The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-01-10
THE FATAL CATTLE PLAGUE.
Several Herds in New Castle County AZ
| fected With Pleuro Pneumonia,

Several Herds in New Castle County AZ
fected With Pleuro Pneumonia.
The Wilmington, Delaware, Ecsry
Ecenihs makes the following report of
the prevalence Of pleuro- pneumonia
among the cattle of that state: Pleuro-
pneumonia, the most contagious infec-
ton and fatal of cattle plaques, has
made its appearance in several large herds
i'll Brandywine hundred and is spreading
rapidly to all parts of the county, DR..
Ward B. Rowland, veterinary surgeon of
this city, had the first case brought
under his notice yesterday and will re-
port it at once 10 the State Board of
Health, in&smuch as the consumption of
the meat or milk of the affected animals
is very unhealthy, to say the least. The
case reported is upon the farm of George
Bigger, on the Philadelphia turnpike
about mile this side of the Practical
Farmer Hotel.
Mr.. Bigger stated yesterday that the
dread disease first made its appearance
in his herd of cattle about four months
ago, having been introduced by cow
| purchased from dealer near this city.
The animal was suffering with cough
when purchased by him and after his
owning her a short time 5 case of pleu-
ro pneumonia of the most malignant
form developed itself. From this case
several other cattle in the herd took it
and two OF three have died. One of the
cows at present is suffering from very
bad case. About two thirds of one lung
is involved and she will die. Several
others have the malady in an incipient
form, which will necessarily develop in
to acnte cases. There is no quarantine
observed, except in the dangerous case,
which is removed a very short distance
from the others, but those showing the
lncipient symptoms are not separated
from the others, who as yet have given
no signs of the infection. A doubly
| disasreeable feature of the cases re-
ported is that the animals are kept III
barn yard separated from the turnpike
by single fence, and the yard being
high all the DRAWINGS pour off into the
creek from which other herds are wat
cred 1t is the most probable thing i'm.
aginable that Il passing drove of cattle
could be infected Or the cOntagion spread
| to Others drinking the water 1t can be
a. liz inf Of
State laws the disease is very liable to
spread rapidly until the cattle of the en-
tire community are more or less affected
aud diseased.
MIR. Bigger says that there are two
other farmers, near neighbors of his,
whose cattle are quite as badly affected
with the disease as his own The herds
arc large and the contasion is going
through them very fast. All the owners
Of affected herds are dairymsn sending
their milk and daily products to Whining
ton market and the sale of these unwhols-
some articles of food can be viewed with
alarm by Wilmingtonians. They do not
wish the eases reported and Mr.. Bigger
| declined to give the names Of those
whose cattle were Affected with the same
! dread disease as his own.
| Speaking of the e2t-nt of the infection
in \. Castle Co, Dir. Rowland expressed
his opinion that many other herds were
affected with The disease and their ow-
! ners were endeavoring to keep the
matter quiet. There being no fund to
| reimburse those whose cattle are at
! fected they prefer TO keep them alive if
| possible aud stand the chances of max
| ing beeves OF them if they survive the
attack. Pieur0- pneumonia is highly con-
| tagious and infectious, and can be con-
veyed by water or air, or by the clothing
OF attendants. It's first observable symp
tons are cough and q refusal to accept
| food. These arc followed by labored
breathing, great uneasines. and ten
derness Of the sides under light pressure.
One Of the conspicuous symptoms Of the
infection is the animal remaining in a
standing posture with elbows apart to
give the chest rs great expansion as
possible.
As we are such close neighbors TO The
section where this pla que is raging, ONLY
an imaginary line separating Us, it would
be well for our farmers to use every pre-
canton TO prevent It's intro.iuetive here.