisive measures. This they have
TO great extent accomplished, but at
an expense of near 100000 from the
State treasury, besides large local eX-
penditures in the townships. From
Massachusetts, it has extended into New
York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Della
ware and Maryland. He believed all
those States had adopted vigorous
measures OF repression, but he did not
know the details OF their legislation, ex-
cept so far as he has observed through
the papers, the prompt slaughter, by
order of the commissioners, OF every
animal effected with the disease.
Congress was so impressed with the
magnitude OF the evil, that some ten or
twelve years ago it passed law probib-
ting the further importation OF foreign
cattle into this country. He was pleas
ed to see that the subject was now at
tracing the earnest attention OF the De-
partment OF Agriculture, and that some
measures were under consideration by
Congress TO arrest the evil. Still he did
not see that any legislation by Congress,
which could only extend to foreign i'm
portstion and to commercial intercourse
between the States, could give any pro-
lection to our people, ifthe disease shall
pass our limits, or that il can dispense
with the expediency OF our own State
legislation.
tits a disease incurable by medical
treatment, and highly contagious, and
there is but one mode OF arrestiny its
progress, and that is by the immediate
slaughter of every animal exhibiting
symptoms OF the disease-a remedy
that can only be applied under the law
and by governmental authority.
So far, ne believed, We had never had
a case in West Virginia, and with the
lights which the calamities of others
have thrown around this subject, it
would be very easy, by proper proven
tative measures, to guard our people
against its terrible ravages. 1t would
take many millions of dollars to remu-
nerate' the farmers in the Northern At
lantic States for the losses they have
sustained by this cattle plague.
There was one admonition that he
would give the farmers OF Berkeley,
Jefferson and Morgan, whether mem
bers OF this association or not, and
which, il observed, might certainly econ
omIze, il it did not dispense with any
governmental remedy which the State
might think proper to adopt for our pro-
lection, and that was TO purchase no
cattle from any State, or section OF q
State, in which this disease has been
known to exist. Ii we could rely upon
the observance of that advice, the rem.
edies provided by the State might exist
on the statute books, but would not be
required in practice.
The great object TO be kept in view is
to exclude the disease from our State.
II once it deposits its virus upon our
soil, nothing is more difficult OF eradica-
ton. Massachusetts, four times pub.
hcly announced that it had crushed ont
the plague by its stern and relentless
measures Of repression, but the evil
spirit would not down, and the work OF
destruction had to be over and over
again renewed.
The resolution was unanimously
adopted.