The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-08-21
CATTLE DISEASE.
Existence of Pleuro-Pneumonia In IIIi-
nOis Acknowledged by Competent
Authority.

nois Acknowledged a by Competent
Authority.
CHICAGO, August 20.-The Breed
ers' Gazette will publish the followin,
tomorrow: AT last the unwelcom
truth is forced upon us that conta
gious pIeuro- pneumonia has found
lodgment in the prairies of Illinois
The evidence of its baneful presence
in not less than five jersey herds il
this state, are overwhelming, anC
grave fears exist that the extent o.
the infliction has only dawned upoI
, us from Investigations which were sci
on foot some two weeks age, by the
bureau of animal industry, and we
have 10 longer any room to doubt the
unwelcome fact.
The nature of the trouble was
first suspected by DR.. Trumbower,
Of Sezrling, who was in the employ of
the department of agriculture. A
jersey cow belonging to Mr.. Keefer.
of Sterling, recently purchased by him
sickened and died under such circum-
stances as to lead to suspicion. Her
Lungs we're taken out and sent to DR..
Solomon, chief Of the bureau, at
Washington, for examination, and a
thorough investigation of the case was
made. He instructed his subordinate
TO carefully enquire into its history. 1t
Was soon learned that the COW came
from the herd of M. G. Clark, Geneva,
and that there had been other and
serious trouble there. He sold two
COWS that went into the herd OF John
Boyd, of Elmhurst, and which soon
thereafter had Sickened and one died.
Other more serious results followed.
DR.. Solomon came on in person some
days ago to investigate the case.
A post mortem examination was
made last week, which fully confirmed
his worst fears, and he at once set to
work to learn the source of infection.
Mr.. Clark, of Geneva, admitted six
deaths in his small herd since last
April, These with COWS sold to Keef-
er and two taken to Elmhurst, made
nine fatal cases from this herd alone.
In the meantime word came of
trouble in two Jersey herds In anoth-
er part of the state, and Drs. Solomon,
Pearen and Rauch, made post NOR
TEN, revealing perfectly typical case
OF genuine lung plague.
Meantime sales had been made to
various parties-one lot going to Gym
thana, Kentucky, from which nothing
has been heard. Investigation shows
an auction sale Of Jerseys at Virgil
MIA, Cass county, Illinois, in February
last, which Was the distributing point
of the infection in this
state. Animals from the state were
taken to Nebraska, Iowa and Ken
lucky, and to various other herds in
this state.
"All the available resources of the
department of agriculture are being
employed to trace, determine and iso-
late infected herds.
Mr.. Boyd and others, whose names
are not mentioned, have made no sales
for months past, and there is no dan
ger of the disease spreading further
from their herds"
In view of these developments the
following order has been issued:
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
Washington, d. c., August 20.
TO the cattle owners of the United
States: Owing to the existence of al
disease, supposed to be con-
tagious pleuro-pneumonia, in sev-
erdl herds of Jersey cattle, in
the state of Illinois, l hereby
request owners of all herds of Jersey
cattle in the United States, into which
new animals have been introduced
since January 1, to stop shipments of
cattle until after October 1. The
disease seems to have been introduced
by animals sold at Virginia, Ill, in
July last, and the animals were widely
distributed through the western states.
1t is hoped that persons owning cattle
traceabIe to this sale, and all others
having cattle affected with the disease
of the lungs, will at once communi-
cate with DR.. d. e. Salmon. chief of
the bureau of animal industry, care of
Breeders Gazette, Chicago, and clearly
state the condition and symptoms
of the disease. The attention of own
ers is called to section Z of an act
establishing a bureau of animal in
dustry, whicn makes it misde-
meanor, punishment not less than
800 nor more than $4,000 fine, or by
imprisonment of not more than one
year, or both, for shipping cattle
affected with any contagious disease,
and especially the disease known as
pleuro- pneumonia, from one state or
territory into another. The cordial
cooperation of the state authorities
and all persons interested in the well
fare of cattle is earnestly desired, in
order to avert this danger which now
meEaces the herds of the country.
TSigned GEO. B. LORING.
Commissioner Of Agriculture.