The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-11-08
FIVE HUNDRED HORSES nEAD.I

Galveston. Texas, November 6.--"Fuly
500 horses have died Of anthrax along tle
coast country between Houston and Ca
weston within the past month"
This was the statement made to Pot
reporter today by DR.. William Folseter
OF Dallas. who is now at the Sealy hospital
recovering from an attack of dengue
There is more or less anthrax among co.
nestle animals along the coast country
every year. Like epidemics that afflict the
human family, it breaks out In the mpst
unaccountable way, spreads with surpris-
ing rapidly, and attacks all alike. Some
years the disease is confined to cattle, at
other times sheep suffer. and then again.
horses are the victims This year the
dsp-es is confined entirely to horses. rhe
remarkable fatality attending it's ravagcs
is wonderful. Death Invariably ensuas IN
from twenty-four TO thirty-six hours after
the horse sickens. The following descrip-
tion OF the symptoms Of anthrax is taken
from Williams practice of veterinary medl-
cine:
The animal may appear dull, walking
with heavy, feeble step, then falls pros
trate in state OF somnolence; II 1t be
standing the head hangs down, resting on
the manger or other solid body. 1t some
times stands back in the stall, resting the
body on the side, and finally becomes res
tive, stamps the feet. locks to the sides
or flank, and shows other signs of collie.
II the disease comes on while the animal
is at work. added to the above symptoms,
there is extreme lassitude, great weakness
OF the lumbar muscles and pcsterior ex-
trcmities, with staggering gait. The skin
has lost IFS supplenees, is hot and slightly
crepitates on the back over the kidneys and
sides; the coat is rough and bristly In
some parts and there are partial or general
tremblings OF the muscles and flow Of
saliva from the mouth There are eweats
alternating from hot to cold. AT the base
OF the ears and behind the elbows the veins
become augmented In volume.
The pulse Is small and thready; the beat
ings CT the heart are, however, strong and
accompanied by metallic tinkle. The
respiration Is always Irregular"
These symptoms describe the most COM
mon form of the disease. Sometimes is 10
accompanied with eruptions tumors APP
pearing all over the surface of the body.
Perhaps the most reprehensible thing in
connection with the prevailing epidemic is
the practice of the owners OF animals to
bury the dead body or else let 1t lay undis-
turbed. Either method but provides a
breeding spot for the propagation OF count
less bacilli, the stores OF which enter the
ground and live to spread their infection
for years. Drs. Folsetter and Burkey, the
TWO veterinarians who have been working
incessantly to check the rayag6s OF the
disease, agree that the spores OF anthrax
bacilli are brought TO the surface of the
ground by earthworms, and thus commit
N tod 49, anti, lie 49, avf Its IA.
opinion they are Joined by Professors Allen
J. Smith and William Cannon of the medi
cal college. Since the outbreak of the dis
ease specimens from horses that have died
have been sent to the latter gentlemen for
analysis. In mos! OF the cases submitted
they have found the bacilli of anthrax be-
ycnd doubt Here on .~s,>1and there is a
law against permitting ths dead animals
to lie upon the ground, and up to the pres
ent time there has been no attempt 10 en-
force 1t. Each one In authority seems to
b waiting for somebody else to make the
start. Incineration is the only sure means
of destroying the germs OF the disease. The
farmers contend that they are not able
to buy wood for this purpose and conse-
quentiy the carcasscs are allowed to fester
In the warm sun. In speaking Of this mat
ter today DIR. Burkey said I'VE will have
a nice time with this disease next year"
There is method OF prevention, but SO
far the peopls have been SLOW to avail
themselves or 1t. incubation Is remark
ably successful. DR.. Burkey said today
that out of IA horses he had inoculated
only seven had died. The vaccine used
here is brought from, Paris. In France Dir.
Pasteur claims that he reduced the death
rate from 30 10 per cent by incubation 1t
has not been quite SO successful here, but
almost. DR.. Burkey hso probably had a
larger experience In inccu.ating anthrax
than any other veterinarian in this part OF
the State Last year he inoculated 800
head Of cattle, and this fall has been kept
busy since the outbreak OF the disease.
DR.. Folsetter " anxious to keep full sta
tistics OF the prevalence Of sSthrsx. its ia
talify and the efsct Of incubation. To
further the work he sugetsts that tbs
postmaster At each place where the disease
has prevailed send 10 him the number OF
horses sick, and Row many OF that number
died The information ccu;d doubtless be
gathered at slight trouble. and would be
most valuable in tracing the history and
progress of this dreaded plague