The Portland daily press., 1884-03-25
FooT AND moUTn D.sEAsE.
A Letter 80 the Governor by fhe state
Castle Com .is.i 0ners-They Defend
Their Course and Resent thc Attacks
Upon Them.
PoRrLAND, March 24th, 1854.

Their Course and Resent the Attacks
Upon Them.
PORTLAND, March gath. 1884.
| To Hon. Frederick Ro5ie, GoUernor Of Mdins
| That the recent importation Of foot and mouth
disease, together with the culpably defective
rangements for the quarantine and exclusion OF
animals affected with contagious diseases at this
port. should have caused Sc ious apprehensionB
among the stock-raising and farming communities
of our State. was no more than should have bees
expected from intelligent and thoughtful mon.
That disease which had already ovsrrun and de
vastated the Continent Of Europe, should demand
vigorous and efficient inspection by the United
States officials and prompt and resolute treatment
at the hands of the municipal authorities and stats
Commissioners, no one will deny.
We wish to call your kind attention at this time
to a summary of what has been already accom-
plished. In view of the fact that this mornings
papers notice meeting of prominent citz, rs and
farmers, in which they request the Governor and
Council to investigate the official action OF the State
Commissioners.
AS officers Of the Board of Cattle Commissioners
we heartily concur in that resolution, and invite
the fullest enquiry aud investigation of th precau-
tions that have oeen taken and of the results that
nave Deen atIalned. II Incompetent and inefficient
men We been appointed TO stamp OUT disease
so nsid Gus and active in its coatagion that the
ocean offers no barrier to its approach subtle In
its intectio that the clo'hing OF attendants
carry and disseminate 1t vast areas the sooner
they removed the better for the ETY. aud good
Of all concerned; bit as you and members Of your
Council have recently had opportunity to person.
aly inspect the quarantine stations under control Of
the Commits toner's, y'u may possibly be In good
position to judge the success ami eoh ncy Of the
regulations they have imposed those who seem to
thiuk the COmmi and ihe farmers are repar.
ate entities, in which the former ooDg all tney
TO thwart the objects and inure the property OF
the latter. Allow TO briefly recaptulae the facts
as they have occurred since February I'd, wh,n the
English steamer Ontario landed the Here ord catt
nov at the United States Quarantine in DeerfnE
and from which it is now conce led ths dseass
originated. enclose the official correspondence:
WASHINGTON, March 3.-Sscretary Folger has
sent to Representative Hatch mmunication CON
tanning d spatch from. MI. King, consul at Bir-
mingham, England. and a letter from the Secretary
himself to Secretary Freinghuysen rela'iv 10 the
foot and mouth disease among cattle In England
and in this county. In his Communication 70 Mr..
Hatch the Secretary says:
The Disclosure es made by Mr.. Kings despatch a.
to the evalence Of the disease throughout Great
Britain show more than the ssity for egis
Sta es against the importation of deceased cattle.
may also state that both in near the Quarantine
the State OF Maine the foot and mouth disease has
You'd any rDssonSSs dosa nd aRRssnnss, a. indicate h
lot OF cattle imported from Great Britain. It 10
believed that other of this disease exists in
this country. The Vowes Of this department in the
way of protection against this disease Is WHOLLY In
sufficient TO protect interests aud the matter az
previously presented, it is hoped win receive the
consideration OF Congress at a very early date.
Mr.. Kings dispatch from Birmingham, Eng, says
in part:
OF this country. In the week ending January 10
there we're GAL farms reported infected and 49,
96l annals with the disc 1t is fact that under
the cattle from of these injected districts can
be we'd to other parts of this country or shipped
abroad two weeks after the disease is supposed 70
have disappeared from the dis rict The contrast
between this fact and ths way the law Is enforced
against American cattle seems TO me to be strik-
ingi Fh.. I'll. o...,a Of ,.n.. !, w... :, v.,u,,,,
were directly exposed to the imported herd ON the
morning Of their arrival, and that they in turn di-
rectly infected every creature that is now or hos
been afec ed with the disease In Maine is also con-
ceded.
On the evening of the 18th Of February, the Stots
Commissioners we're for the first time notified that
contagious disease was apprehended in the towns OF
DeeriDg and Falmouth, and on the morning of the
l6th, they took possession Of the cattle upon he
farms of Messrs. West and Pierce Of Falmouth and
OF Mr. Rofe in Deering; on the 22nd, of the 'attls
Of Mr.. Whitehouse of West Falmouth, and on the
gath, of those of ) A. Smith at Aliens Corner
From the first notice to the present moment, strict
quarantine regulations have been enforced Dubkic
notices have been posted on the infected farms, and
when deemed necessary IN the public papers, faith
nj and competent Hsea have been put in charge OF
the infected cattle, constant medicinal and preVea-
taiive treatment, together with ample supply Of
disinfectants, have been furnished hem, all persons
excepting those in authority have been excluded
from the premises the roads over which the impor-
ted cattle passed publicly quarantine and the most
dstinguis he'd and experienced en- In the We erina-
ry proessi have been daily consulted and advised
with. that every precaution might be ken and
every suggestion followed out that could add to the
security further the interests Of those for whose
benefit a veteriaary sanitary service has been or
ganized and maintained.
THE Commissioners here quote the public notices
that have been given
Whatever success has attended the efforts Of the
commissioners to suppress disease that has bafied
the skill and ingenuity of the best practitioners OF
Europe has been the result of the rigid and coz
slant enforcement of these regulations and we are
willing to rest our case upon the undispSted and
controUerted fact that although over a month has
now elapsed since the last outbreak Of the disease
occurred in either OF the State guarantees no suspt-
cioa of single outside of these fve farms has
been brought to our notice. No animal has died Of
the disease and every animal that has been affected
is either convdtescent entirely recovered. the
disease runs its course in from fifteen TO eighteen
days, all direct N of communication HI W thus
expired In both The United states an State quaran-
tines. And would the gentlemen who OBJECT to the
action Of the commissions $, have us remove The
cattle from these barns before therlperod of quar-
an Inc has expired? Or would they have move
the manure thus scattering its volatile properties
to the four winds of heaven? vt recent mee ing
Of the United States Veterinary Medical As-ociar
tion, holden in Bostod, the subject of aph hous
fever was introduced by me, and thoroughly venti-
lated, and the following resolution introduced BY
Dr X. ;. Hlndekoper, prot ssor Of the Pennsylyar
ResoIged That it is the opinion OF tnis association
that the manure the premises infected with the
| foot and mouth disease ip the neighborhood of
Portland, Me-. should be les ,royed; that tue hay
and feed on the nee ed premises should be burned;
that the U,ited States quarantine authorities are,
through earelessness an incOmpetency, responsible
for the sp. cad of the Infection and that the United
resp nsibe tor the loss to citizens In the neghbor
hood of Portland, and in the State Of Maine; that
| the roads which have beeL trayersed by he infect
| ed animals and the premises used by them should
be properly disinfected.
1t was also resolved that the whole sanitary sys-
TEN of cattle inspection needs rev ion, and man
aged nos alarming state OF things exis,s.
1t has been alleged that the advice Of DR.. MoEach-
ran Of Montreal, one Of the abess m in the Vet
Urinary profession given TO the commissioners on
the 4Lh Of March establish "c0rdoB sdnitcsre''
which should include mile beyond the actual ex-
istence Of the disease has not yet been acted upon
but it Is conveniently forgotten to expl ain that on
tue very next day afte' DR.. McEachran's visit the
commissioners got together and II was then and
| there decided, that If single new case developed
outside of those already existing. his recommenda-
ton should be adopted and carried out t up 10 this
very day that emo gency has arisen and as a
consequences the rule has never been enforced, and
while we have been at all times ready and willing
/ to adopt any measures that would enhance the Sc
curity or further the Interests Of those have the
honor 10 serve, we have entirely disregarded the
attacks OF thUse newspapers -tneh while pretend
ing TO represent the agricultural interests Of our
State, have week after we-k, taken every obportu-
nifty to msrepressnt aud pervert the facts, AID by
narrow minded and ungenerous remarks, seex 70
| p rs IN the public mind by such damaging nonsense
/ as could have no foundation but ia the muddled
| brains of its Inventors.
In conclusion allow us TO say that wa are decided
~ Of the opinion that all attempts TO control and
fully suppress this disease If allowed TO invade
| StSte, as under the present Treasury Commission,
| ers regulations, will be futile and abortiVei and
that tho only true remedy will be found In the ao-
| solute prohibition of the importation OF all cattle
from countries In which Foot and Mouth disease 10
| Known 10 exist.
| We have the honor to be
GEO. H. sBIly BAILEY. EII b. s., Cattle Commits
| 2. A, GILBERT, mSino-
Proceeding to open the probate OF the will OF the
| late Iesse Hovt the mtliOUstre, was begun in New
Vork ritv yesterday before the surr gate. Mr. Hoyt
at the time Of his deatn left an estate va,ued ~