Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-07-06
SPLENETIC FEVER.
Its Existence in Texas. Arkansas and the
Territory Officially Announced.
Rules Laid Down Governing Cattle in Transi t
and Inspectors will be Appointed to
Enforce Them

WASHINGTON, July 5.-Seoretary Rusk
to-day signed the following circular o
instructions, which will be sent to
managers and agents of all railroad
transportation companies of the United
States, to whom it is addressed:
DEPARTMENT OF AGR1cULTURE,
July 3, 1889.
I In accordance with section of an act
of congress, approved May 90, 1884, en-
titled an act for the establishment of
bureau of animal industry to prevent ex-
portation of diseased cattle, and to pro-
vide means for the suppression and ex-
tirpation of pleuro pneumonia and other
contagious diseases among domestic ami
mails, you are hereby notified that conta-
gious and infectious diseases known as
splenetic or Texas fever, exists among
cattle in the following described
area of the United States:
All that. country lying south and east
of a line commencing at the northwest
erly corner of the county of Crittenden,
in the state of Arkansas, then running
IN northwesterly direction to the Usage
agency in the Indian Territory, and
thence running southwesterly to the Rio
Grande river at the intersection Of the
the northwestern corner of Preside
county, IN the state of Texas. No cattle
are to be transported TO any portion of
the United States north and west of the
above described lines except in accord
ance with the following regulations:
l. On unloading north and west of this
line any cattle in the course of transpor-
tation to be fed and watered on the way
places where said cattle shall be set
apart, and no other cattle shall be ad-
mitted into the place. Once a week
from the date hereof until the 1st day of
December, 1890, these watering and
feeding places shall be thoroughly
cleaDsed and disinfected.
q On unloading said cattle at their
points of destination the regulations pre-
scribed by the cattle sanitary officers of
the state where unloaded, relating to the
movement of Texas cattle, shall be care
fully observed. Cars that have carried
said stock shall be cleaned and disin-
fected before they are again used to
transfer, store or shelter animals. Cars
used to transport such ANIMALS and pens
in which they are fed and watered shall
be d1sinfected. in the following manner:
(a). Remove all litter and manure.
This litter and manure may be disin
feGted by mixing with lime, sulphur or
carbolic acid, or if not disinfected it may
be stored where cattle cannot come in
contact with it until after December l.
(b). Wash the cars and feeding ard
watering troughs with water until clean.
Co. Saturate the walls and floors of
the cars AMI fencing, troughs and shutes
of pens with solution made by dissolv-
ing four ounces of chloride of lime to
each gallon of water.
Losses resulting yearly to owners of
Northern cattle by contraction of this
| disease by contact with Southern cattle,
and through the infected cars and by
means of manure carried in unclean cars
| from place to place, has become a matter
! of grave and serious concern to the cattle
| industry of the United States. 1t is
| necessary that the cattle industry should
| be protected as far as possible by the
| adoption of methods of disinfection in or
| der to prevent the dissemination of
| this disease. A rigid compli-
ance with the above regula-
| tions will insure comparative safety
| to Nor thern cattle and render it unnee-
essary to adopt more stringent regula-
| tons, such as absolute prohibition of the
moving of Texas cattle for slaughter
during the time of year this disease is
| fatal.
inspectors will be instructed to see
| that disinfection is properly done, and it
is hoped transportation companies will
cordially put in operation the above
methods. Very respectfully,
j. NJ. RUsK, Sec'y.
The inspectors referred TO viii be
named shortly and located at all prinei-
pal stockyards of the country. in order 70
| see that the provisions of the circular are
| enforced.