The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-30
DISEASED CATTLE AT CHICAGO.
An Outbreak of Texas Fever Five Hundred
Head Of Cattle Ordered Killed.

CHICAGO, July 29.-The arrival of a number
of sick cattle having been reported at the Union
Stockyards, this city an examination was made
by number Of veterinarians this morning, who
are not yet ready to submit an official report
The fact is, however, that they have agreed that
the disorder is Texas fever, superinduced by
drinking water strongly impregnated with alkali
The cattle have been securely quarantined and
isolated Those in the lot that are unaffected are
to be slaughtered subject to the inspection of the
health department. Those that are unable to
recover are being shot, and those that are doubt
full of recovery will be held in quarantine for
further developments.
Another train, consisting of twelve cars, con-
tanning 240 head of cattle, arrived this morning
They were branded the same as the herd which
was found to be diseased yesterday, and are from
southweste Kansas Fifteen were found dead
in the cars, fifty five had been thrown out dead
on the way, and great many Others were sick
and had been tramped on. Dr. Paaren, the
State veterinarian, and DR.. DeWolfe, city health
commissioner, declare the trouble to be bloody
murrain. The entire herd, including those Of
yesterday, was ordered killed, making about 500
head in all. The officials declare the cattle were
evidently diseased before shipment and from all
that can be learned the entire herd was in the
Kansas City stockyards thirty days before ship
ment to this city. In view of the fact that the
cattle were thoroughly quarantened before kill
ing, it is not believed the trouble whether it is
Texas fever or bloody murrain, will extend any
further.
DR.. N. h Paaren, State veterinarian. has not
yet made his official report, but asserts tonight
that his Investigations have developed the fact
that these cattle are afflicted with splenic, or
Texas fever. Health Commissioner DeWolf, Of
this city, concurs in this opinion and exhibits in
his Office the spleens and kidneys of some of
these animals which died, and they are found to
exhibit strongly-marked signs of fever. On the
other hand, many stockmen and some persons
familiar with Texas fever do not believe tits that
disease. They assert that in all cases of Texas
fever the animal excreta are very hard and
that the same is, in a measure, true
of sickness from drinking alkali water, and that
the deaths in this instance could not have
resulted from either of these, as the excreta are
entirely natural. They profess to believe the
deaths were caused by congestion of the bowels
induced by drinking too much water after long
thirsting and being oyerheated These cattle be-
long to Frazier g Oberly, of Kansas City, and
were brought from their ranch in the Indian
Territory. The entire number received was
$50, of which 100 arrived this morning. OF this
number 162 have died, or been killed to relieve
them of agony Nine were killed by
the veterinarian today, and he said
all showed signs of Texas fever The
living members of the herd are quarantined,
and the pens in which they are confined will not
again be used for cattle, but, when emptied. will
be scrubbed, ref1oored. and used for hogs. The
health department has charge of the entire
drove, and the health commissioner undertakes
to say that the meat of none of these animals
will be allowed to go into market while there is
the least danger He has given permission to
the firm to which the herd is consigned to sell
noninfected members of the herd, subject to
inspection by the department after slaughtered.
A small number were sold and slaughtered
to day, but, as matter Of precaution, were not
permitted to be put on the market It is said
here that twenty five head Of these cattle were
sold at Kansas City.
A dispatch from Roodhouse, Ill, states that
sixteen carloads of cattle from the Indian Ter
ritory arrived at the Chicago & Alton stock
yards at that place on Sunday night. Nineteen
head died on the road after leaving Kansas City,
and it Is believed the whole lot is infected with
the Texas fever. AL that could stand up, twelve
carloads, were forwarded to Chicago. The re-
mander, seventy-t two in number, were dead on
Monday morning. Andy Jacobs, of Kansas
City, in charge of the cattle, denied that they
had Texas fever and said they were poisoned by
eating loco weeds on the trail, but u. g. Tiffany
veterinary surgeon from Jacksonville, pro-
nounces the disease Texas fever The stock
and cattle for Chicago by this route were un-
loaded at Jacksonville last night, instead of at
Roodhouse The matter has caused great ex-
element among cattle and railroad men.
Kansas City dispatch says: After care
full investigation, the Live Stock Indicator makes
the following statement: There has not BEEN
and is not, any Texas fever among cattle at
this point or in this neighborhood. The cattle
shipped from here in which so called Texasyfeyer
has developed, passed through the yards but
while here did not exhibit any symptoms of the
disease. 1t was contracted by contact with
through Texas cattle in the Indian Territory
kilograms report that the disease has also ap-
peared at Brady's Island and Hiawatha, Kan.
At Manhattan, Kan, fifteen head of cattle have
died from the disease.