Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1883-03-29
Disease Among Cattle in Europe.

Late English papers have been call
Of disease among cattle The disease
attacks the mouths and hoofs OF horses.
cows. swine, etc. A couple of months
ago it was heard of in the eastern coun-
ties; at last accounts it was raging in
Lancashire and Sta ordshire; in fact
there is now hardly county in England
to which it has not spread.
1t is matter of surprise that pre-
viou>ly to 1889 this disease was IN
known in the United Kingdom. Nor
were other diseases of cattle now alto
gether too familiar known up to that
time. Aphthous and vascular diseases
of the mouth and hoofs were simply
known as the ''epidemic. The correct
term for them, which has since been
applied, is ''epizootic. A year or two
later thee diseases were followed by
the contagious pleuro-pneumonia, which
was d stingushed as 1.-THE new disease"
These diseases were imported into En-
gland from foreign shores. AS the
Duly NesCs has several times pointed
out, it is remarkable circumstance
that the prevailing diseases, roth hu-
man and animal, come from the Fast
ern world. which has thus been at once
the source OF both life and death to hui
mainly. The terrible cattle seases
which have devastated the British herds
passed into that country from the shores
of the North Sea; the Dutch and the
Prussians, on their parts. traced them
to Poland. Hungary and Russia; while
the evolutionary movement at length
brings the scientific inquirer TO the re-
hottest reg; ons of asia. thus constitut-
ing the cradle Of mankind the breeding
place of its most deadly pestilences.
In Great Brita n science has sought in
vain for remedy for their virulent
cattle epidemics, just as it has sought
the present, or the black death and the
plague of the past. In lamenting over
the failure O. science to stem the tide of
these death-dealing cattle diseases, an
English journal calls attention to the
fact that in the interval between 1889
and 1888 humanity has. in dealing with
them, only advanced to the point which
Wordsworth. in an uncharitable mood,
assigned as the limit of the physician s
usefulness-to give a name to the
disease which he could not cure. Forty
consecutive and highly scientific years
have carried humanity no farther than
this
1t is believed in England that the
present appearance of the foot and
mouth disease is largely owing to the
wet and cold weather. 1t is even as
serted that had every conceivable way
of entrance from abroad heen barre | to
the contagion. the traffic in store cattle
between various parts OF the United
Kingdom would of itself be suffice to
generate the epidemic in such winter
as the present. There is, in fact, grow
ing throughout the country the opinion
that the disease may or ginate afresh at
independent certers. This opinion is
not, however reflected in veterinary
writings nor does the Government act
upon it, but applies the only remedy
which has so far had any perceptible eff
feet in checking its ravages-the
slaughter of all foreign cattle supposed
to be tainted.
The latest newspaper accounts say
that disastrous outbreak of the foot
and mouth plague has Just occurred in
the royal farms at Windsor. which at
lords striking evidence that the most
systematic care and the most perfect
housing are no So eguards against the
contagion O. disease which must be
referred in the last analysis largely to
hardships and natural causes.
1t s striking evidence of the pres
cnt straits of the British farmers that
| the journals, which more Immediately
represent their intere is. call ;or the free
! importation of store cattle from foreign
countries. to be subsequently fatted for
market. Such an importation would
help the cattle in the I'm ted States,
VIII lie it would, were such cattle care
fully handled in transportation by land
! and sea, otviate much OF the loss from
shrinkage, which is now almost fatal
objection to shipping stock on long
e