The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1893-09-20
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1898.
THE CATTLE DISEASE.
What an Investigation Of That Now
Prevalent Discloses.
Newspaper Bulletin No, 81


Since early in August a disease has
prevailed amongst the cattle and
horses of the Truckee Meadows and
other low lying meadows east of the
Sierra Nevada, causing the loss of
many head. In March, 1892, my atten-
ton was called to the trouble and
since then l have spent much of my
spare time investigating the subject.
Cattle men and ranchers have called
the disease murrain, blackleg and
various other names, but it is deter
mined that the disease is anthrax, or
Charlton. Post mortem examinations
have been held ON a number Of
animals, and after numerous micro
scopical examinations, I have n 70 hest
tation in making a decided diagnosis.
1t is a blood disease caused by the
multiplication and development of in
Vulnerable germs, known to bacteriolo-
gists as bacilli of anthrax. These
germs become so abundant rs to com
pletely clog and burst many of the
smaller blood vessels, resulting in the
formation of numerous blood splotches
on the surface of the intestines and
other. internal organs. Frequently
these become SO numerous as to run
together and from large areas. The
spleen or melt usually becomes en-
gorged with the bacilli and decom.
posed blood so that it becomes greatly
enlarged, loses its normal structure
and consistency, becoming black and
pulpy. From the fact that the spleen
is SO frequently affected, the disease is
widely known as splenetic fever. The
disease may manifest itsel. by external
swellings on various parts of the body,
especially 70 in horses, where they APP
pear usually about the throat and
neck, or along the middle line of the
belly. These swellings increase in
size until it seems that the horse dies
from strangulation. Animals affected
usually have fever, are much depress,
ed, becoming very weak, the heart
beats rapidly, breathing becomes diff
cult and they usually die in agony. In
cattle, the disease may kill like a shot,
or the animal may live for a few
hours or may linger for several days.
Death almost invariable results.
The subject is too extensive for a
full discussion of its symptoms and
characteristics in a newspaper article,
course of preparation and will be issu-
ed in a few weeks by the Agricultural
Experiment Station. Any citizen OF
the state DESTROYS of securing M of
these bulletins may obtain it free of
cost by making a written request and
sending his address to the Agricul-
tural Experiment Station, Reno.
The disease has doubtless existed in
low lying meadows throughout the
whole western country since its ear
lest settlement. A few years ago it
became epidemic in Southern Cal
i~fornia, killing thousands of cattle. 1t
is known to prevail in the lower Miss
issippi Valley and is reported epidemic
from various sections of the United
States. 1t is worldwide in distribu-
ton, and was known as murrain in
the time of Moses. 1t is an infectious
disease and for its development must
depend upou the introduction of the
germ into the system. In the strict
sense of the term, it is not contagious,
as is pleuropneunonia in cattle or
scarlet fever in man. Like typhoid
fever. IL is usnally Indirectly