The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-09-22
PRONOUNCE IT ANTHRAX.
PEOPLE HAVE CAUSE FOR ALARM
ONE CASE HERE.
The Board Of Health Propose to See That
the Greatest Pfecaution is Taken.

We do not wish to pose as an alarmist
nor do we want to get the people unduly
exercised over the matter, but we be-
lieve the people living along the Sandy
Lick creek. and all the streams into
which its waters flow, have reason to be
somewhat alarmed, and we believe IL is
our duty to sound the tocsin Of warning.
In July four men died at Falls Creek
and twenty-five cattle died at the same
place and as far down the stream
as Pancoast. A few of these cattle
were buried deep, some just merely COW
cred with dirt and others were left ly-
| ing near the creek bank to decompose.
| The cause was pronounced by some OF
the physicians To- be anthrax, supposed
to have been carried into Falls Creek
on foreign hides shipped to the tannery
at that place. The matter was referred
to state authorities, but for some reason
there seemed to be carelessness on the
part of some person, and the matter was
not as thoroughly Investigated as it
should have been and the precaution
taken that was required.
Last Thursday evening a COW owned
| by Thomas Gricks, of this place, showed
signs of sickness and, fortunately, she
was not milked and few hours after
wards she died. The animal was buried
Friday. Hon. S. B. Elliott, who has
been considerably exercised over the
disease that carried off the four men
and so many cattle at and near Falls
Creek, being pretty well satisfied that
1t was anthrax, and knowing what
terrible disease it is, learned Friday
afternoon OF the sudden death OF
Gricks' COW and he and l.. NJ. Simmons,
president of the local Board OF Health,
called on Mrs. Gricks and inquired as
to the symptoms of the disease on the
COW. The symptoms were favorable
for anthrax and after consulting with
several members of the Board of Health.
DR.. j. b. Neale, health officer for Board
of Health, telephoned to Brookville for
Dr. Hoffman. veterinarian, to come to
Reynodsville to hold post mortem
examination. so DR.. Hoffman didn't
"happen to be in Reynoldsville" Satur-
day, as stated by the Courier. The body
of the COW was exhumed and while
holding the autopsy DIR. Hoffman said
he felt positive that anthrax was the
cause OF the cows death, but he would
not assert positively until microscopic
examination was made. He took some
of the spleen. liver and stomach with
him TO Brookville and on Sunday he
and DR.. A. F. Balmer, OF Brookville,
local agent State Board OF Health, ex.
amined the specimens microscopically
and pronounced the disease anthrax.
Two cows owned by Paguli Renni died
suddenly few weeks ago and it is now
thought their death was caused by an
thrax. Gricks' COW and the Italians
two cows had all been pastured on the
bottom land below town and had access
to the Sandy Lick creek. Wednesday
morning Of last week County Commits
sioner Murray, who lives near the bank
of the creek at Long View or South
BrOokville, lost valuable COW that had
symptoms of anthrax in mild form.
The Gricks COW was cremated after
the veterinarian had cut her open and
secured what he wanted. All the ami
mails that die with this dread disease
should be burned. Had this been done
at Falls Creek it might have saved
trouble that no one knows where IL will
now end.
DIR. ID. +. Salmon, chief of the bureau
OF animal industry OF the U. S. Depart
ment OF Agriculture, says: Anthrax is
severe and usually fatal contagious
disease. 1t affects all animals exposed
to its contagion. The herbivora are
and other omnivora and carnivora may
be attacked by it in constitutional
form as fatal as in the herbivOra, but
fortunately in some cases, develop from
1t only local trouble, followed by recOv-
cry. In the animal body the bacilli
have tendency to be filtered from the
blood by the tissues of the organs
through which the fluid passes, and TO
accumulate In the spleen, liver and else
where. When eliminated from the
animal In the excretiOns, or when ex-
posed to outside influences by the death
OF the animal and the disintegration OF
the tissues, the body OF the rod is de-
stroyed and the spores only remain.
These spores, which are the germs OF
the virus, retain their vitality for a
long period; they resist ordinary putre-
faction; they are unchanged by mOis-
ture and they are not affected by moder-
ate heat. II buried in the body of an
animal dead from anthrax, they may be
washed deep in the ground, and In later
years lin one proven case seventeen
years. be brought to the surface and
infect other animals. The virus is car
ried with wool from infected sheep
and remains In it through the process
OF manufacture into cloth. The spores
remain In the hides Of animals which
have died OF anthrax and retain their
vitality throughout months Of soaking
In the tanners pits, the working of the
harness-maker or the cobbler and after
the Oiling Of the completed leather.
The dried spores in the dust from these
| prOdtotS NAV ha carriad hv tho atmoo.