Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-01-08
rHn FArAn oArrns PIAaUE.

Several Herds I'm New Castle County
Affected with Pleuro Pneumonta-
Cattle Dead and 9th ers Dying
An Effort 60 Keep the Matter Qutet.
P euro pnsumonia, the most contagious,
infectious and fatal Of cattle plaques, has
made Its appearance in several large
herds In BrAndywine hundred and IL
spreading rapidly TO all parts Of the
county. DR.. Ward B. Rowland, veterinary
surgeon Of this city, had the frst case
brought under his notice yesterday
and will report II at once 70
the State Board Of Health, inasmuch as
the consumption OF the meat or milk Of
the affected animals Ia very unhealthy,
to say the least. The Ease 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 drst 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 q cough |
when purchased by him and after his |
owning her 4 short time case Of pleura-
| pneumonia Of the most malignant |
form developed itself From this |
case several other cattle in the herd took |
II and two or three have died. One Of
the COWS at present is suffering from
very bad case. About two thirds Of one
lung ia involved and she will die. Several
others have the mAlRdy In an incipient
form, which will necessarily develop into
acute cases. There is no quarantine
observed, except in the dangerous
case, which is removed very short
distance from the others, but those
showing the inoipient symptoms are not
separated from the others who as
yet have given no signs Of the
infection. A doubiy disARreeabls
feature OF the cases reported
is that the animals are kept In barn
yard separated from the turnpike by
single tencs, AID the yard being high all
the DRAWINGS pour of into the creek
from which other herds are wA,ered. 1t
is the NEST probable thing imaginable
that passing drove Of cattle could be
injected or the oontaRion spread TO others
drinking the water. Ii can be seen that
unless under the restraint OF State laws
the disease 10 very liable TO spread
rapidly until the cattle OF the entire COM
munity are more or less affected and
diseased.
Mr.. Bigger says that there are two
other farmers, near neighbors Of his,
I whose cattle are quite as badly affected
with the disease as his own. The heI DIS
: are large and the oontagion is going
8 through them very fast. All the owners
0 Of affected herds are diarymen sending
. their milk and dairy products to this
: market aud tine sale Of these unwhole
. some articles Of food can be viewed with
a l al m ~ do ,pi
/, Rish the eAsea reported aud Mr.. Bigger
n declined to givs the names Of those whos,
y cattle were sffected with this same dread
" disease as his own.
q Speaking Of the extent Ct the infec
Is tion in this county DR.. Rowland expressed
O. his opinion that ma, other srds wer
~ affected with the disease and tbeiI ow ner
% were endsAvOring TO keep the matte
~ quie. There being no fund 10 reimburs
N those whose cattle are affected the,
le prefer to keep them alive II possibl
to and stand the chances Of maxim
it beeves OF them II they survive IL
an attack. Pieura pneumonia IA hight
y, contagious and infectious, aud can b
~ conveyed by water or air, or by the cloth
y irg OF attendants It's fret obssrvabl
tie symptoms are cough and q refusal
rly accept food. These are followed
Ia lsbored breathing, great unepGiuess al
", 4 tenderness Of the sides nader ligf
~ ~ pressure. One Of the conspicuous SYM
liz toms Of the infection 70 the animals n
ed naming in q standing posture wit
Of elbows apart to give the chest as gree
od expansion "a possible.
ces Dr.RowlaLd recommends that the Sta
aat take immediate action In The matter nsiI
ion every sedeavor to stamp out the inie
I'D zion. 0lly by killing the osttls as IA
tie. So any symptoms of the dissRss are show
the can the plsgue be wiped ont. The liRbili
in OF the disease to spread, and the gre
my rapidi;y with which 1t makes its wa
or o} through herds make it especially dread,
ect by owners OF stock.
led DR. Rowland thinks that the Penpsy
las vsniB Laws, adopted with the speed
lur- view Of checking the spread OF u
IRE, disease, could be adopted most aiva
Ivy tsgeously here. The matter ia the
'oe. ugdsr the charge Of a board Of sgricu
ure, who sot in conjunction with 4
of state veterinary surgeon. There Ia
a. provision requiring that all pneumor
BE- reported to the board, who detail q
ngy surgeon to visit thu place The affect
Mr.. cattle are killed wi h the development
tho the first symptoms OF disease, and I
| '
oP- cattle arc permitted to be TAX
and from the fam OF to crme In contact W.
INTO any other stock, The he'd Is not d.
.roa uitted to drink from running stresn
which would float the contagion to 9th
iNe farms " hen 1t is necessary 10 kill q
an OF the cattle the state reimburses /
how owner, the loss being appraised by /
l;aa secretary the board. About $40 FOL
heifer and $40 for milk COW are
most sums ususlly allowed. By this syst
nent Pennsylvania has succeeded in getti
can rid of the infection, though year age
,o,v ragged rather fsrcely In several COUNT
~ especially In Chester and Delaware, II
10 OF beyond the Delaware Slate line.
i 1t Mr.. Bigger expresses willinane:s
rust have the State kill his affected amin
,r il /. pays him tor them and to also gu
hntine the rest Of his herd, but he ID l
VINO willing to eustRin these losses II il 3
an | ha ayOidsd