The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1884-08-27
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Pleuro-Pneumonia IN Illinois.

Gazette will publish the following to-
morrow: SAT last the unwelcOme truth
is forced upon us that contagious pleurO-
pneumonia has found a Judgment on the
prairies of Illinois. Evidence of its bale
full presence in not less than five Jersey |
herds in this state are overwhelming, and
great fears are expressed that the great
Infection has only dawned upon us.
The fears were set on foot some two or
three weeks ago by the bureau of ami
NAL industry now there is no room to
doubt the unwelcome fact. The nature
of the trouble was first suspected by DR..
Trumberer, of Sterling, who was in the
employment Of agriculture. The Jersey
COW belonging to Mr.. Keefer, Of Sterl-
ing, recently purchased by him, sicken-
ed and died under such circumstances
as to lead to suspicion. Her lungs We're
taken out and sent to DR.. Salmon, chief
of the bureau at Washington. An ex-
animation satisfied him that a thorough
investigation of the case was warranted
and he instructed his subordinate to
carefully inquire into its history. 1t
was soon learned that the COW came
from the herd Of M. G.. Clark, of Geneva,
Ill, and that there had been another
and more serious trouble there. He had
sold two cows that had went to the herd
vi JOlu IUNuf vi OAS -
soon thereafter had sickened and one OF
them had died. Other and more serious
results followed and DR.. Salmon came
in person a few days ago to investigate
the case. In company with MI. Hand
ers, of the Gazette, he visited MI. Boyd's
herd, where the remaining living cow
purchased from Mr.. Clark was found to
be suffering from what appeared to be
pleuro-pneumonia in chronic form,
and another one of Mr.. Boyd's present
ed an acute case ofthe same disease of
only about ten days duration. u. Sal
mon was slow, however, to declare the
contagious nature OF the disease, but SUD-
sequent investigation and the fact that
two more animals in the same herd were
attacked with similar symptoms, SO con-
firmed him in his diagnosis that he
determined to kill the two cows first
attacked on Mr.. Boyd's place. The
post mortem examination which was
made last week confirmed his worst
fears, and he at once set to work to learn
the source of the Infection. Mr.. Clark,
of Geneva, admitted six deaths in his
small herd since last April, although he
claimed, at the time, that w OF those
died of old age, These with two sold
and taken to Elmherst made nine fatal
cases in one herd. In the meantime
news was received of the disease in two
herds in another part Of the state, and
DR.. Salmon andstwo assistants made a
post mortem examination and revealed
the case to be genuine lung plague. The
disease seems to nave run its course in
the herd of Mr.. Clark, but in the mean
time sales have been made to various
parties, one lot going to C%ynthiana, KY,
from which nothing has been heard.
The article claims that the investiga-
ton shows that the auction sale Of
Jerseys at Virginia, Cass county, Ill, in
February last was the distributing point
OF Infection in this state. Animals from
this sale were taken to Nebraska, Mis-
souri,, Iowa and Kentucky. All available
sources of the department of agriculture
are being used to trace up and determine
the isolated and the infected herds. Mr..
Boyd and others whose James are not
mentioned have had no sales for months
past, and there Is no danger of the dis
ease spreading further than their herds
so far as known, the infection is confined
to jersey herds. In view Of these de-
velopments the following order has been
issued by the department of agriculture:
WASHINGTON, August 20, 1884.
To the @ tile OWners of the United
States:
Owing. 70 the existence of a disease,
supposed to be pleuro-pneumonia, in
several of the Jersey herds in Illinois
I hereby request all owners of herds of
Jersey cattle in the United States into
which new cattle have been introduced
since January 1st to stop the shipment
of cattle after August lst. The disease
seems to be introduced by animals sold
at Virginia, Cass county, Illinois, in
July, 1884, and these animals were wide
ly distributed through the western states.
1t is hoped, therefore, that persons own
ing cattle tracing to this sale, and all
others having cattle affected with dis
ease of the lungs, will at once communi-
cate with DR.. d. e. Gilman, chief of the
bureau of animal industry, care of the
Breeders Gazette, Chicago, aud clearly |
state the condition of their herds and
symptoms of disease. The attention of
owners Of cattle and railroad and other
transportation companies is called to
section 7 of an act establishing a bureau
of animal industry, which makes it a
misdemeanor punishable by a fine of
not less than 800 nor more than $500, |
or by imprisonment not more than one
year, or both, for shipping cattle affected
with any contagious affection-cable
disease especially, and the disease known
as Recommendation one state or
territory into another. The cordial CO.
operation of state authorities and of all
persons interested in the welfare of our
cattle industries is earnestly desired, in
order to avert this danger which now
menaces the herds of the country.
(Signed.) GEO. B. LoRING,
Commissions of Agriculture.
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English Capital in Cattle Ranches.