Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-02-03
COw-POx.


One of the most annoying diseases
to which cows are subject is pox or
variola. 1t would be trifling in its
effects upon the cow were it not that
1t effects the teats and renders milk
ing difficult. or almost impossible.
and that when it appears in herd
it goes through the whole of it.
This disease is an eruptive, conta-
gious fever, communicated by a
special virus reproduced by the
disease. The history Of the disease
is as follows: When the owner of
COW is milking the animal he dis
covers that she is uneasy and rest
less, and on searching for the cause,
may find one or more hard nodules
in the skin of the teat, which are
painful to the cow when pressed.
The milk also falls off somewhat in
quantity. In a few days these
nodules appear at the surface in the
form of round, inhamed spots raised
above the skin, and depressed or
pitted in the center. In three or
four days the spots are found to
contain liquid matter, and if care is
not taken, are broken and may be-
come raw sores, which are difficult
to heal, which in fact, sometimes
result very disastrously and even
fatally. By-and-by the contained
liquid becomes a thick, yellowish
pus, which dries in the scab, and
this in time becomes loose and falls
off, being replaced by newly formed
skin. When one case is out of the
way another appears, and in herd
of twenty or more it may consume
the whole summer in its passage
through the herd, giving constant
annoyance. During the progress of
the disease the udder is inhamed
and tender, and the teats are quite
painful when pressed; so much 50
that milking in the usual manner is
Recourse is then had to
milking tubes, which are made of
silver and carefully inserted into the
teat, being fabricated with lard or
sweet oil to prevent irritation of the
lining membrane of the organ. The |
milk flows through the tube and the
udder is easily drained dry without
any inconvenience to the animal.
This disease is readily communi-
Gated to mankind and to horses, and |
spreads from COW to COW, being
usually conveyed by the mixer,
whose hands and clothing soon be-
come infected with the virus. The
matter contained in the vesicles of
the true vaccine virus, used for in
persons as an antidote to
the more dreaded and virulent
small pox, and in its effect upon
occasions no worse disturb
ance than the slight fever, and some
times glandular swellings incident
to the operation Of vaccination. The
virus will often remain permanently
in a stable and cause every heifer
MIXED in it to contract the disease.
When this is found to be the case
the stable should be thoroughly dis
infected by burning sulphur in it
very literally, by sprinkling car
bolic acid freely over the floors, and
by thoroughly withdrawing the
walls and the stalls and other furni- |
ture.
The duration of the disease is
from ten to twenty days, and if the
COW is kept from exposure to rain
or inclement weather, no complica-
ton is likely to occur. In some
cases the disease passes off with
very slight eruption, mere pustule,
followed by scab upon one teat
only, and that Of very inconsider-
able character, being observable, and
ing the nature of the trouble, even
should he give it passing thought.
But as cases are by no means rare
in which the disease has spread to
other cows, and these have expert
enced a more serious lndisposition,
it is wise for the dairyman to be on
his guard and use all necessary pre-
cautions as soon as he perceives the
first indications of the disease in the
herd. Then the sick auimal should
be isolated. She should be MIXED
after all the others, or the person
who milks her should not approach
the other cows.-Rural New Yorker.