Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1897-02-10
BIeHGK LEG.
SOMETHING ABOUT THE
DISEASE.
Vaccination the only Cure
Thus far Found.


eases with which cattle are affected.
II attacks principally animals OF from
six months to three years of age, but
younger and older cattle are also subject
to the disease.
Names Black leg is known by a
variety OF names, such as symptomatic
anthrax, black quarter, quarter evil,
black tongue, carbuncular fever, bloody
murrain, etc. In France it is called
Observation-Disclosures, in Germany,
rauschbrand, etc. Black leg is form
ofanthrax; it is as dangerous as anthrax,
and much more frequent than that dis
ease in the United States.
symptoms The first symptoms are
loss Of appetite and rumination, with
dullness and debility and high fever,
A tumor or swelling appears, with
lameness or stiffness of the limb affect
ed. The disease runs from one to three
days and almost always results in death.
Death is preceded by increasing weak
ness, difficult breathing and occasional
attacks of collie. The most important
characterize of black leg is the appear
ance of tumor or swelling under tile
skin. The tumor may be located on the
thighs, the neck, the shoulder, the
breast, the tanks or the rump. It more
rarely appears in the throat and at the
base Of the tongue. If the tumor be
stroked or handled, peculiar cracking
sound is heard under the skin. Ii the
swelling is cut into, a frothy, dark red,
disagreeably smelling fluid or gas is dis
charged.
Causes Black leg is caused by the
introduction OF a specific germ into the
body, usually with food, but the germs
will also find their way through
scratches or sores in the skin. The
germs are very hardy and live for a
number OF years. They may be carried
long distances, and anything coming on
to farm or ranch may bring the ge rm
The grave Of an animal that has died OF
black leg will keep the pasture infected
for several years, stream running near
such grave will carry the infection ali
along its course; grass cut near such a
grave will communicate the disease to
the animal fed upon it. Cattle driven
through district where black leg ex-
lists are liable to and frequently catch
the disease. Black leg is highly con
tagious and one sick or dead animal will
infect whole herd.
Where found BLACK leg is found in
nearly all parts of the world. It exists
extensively in the United States and is
rapidly spreading. The principal states
in which it occurs are in North and
South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, In
dian Territory, Wyoming, Colorado,
California and Texas. It also exists to
a certain extent in some of the eastern
states.
Mortality Black leg being an ex-
tremely dangerous, contagious and fatal
disease, once it appears in herd total
loss may result. The annual mortality
among cattle from black leg i'll the
states above named varies from 10 to %
pei cent, IN Texas, to as high as so per
cent, In the Northern States. In some
OF the states named the losses from
black leg among young cattle are SO
great as to have caused the cattle men
to relinquish breeding and raising stock.
The annual pecunairy loss from black
leg is too great to be estimated, but it
must be placed somewhere in the mill.
IONS.
Cure-prevention Black leg is an in
enrable disease, al remedies have thus
lar proved uaaYailing; nearly all ami
mails attacked die. Black leg cannot.
like Texas fever or Tuberculosis for in
stance, be checked or prevented by
quarantine, as the germ, If not already
in the soil, finds its way on to farm,
or ranch, in what appears at times to be
the most unaecountable way. The only
satisfactory way of treating black leg is
to prevent it by vaccination.
Vaccination lit is well known how
human beings are protected from small
pox by vaccination Cattle can in the
same way be protected against black leg
by the use of a special Vaccine
After several years of diligent research
the celebrated French scientist, Louis
Pasteur discovered matter that acted as
avaecine or preventive against anthrax
proper, which was followed by the dis
covery of special vaccine for black leg.
Vaccination of live stock was first
practiced in France, and has during the
last few years gradually spread through
out Europe and Australia. The spread
vaccination has eliminated the losses
from anthrax and black leg in the above
continents. Prior to vaccination the
annual mortality among live stock from
anthrax and black leg was as much as