The sun., 1881-01-16
How Much of Our Beet is Diseased

fected with pleuro- pneumonia Is question
OF great Importance, not only from an In
dustrial but sanitary point OF view. Un-
less efficient steps are taken to arrest this
malady, it cannot fail to signally and per-
manently contract the foreign market for
American beef. 1t is, moreover, at least
open to grave doubt whether tuberculosis
cannot be communicated through flesh or
milk to human beings, and whether such
transmission does not explain the remarka-
Bile frequency among children OF the disor-
der known as consumption Of the bowels.
For these reasons, the recent reports OF
Prof. JAMES Law and Dr. q. p. LYMAN on
the prevalence OF the pulmonary murrain in
some OF our seaboard States are peculiarly
worthy OF attention.
The contagious lung plague OF cattle was
unknown in this country forty years ago.
There is no proof that this malady has any
where been caused, as ordinary inflamma-
tions OF the chest organ are provoked, by ex-
posure to inclement weather and imperfect
ventilation. According to Prof. LAW Of Cor
nell University, 1t was first imported into
this country In 1S43. In COW purchased by
Long Island farmer from the Captain OF an
English vessel. From this mans herd the
disease spread to others adjacent, and
speedily infected the whole west end of the
island. Into Massachusetts, the bovine lung
plague was introduced in 1859. through four
Dutch cows imported by Mr. CHENERY OF
Belmont. Some Of the offspring OF these ami
mails were sold before the nature OF the dis
order was detected, and through this chan
mel the disease was disseminated through
n large part OF the State An importation
into New Jersey in 1S47 is recorded, to check
which the owner OF the infected stock Is
| said to have slaughtered his whole herd.
| Unfortunately all New Jersey men were not
| so public spirited, and subsequent importa-
| tions from New York, and perhaps from Eu-
| rope also, spread the pestilence widely over
| that State. From New Jersey 1t was trans
mitted to Pennsylvania and Delaware, and
| thence to Maryland the District OF Column
| bia, and Virginia, in all Of which localities
| it still prevails. So far, we believe, the lung
contagion has penetrated to no points be-
| yond the limits named, and this is fortunate,
| for live stock bears q much greater proper
| tion to the aggregate wealth OF States at
| the West and South than in the East. 1t is
| to be apprehended also that should the NAL
ady reach our unfenced ranges in the West,
| 1t would be ineradicable as it has proved in
the European steppes, in Australia, and in
| South Africa.
| Now, let us see what measures have been
| taken by the States affected to eliminate or
circumscribe the malady. Massachusetts
was the first State to appreciate the dangers
threatened by the plague, and she is the
only State which has succeeded in COM
| pletely stamping it out Within less than
| twelvemonth after the first infected COWS
were introduced, an act was passed to pro-
vide for the extirpation Of pleuro-pneumo-
| mia. Under this law commissions were kept
In existence for six years, and nearly $4,000
were expended; but by the close OF 1866
the last traces of the contagion were extin-
guished. During the spring OF 1879 Gov.
MCCLELLAN, in accordance with an act
OF the Legislature, placed Gen. STER-
LING at the head Of commission
charged with the duty OF eradicating
pleuro-pneumonia in New Jersey. BY the
close of the year 315 infected cattle had
been killed, and s65 head were in quarantine.
1t appears, however, from the Investigations
OF DR.. CHARLES p. LYMAN In the spring OF
1880, that the lung plague is still compare
lively widespread among the cattle Of that
State, for he found diseased herds in Allan
tic, Gloucester, Ocean, Mercer, Hunterdon,
| anu OulOH COuUUleb. III SdUlutu
County rigorous inspection Of cattle COM
ing from Philadelphia has been OF great SER
vice In preventing the inroads OF the conta-
gion. In Delaware and Maryland DR.. LYMAN
found that little or nothing had been done to
check the spread OF the maiady, although
in the former State commission had been
appointed for the purpose.
| In New York O commission has for some
time been empowered to inspect live stock
and to isolate OF slaughter such cattle as
present acute c2ses of the plague. At pres
ent the main centre Of tho pestlence is In
Kings County and the adjacent border Of
Queens County; but DR.. LYMAN found dis
eased herds in Putnam and Westchester
counties, and number OF animals afflicted
with the lung malady In New York city.
From the report OF Prof. LAW we infer that
Kings County is perfect hotbed OF the cat
tie plague, and 1t seems that in Brooklyn
the attempts OF the Commission to enforce
the law have been persistently resisted by
the Aldermen and by the magistrates. The
repressive measures adopted in Pennsylya-
mia since the spring OF 1879 have been
to large extent successful. About a
year ago, according to Prof. GADsDEN
OF Philadelphia, there were only three in
fected herds left which were giving the au-
thorities much trouble, and there seems lit
tie doubt that the disease could be stamped
out Of that State II diseased animals from
Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia could be
prohibited from entering 1t. 1t has been
decided, however, by a United States
Court in Illinois that a State law forbiddng
the introduction Of suspected cattle from a
neighboring state is unconstitutional. 1t
follows that Jealous cooperation on the part
OF all the States already reached by the lung
plague Is Indispensable to extinguish this
| ruinous disorder. The example Of Massa-