The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-03-20
THE FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE.

nary Surgeon to the Governor of Kansas
in Regard to the Dreadful Scourge.
TOPEKA, KAs., March 13.-The following
is the report of DR.. Holcombe, the veterinary
surgeon commissioned by Governor Click to
investigate the disease which recently made
its appearance among the cattle in WOodSon
County, Kas.:
NEosHo FALLS, wOoDsoN, COUNTY, KANr
March 10 1884.
To the GOucrnor Of Kansas:
SIR-I have the honor to report mere
with the results of my investigation
into the nature. cause and progress
of the disease existing among the cattle
in this neighbOrhood. By permission of Gen.
eral Augur commanding the Military Depart
ment of the Missouri, / reported to you in
Topeka on the 9Th inst, and received verbal
instructions to proceed to this point without
delay. arrived here on the 9th inst, in COM
pany with yourself and Colonel Sims, Secre-
tary of the State Board of Agriculture,
and a delegation of citizens of Emporia.
j first inspected the herd of Daniel Keith. loca-
ted four miles northwest of NeoSho Falls, in
Coffey, County, Kas. The history of his herd
is as follows: 1t consists of l2O animals, most
of which are yearlings, the remainder COM
prising a few COWS and two-year-old steers.
All Of these animals were picked up in the
surrounding country last autumn. The last of
sixty were received on December 10, 1888. All
time between the 18th and Dist OF December,
five of the yearlings were seen to be lame and
to present more or less swelling of the affected
feet. A day or two afterward six more were
found with similar symptoms. After time
il was noticed that the feet affected showed
signs of sloughing at the coronet, or
above the fetlock joint. This result
was attributed to freezing of the diseased
members. Notwithstanding the changes in
the weather, new outbreaks IN the herd con-
unued until at the time of my arrival siXtywere
or had been affected. made a critical exam
inatiOn of a large number both of the well and
the sick. a typical recent case, said TO have
been sick four or five days. was a two-year-old
steer, with the following symptoms: The right
hind foot was considerably swollen, and the
animal limped "a he walked. A single ycsicle
was found on the skin in the cleft of the hoof.
touched ii with my finger when it ruptured;
the huid escaped, leaving an oblong SUI
periicial ulcer. The foot was hot and
tender to pressure, while the swelling
extended as high as the fetlOck. The
temperature, taken in the recline, was lO4 20
degrees Fahrenheit. An examination of the
mouth revealed three small ulcers, and one
recently formed ulcer on the mucous men,
brane of the lips and gums. Another case,
said to have been affected about ten days. was
red yearling steer, the right hind foot sup
purating at the fetlock joint, while the parts
the upper and lower lips of the gums
and palate as far back to the
second mOlar teeth showed numerous
ulcers. varying in size from a large pin-head
10 Lima bean. These ulcers were of a pale,
reddish purple color, or of Il y1lowish brown.
ON preparing to take the temperature the pa
tent defacated, revealing on the mucous
membrane Of the rectum small ulcer from
which escaped some blood. The thermometer
registered lO4 degrees Fahrenheit. Another
case said to have been one of the first affected,
was white yearling steer. He refused TO get
up, was greatly cmaciated and suf-
fering intense pain. The right
hind leg presented stump at the
fetlock Joint covered over with dark
brown hanRlfh which aEn1nad q
thick yellow puS when pressure was applied.
The stump was tender and swollen about half
way to the hook. The left hind leg was swOl-
len, hot and intensely painful as high as the
fetlock. The toes stood wide apart showing
a tenser yellowish skin at the base of the cleft
beneath which collections of pus could be
felt. The horn of the outside toe was de-
tached at the heel, undermined with pus and
nearly ready to drop off. The exposed
bone was dead on the surface. The
mouth showed several ulcers, some
healed, Others nearly So The tempera-
ture was 102 degrees Fahrenheit. These
three cases are fairly illustrative of the dis
ease as it existed here in the various stages.
In some cases the mouth LESSONS are compare
lively slight while the feet are seriously af-
fected, and viCS versa some have had the
disease IN mild form and escaped without
loss of any portion Of their limbs: some have
lost one toe, some both toes, some one les at
the fetlock some both legs and one three legs.
The older the animal the less disastrous does
the disease appear to be, for bat few COWS
have lost even one foot. One cow with a
calf by her side about ten days old
took the disease and developed ulcers
on the teats and udder as well as in
the mouth. Three days afterwards the aft
died with all the symptoms of the disease in
its early stages. The second herd inspected
belongs to Mr.. Goodrich, of Kansas City, Mo,
and il located on the opposite side of the high
way, about one hundred yards from Mr..
Keiths place. The first case appeared in this
herd four or five weeks ago, and the number
affected on the 9th inst. was thirty-five out of
a total of ninety-five head. But two of these
cases require special attention. One is Il red
yearing steer with one foot affected, showing
ulcers on both lips, the gums, tongue and on
the roof of the mouth back to and
including the soft palate. The other is a
two-year-old heifcr that will lose all four legs.
This herd was in fine condition when the dis
ease broke out. The third herd infected is sit
uated about two ana Il half miles south OF
Mr.. Keith's place, in WoOdSon County, Kan,
and belongs to John w. Beard On the 9th
inst, but four cases had been affected, one of
which died while the disease was at its height.
The total number of animals in this herd is
seventy-fivc. Ii has been infected about two
weeks.
Regarding the nature of the disease there
can be no question but what it is Il contagious
one. This is shown by the repeated outbreaks
which r have taken place in Of the Sc herd
ease to the herd across the highway, and
finally to Mr. Boards cattle 10y the purchase
of COW from MIR. keith's farm. That it is
foot and mouth disease cannot be doubted
when the symptoms are considered; for, to re-
captulate. the various eases show: NeScleS
and ulcers of the mouth, vesicles and ulcers
in the cleft of the foot, SuppGration and
sloughing at the feet, ulcers of the rectum,
vesicles and ulcers of the udder, diarrhoca. a
varying from l0l to l04 rs de-
greeS Fahrenheit, and the most marked enact
alton even in cases where the appetite is good.
How the disease originated am at loss to
know. In the past the foot and mouth dis
cept when brought here from Great Britain or
Europe. That il can originate spontaneously
/ do not believe, for many observations have
shown that specific diseases cannot be pro-
duced except when the specific virus is pres
ent in the system, and that this virus is always
the result of like pre-eXisting virus.
That the disease was brought to Mr.. Keith's
herd / am fully convinced; but when, how
and where from. my investigations up to the
present time do not enable me to say. On the
9Th inst. three new herds were reported in
fected i visited them and found the report
groundless. Since the 9th inst twelve new
cases have appeared in Mr.. keith's herd and
four or five in Mr. Goodrich's. The in
fected district has been surrounded with
quarantine notices. but to all intents ard pur-
poses, they are imperative. That the disease !
will appear in other herds unless efficient |
measures of eradication are adopted is patent
to all who are acquainted with the past history |
of foot and mouth disease. In my opinion |
the infected herds should all be destroyed and |
the infected premises Quarantined against all
of o2e year. The bedding. manure, /
hay, fodder, fences, etc, should be |
with the cattle and the stables |
cleaned and disinfected. The dis /
pase is now so near to the great cattle ranges /
If the West, to which il may readily be carried /
and where its disastrous effects would be in /
calculable and its eradication impossible, that |
any delay of action is most dangerous TO tho |
great interests at stake. | am, sir, very res |
pectfully your obedient servant,
fSignedl A. \. HoLCONBE. y. V. s,
Inspecting Veterinary Surgeon. L. 5. A
Fusion Poole, of Newark. y. j.,
has recently recovered gold watch
Inder peculiar circumst ances. Seven /
rearS apo he MAS visiting his uncle i