Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-11-30


Smith, United States Army, read paper on
"DIsEAsE AMONG TEXAS CATTLE
A continuation of the report made to the
Association at the New Orleans meeting,
December, $780," This paper was as fol-
lows:
Since my report made to this association in
December, 1880, additional reports, both In re-
gard 10 disease in Texas cattle and PATHOLOGY
cal appearances in beeves killed for food,
have been received, and the following table
embodies the description OF pathological ap-
pearances This table is in the same form,
and is to be considered in connection with and
as part of the table published in pages PAL and
American Public Health Association.
The facts and conclusions are based on
tables on numerous letters received and on
personal interviews between myself and
twentv-seven different stock raisers and drov-
ers Post mortem examinations of several
huudred (250 reported quite in detaiD animals
were made by fifteen observers, and in fourteen
localities in Northe Tn, Sou hern and Western
Texas. OF these, all except thirteen are re-
ported as healthy at all seasons OF the year.
This number is not very great, but it fs believed
to be sufficient to give very definite results,
while on the other hand this very limitation in
number enabled the observer TO make thor
ough, deliberate and careful examinatlons
Now, after all the foregoing, l regret to be
that is to say, [ believe that many important
facts are yet to be collected bearing on this
subject, and, therefore, final conclusions may
not yet be drawn. The post mortem observa-
tions present are worthy of entire reliance.
With but few exceptions they are OF healthy
animals. Pathological appearances have been
described heretofore by many Observers
l think. too, the facts here reported prove
that the herds of Texas cattle, when grazing
on their prairie pastures, are singularly free
from disease-certainly from any disease
hi r1f
viz: symptoms and pathological appearances.
IL so many assertions had net heretofore
been made, and so many witnesses heretofore
cited. where Texas cattle, apparently healthy,
had infected other cattle, minRling with them.
crossing their line of march. or following them
in their grazing grounds, the inference from
the foregoing would be undoubted, that there
was no danger to be apprehended to other cat
tie by exposure to cattle from Texas. Whether
some of these ins ances do not deserve another
Interpretation, Is in my mind question.
Certainly, in many of them, accounts of which
[ have perused, there is no such rigorous
analysis of facts as shows the conclusions
drawn to be inevitable.
From the fact that imported cattle from the
North soon after arrival in this Southern cline
sicken and die in great numbers, it cannot be
logically concluded that such death results
from infection from Texas cattle, and GER
tainly in many instances OF this kind not the
slightest evidence is offered of any interming-
ling of imported and natives. On the contrary,
as In the case quoted on page 244, transactions
American EuOilc Health ASsOClabtOn vols IL
is stated by the owner OF the Durham stock,
that sickness and death appeared among his
newly imported Durhams before their ARRIVAL
at and on the way to their home near Mason.
1t Is well known to importers OF fine horses
in this country that considerable risk attends
their importation. and this, when kept by
themselves in cities, and in private stables
Emgrants too are subject to disease, not all
of them, but sufficient proportion to make
| the matter an element in considering the sub
| jsct of emigration.
Now this sickness Of newly arrived men and
horses has always been considered due to some
acclimating process. The idea does not lack
probability that the sickness and mortality
| among the imported cattle are due to SINH
| lar acclimating process
The weight Of the spleen deserves careful
consideration. The mean Of all my figures
| gives the weight Of the spleen as exactly lbs.
| The spleen of Texas cattle, weighed un1er the
| supervision Of DIR. auch. In Chicago. gives an
average weight OF 21x lbs, while those OF the
natives reported by DR.. Rauch illinois proha-
bly,. or vicinity, average less than I1k lbs. The
| ages OF these cattle are not given.