The Portland daily press., 1884-02-18
FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE.
The Scourge Obtains a Foothold
in the Vicinity of Portland
INTERVIEWS WITH ALL THE
PARTIES INTERESTED.

PARTIES INTERESTED.
A Complete Diagnosis of the Disease and
the Precautions Taken by DIR. Bailey.
Saturday the PRESS hearing that the Foot
and Mouth disease had broken out among the
herds of cattle owned by James L. Peirce and
James L. West Of Falmouth, Samuel Rolfe of
Deering, and Mr.. Shattuck, Superintendent of
the Quarantine Ground, made careful and
as far as possible, thorough examination into
the matter. AS only q short time ago the
same rumor prevailed and DR.. Thayer the
United States inspector, had pronounced the
disease other than the scourge now pre-
valent abroad, the PRESS thought probable
that the rumor was only an old story revived.
Sach, however, did not prove the case, and
the result of the reporters Investigations will
be found keio6:
JUDGE cLEAvEs
Judge Cleaves, of the firm OF Cleaves &
Cleaves, said his firm were counsel for the
towns Of Falmouth and Deering. On Thurs
day last complaint was made to the selectmen
OF Falmouth that the herd of cattle belonging
to John L. West farmer, of that town, was
suffering from the foot and mouth disease.
The selectmen consulted their counsel on
Friday evening who referred to the statute
aud found it was the duty Of the seleotmen to
have veterinary surgeon examine the cattle
at once and, IL he found them infected, to have
them killed or isolated This notification was
made to Veterinary Surgeon DR.. George Ell.
Bailey, on Saturday by the selectmen. An
hour later, than the selectmen of Falmouth
had applied, the se!ectmen of Deering also
took advice of counsel DIR. Bailey of Port
land and Dr. Huntington of Deering, ex-
amined the cattle Saturday and pronounced
their sickness the foot and mouth disease.
COLLECTOR DOW.
Collector Dow said the steamer Ontario, of
the Dominion Line, arrived at this port Feb.
I'd, with a herd of % Hereford cattle. The
government regulations are that the cattle
shsll be unloaded from the ship under the
charge of the United States veterinary inspec-
tor, and disposed Of as he directs DIR. Thayer,
one of the United States cattle commissioners,
and as eminent an authority as any in the
country came to Portland and examined the
herd before they were removed from the yes
sci. DR.. Thayer reported to Collector Dow
that the cattle were free from contagious
disease, stating he had especially examined
them for the foot and mouth disease, now SO
prevalent in England.
Under DR.. Thayer's direction the cattle were
driven to the quarantine at Deering. 1t is not
the intention, or expectation, that cattle shall
be driven to the quarantine along the road,
but DR.. Thayer thought it absolutely safe to do
so in face of the careful inspection to which
they had been subjected. The disease de-
velopes in from three to six days after ex-
posure, and as these cattle had been fourteen
days on the steamer without developing any
| symptoms, the doctor deemed them entirely
| free from disease, and considered no danger
| could arise from driving them to the quaran-
| tine.
| A few days after arrival at quarantine Mr..
| Shattuck, the superintendent, reported to Mr..
| Dow symptoms of foot and mouth disease
| among the cattle. DR.. Thayer was at once
| telegraphed for, came to the city, examined,
| in the collectors presence at quarantine, every
| animal presented to him, supposed to be suf.
| fering from the disease, and decided there
were no symptoms apparent. Collector Dow
| then left the quarantine station. Afterwards
| Mr.. Dow heard that DIR. Thayer examined
| every animal at the station. DR.. Thayer then
| came to the city, pronounced the cattle free
| from the disease and authorized publication
| to that effect and the statement was made in
| the Press. About the middle of last week
| Mr.. Shattuck expressed fears OF the hoof and
| mouth disease and upon Thursday last, Col
lector Dow was notified that yoke of oxen
| which followed the herd of Herefords ION the
| latter's way from Portland to the quarantine
| grounds) lhad been taken sick with the foot
| and mouth disease and that some other cattle,
| which had come in contact with them, were
also down with the disease Mr. Dow went at
| once to the quarantine and learned from the
| superintendent there that the imported herd
| was very much improved in health, only one
or two animals, at that time, showing any
| symptoms of the sickness and it has since been
| reported that those are better. DIR. Thayer
was at once telegraphed, came to Portland
| Saturday noon, and in connection with Dr. G..
| H. Bailey, the celebrated veterinary surgeon
| of Portland, made careful examination Of the
| cattle on the farm of Mr.. Samuel Rolfe, which
| cattle were supposed to have taken the disease
| from the imported Herefords, and they pro-
| nounced the cattle clearly infected with foot
| and mouth disease. They also inspected cattle
| of Mr.. West and Mr.. Pierce, that were sick,
| and they were also pronounced suffering from
the same trouble. The collector said the
| cases thus far were of q mild type. The
| disease is highly contagious. Little sores ap-
| pear in the mouth, and between the toes.
| There is a great deal of fever. The disease
| develops in from three to six or eight days,
| aud while the beasts are sick hey should be
| carefully isolated in buildings by themselves.
| No hay, other than what they eat, should be
left in the building with them, and their drop
| pings should be kept apart from the other
manure, and should be carefully disinfected.
| II the milk is used it should be first scaded,
| although no farmer of principle would of
| course dispose Of milk which he knew came
| from a sick animal. The disease is rarely
of his cattle he should isolate the sick ores at
| once AMI Immediately notify tn town auth Or
| tiles.
DIR. GEORGE H BAILEY.
| TIE public mind has been considerably exer-
cised during the past few days in regard
to the landing at this port of an importation
of Hereford cattle, that, owing to the INSULT
cient quarantine regulations, have since infect
| ed quite number of native cattle with W hom
| they have come in contact. propose to give
such facts of the case, and pathology of the
disease, as will set at rest many idle rumors
| that are gaining ground and working mischief
| and alarm in adjoining towns. On February
| I'd, there arrived at this port by Steamer On
tario, of the Dominion Line, twenty-sight head
of Hereford cattle, consisting of six bulls,
twenty-one heifers and one calf. The herd
was inspected on board ship by U. s. Commits
sioner Thayer, and being pronounced free from
disease, were allowed to land, when by some
oversight, or misundersta nding between the
United States officials here, and the agent oil
the Grand Trunk road, the animals instead
of being transported by cars to near the "Shat-
tuck Farm, we're allowed to be driven ovel
the public highway through Portland ani
Deering to their destination at quarantine. Or
the morning of that day, Mr.. james L. West o
Falmouth, drove into the city pair of "blacl
oxen', drawing a load OF wood to near tn,
steamers landing. and as the imported cattl,
came up from the wharf, ne followed along be
hind them with his team as far as the tsrmin
alton of Washington St., mile or more in dis
tance. On February 9th, DIR. Thayer was sum
moned from Boston, to visit the imported cat
tie, as they "were off their feed" when h
made deferential diagnosis again pronounc
ing them free from contagious disease Oh
February 8th, Mr.. West traded his "black OK
en- to Mr.. Lsmuel Rolfe, who lives upon IT,
Gerry farm at Deering, and they were placed
among his other cattle, ten in number. Mr.