The Portland daily press., 1884-03-29
FOOT AND mOU Ia DIsEAsE.
Hon. Joseph A. Locke, of the Governors
Council, Replies 20 an Article i'm the
Home Farm.

To the Editor Of the Press:
In an article taken from the Augusta Home
Farm and published in this mornings edition Of
Argus, am gu ted as advising one of the suffer-
ers t. take all of his dressing put it in tight boxes
together with lime and let it remain year to puri
fly it,"
The author of that article evidently did not hear
my staten advice.
The Governor and committee of the Council with
DR.. Bailey, one of he comm ssiones on diseased
cattle, visited the barns OF those havi infect ed
cattle for the purpose of ascertanng the extent of
the ifecton and seeing what could be done to stay
its spread.
Asce tainiug the extent of the infection. after
consdliat wi h DR.. Bailey and reading eommuni-
cato from Two of the best authorities of this
Cisease; seeing that there great ana immediate
danger Of he Infection being scattered broad asst by
the droppi gs of he cattle being LEFT ex osed rec
ommen ed tnat the selectmen OF the towns calsa ALI
manure on place infected to be carried If with
horses, as soon as possible, to distance in SO @
fed and then pill up with lime ia sufficient guam
earth SO colts ann dogs would not get at it, aid
tencet in so colts could not step upon it, and al
lowed t" remain there aud rot.
consider 1t very dangero 8 to any manure in
those yards to be used this season. Could it be
pow' in entirely and covered over, that would
answer, but every farmer knows hat cannot be
done even for seeding without some portions of
the manure being exposed. This manure shoult be
removed at once, tor there may be danger of its
pastue or the highway and thus communicate he
disease Could the manure be burned with line or
otherwise wi bout owing it from the yari that
would be better Every particle of manure and
lose earth III the yard should be removed or burn
ed. SILL further l am of opinion that the hay on
infected premises with all boarding and p,anking
In the te-ups should be taken out and burned as
soon as the cattle therein have recove ed with the
BIO riding of he barn b7hind the cattle ami par
titions near them, and hen the base thoroughly
purlhed But the first thing to be done is to burn
or remove the manure as stated above. Under no
circumstances should any cattle, sheep swine or
hens, De allowed to come In contact with the
manure or Its w2shings, the farm to pass over
the road over which infec ed cattle have D ,ssed
time thereafter for the weather to kill any germs
Of the disease which may 20 siby remain Ali
persons passing over said roads with hors should
see to 1t that their horses feet are clean as asc
the wheels of their carriages and carts when they
leave the infected way.
AS to the damages for loss of manure and de-
structi u OF hay and tie-ups, doubt not tie next
Legislature vi provide.
The lmprt ssion prevails that the Governor and
Councl nave fnll power and authority in the prem-
ises. They can only recommend In accordance
with the provisions of the Revised Statutes (R S.
1883, chap. a. sect. 50) they have appoint COM
m1ssloners, with power make all necessary
suggestions, and to issue summary orders for the
treatment and extirpatlon of any contagious dis
ease among cattle, and may direct the municipal
officers to enforce and carry them into effect
have full power and auf hority The Cove nor and
Council will doubtless approve whatever these
oclais snail decide to do to suppress this disease,
and recommend t. the next Legislature an appro-
prlation to meet the damages and expenses.
JOSEPH A. LOCKE.