The Dillon tribune. [volume] (Dillon, Mont.) 1881-1941, 1884-08-16
Beaverhead County Or GERS.
THE CATTLE DISEASE.
The Breaking Ont of the Splenic or
Texas Fever.

Texas Fever.
The breaking out of the splenic fever
among the cattle has caused considerable
CONSERVATION among the cattle owners OF
the country. To protect the vast cattle
interest Of Montana, Gov. Crosby has is
sued proclamation quarantining the Ter
ritorv against infected cattle. The follow
ing article from the ". 4. Lie Stock
70uyual will be of interest 10 the cattle
growers of Southern Montana:
considerable alarm has been felt by
s,ockmen for the past week in consequence
Of the breaking out Of splenic, or Texas
fever among the native cattle OF several
localities in the north. Exaggerated &C.
counts have been published in various pa
pers. and from these it is difficult to gain
correct view OF the situation. knowing
that the secretary Of the Stock Associations
Hon. Thomas Sturgis, was in daily ana
direct communication with the Territorial
Veterinarian, DR.. Hopkins, and that this
gentleman was making thorough investl-
cation of the whole matter, we called at
the secretary'> office yesterday and gath
cred all necessary data. Acting under in
structions DR.. Hopkins repaired to Max
we'll and Brady's Island and made investi-
CATION, which demonstrated the fact that
the fever does exist at these points and a
plumber of cattle have died. The disease
was brought in bv herd Of southern
Texas cattle shipped TO Rankin y Go. and
unloaded at Maxwell in May last. Suisse
quent shipments Of southern Texas cattle
to Brady's Island, North Platte and Ogal-
ALA made these points centres Of infection.
The most reliable theory is that the disease
is given off by the dung of thesTeNas ami
NAL left on the bedding ground and along
the trail. Some cattle have died at each of
the points named above and others are SICK
The disease is generally fatal, but FORUM
ately not infectious. That is, each animal
must be subjected to the peculiar origina!
cause end one animal will not take on the
disease from coming in contact with an
other animal having the disease. In other
words. native cattle that are subject to
Texas fever will not spread the same by
mingling together. The security lies in
removing and holding until frost, all Of the
native cattle away from the trail Of south
ern cattle. This is being done by all own
.rs and the danger may be said to be vir-
tually over. though vigilance is the price of
safety. All classes of native and halfbreed
cattle are liable to this plague, and they
should be rcligiously kept away from the
trail. There is no certainty as to how long
or short a time may elapse after exposure
before the disease appears. It may be ten
or sixty days.
Veterinarians claim that the changes Of
food and water on the long drive from the
south tend to destroy the germs of the dis
ease in the southern cattle and greatly re-
duce the chances Of giving of infection.
"The cattle recently reported sick in
Kansas City and Chicago were from ranges
ON the trail in Colorado ur the neutral strip,
and unquestionably took on the disease
from through Texans bedding in their
range.
There is now cause for but little alarm
II ranchmen on all the trails and near the
shipping stations will use due care. At the
same time this demonstrates the necessity
Of securing such regulations as will pro-
tect our own interests and not endanger the
traffic between the south and our grazing
fields"