The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1885-10-03
CATTLE DISEASE.
Repartof the Live Stock Commission
to the Governor.

The Illinois live stock commissioners
held meeting Wednesday and formulat-
the following report. to be laid before tn e
governor:
SPRINGFlELD, Ill. Sept. 30, 1854.
| To THE GOVERNOR: We beg leave to
report that since our appointment we
have. in connection with the state veter-
marian, made thorogh inspection of
every point in this state where the dis
ease known as lung plague or contagious
pleuro pneumonia among cattle was sup>
posed to have at any time existed
| The result of our Investigations is to
the effect that the state is absolutely and
entirely free from such disease in an acute
or contagious form. On the 24th of Aus
gust we, in company with DR.. Paaren,
state veterinarian, and Drs. Baker and
Hughes, veterinary practitioners of Chfca-
go, visited the farm of John Boyd, locat-
ed neaI Elmhurst. DuPage county. Drs
Paaren and Baker. after examination,
pronounced the Jersey COW. Erda Third
and Caleri. to be so called recovered or
chronic cases of contagious pleuro pneu
monia. DR.. Hughes disagreed as to Erda
Third, but agreed that the lungs of Caleri
| showed traces OF disease
| DR.. Paarcn also found traces of tine
disease in the lungs Of Gabriel Champion,
Drs. Baker and Hughes disagreeing. We
at once placed all the cows named, and
the two Others that had been running
with them, under close quarantine. We
also addressed communication to the
| United States commissioner of agricul.
ture requesting him to order an examina-
/ a, s>f RIu 10 L., h Gal,
chief of the bureau of animal industry.
In compliance with that request, DR.. Sal
mon made an examination on Sept. Is,
the result of which was to sustain the
opinion of DR.. Paaren on three cases.
From TN t bestsauthOritics in the United
States and Great Britain we learn that
during the outbreaks of pleuroopneumo~
mia it frequently happens that where the
attack is in a mild form and where reme>
dies are resored to in the hope of effects
ing cure, the diseased portion of the
lungs becomes surrounded or encysted
with Il tough substance known as cap
sulu, and remains as it were Theoretically
| sealed. While in this condition, ANIMALS
have the appearance of being in good
health, and will not communicate the dis
ease. They are, however, regarded as
sources of danger from the fact that dis
| eased matter is liable to eat through the
| surrounding capsule and thus again be
come active or acute. The great mass of
| authorizes agree that the disease is liable
| to reappear ut any time within fifteen 0r
| eighteen months, although some few,
among them being DR.. McCaul. of the
Royal Veterinary college, of Glasgow,
Scotland, believe that the period of dams
ger is passed at six months.
In the case of Mr. Boyd's cows, ten
| months or more have already elapsed.
We believe that to secure absolute safety
these cows should all be killed. but yet
| the risk is almost infnitesimal, and we do
| not believe that the public safety is suth
GENTLY endangered to demand the perpe,
: tratiOn of great personal injGryas would
| necessarily fall upon Mr.. Boyd. if we
should order the slaughter of his cattle
under the provisions of law which
| would not permit us to pay him even the
| limited compensation allowed in the case
| of the slaughter of healthy cattle which
have been exposed to the disease. He
| estimates his losses under the PREVIOUS
law at 81, 900. which is probably an eX
| treme figure, but he has not received 81
| from the state in compensation.
We have, therefore, for the present
placed the affected cattle under a close
quarantine, and have requested the chief
| of the United States bureau of annual in~
| tlustry to place one o'bis suborlinates in
charge of them, which he has consented
to do, subject To the approval of the com
missioner of agriculture.
DIR. Salmon agrees with us. that under
"A rigid quarantine there is no danger to
be apprehendch from these cattle, and he
will recommend that Illinois be re moved
| from the list of infected states. We there
| fore, respectfully request that you Will
| address communications to the executives
| of eleven other states that have imposed
| quarantine restrictions against cattle from
| this state, asking that such restrictions
| may he removed j NJ. PEARSON,
ID. w. SMITH
II. MCCHEsNEY,
Lave Stock Commissioners