Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-03-14
Foot and Month Disease

Says the Kansas City Times of the
Sth inst:
Mr.. James N. Taylor ana Mr.. O. w.
May, stock dealers of Emporia, Kansas,
were in the city yesterday and were
asked by Times representative for
some facts regarding the mysterious
cattle disease which has broken out in
Woodson county, Kansas, and is just
now attracting the attention of the en-
tire country.
They began by saying that the effect
OF the present agitation is disastrous TO
Kansas stock interests, for while the
disease is confined to very small area,
alarmists see in the matter a threaten
ed danger to the cattle interests of the
entire state. They felt that there was
no just cause for such alarm, as it was
generally believed the disease could be
stamped out.
what is the real nature of the dis
ease?" was asked.
1T is foot and mouth disease, never
before met with in Kansas or this coun-
try, believe, but well known in Eng
land" Mr.. Taylor replied.
"What are its effects?"
"The cattle are affected as if with
smallpox. The feet slowly rot off, and
the whole system becomes diseased.
Death comes slowly, the cattle living
several weeks after the first symptoms
of the disease show themselves
What is the origin of the disease ?"
$50 far, no one can tell. 1t doesn't
appear to have been imported, and how
it startdd no one seems to know"
''Of what class of cattle are the ones
affected?"
Mostly native cows and stock CATTLE"
"Are there any Polled-Angus or other
imported cattle among the herds af.
fected ?''
NO, think not. The disease so far
Is not attributed to any source. 1t
seems to have broken out in Woodson
county entirely spontaneously. The
governor and commission went down
to the infected district recently, and a
second visit was made to-day, believe,
but whether any additional facts were
learned to-day have not yet heard.'
I'm how large territory are the dis
eased cattle found?"
"The area is very small. One of the
herds is located about five miles from
Neosho Falls, another is just across the
road from the first, and the third is
about mile further away. Beyond
these herds no other cattle in the state
have been found to be affected sim-
ilarly"
when did the disease first show it.
self 20
About the holidays. 1t was hardly
noticed at first, but after a while il
seemed to spread to all the cattle in the
herd, and when the feet of some of them
began to drop off it was thought an in
vestigation should be made"
''How many cattle are found to be
afflicted by this time p
sit is stated that large portion of
the three herds have the disease in
mild or severe form. The herds will
number several hundred"
"What remedies are proposed to
stamp out the diseasep"
OBSTRUCTION of the herds and aban-
donment of the grounds on which they
have been. A strict quarantine is urg-
ed, and probably will be enforced. 1t is
thought that by these means the disease
may be stamped out. / have talked
with some Englishmen regarding the
disease, and the methods Of its treat
ment in the old country, and they seem
to be generally of the opinion that in a
country SO healthy naturally there need
be no difficulty in entirely getting rid of
the disease here
At a largely attended meeting of cat
tie men business men and other citizens
of Emporia the other day, to take ac-
tion in regard to the foot and mouth
disease, now prevailing in this state, the
following preamble and resolutions
were adopted:
WHEREAS. 1t has been clearly estah.
fished that the disease known as tina
foot and mouth disease, prevails i'm an
EPIDEMIC form, among the cattle and
other domestic animals in certain local.
tiles Of the state: and
WHEREAS, There is no law existing In
the state TO stamp out or quarantine
such dangerous disease among our dO-
mestic animals: therefore.
RESOLVED. That the governor of the
state be requested to convene n specia1