El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-05-07

Agriculture at washington, IL y. AS
this disease is one of immense import
ance to the : ckmen Of this state, we
print the fcl'o wing abstract from the
circular m, ntioned for the benefit OF
our reader:
GENERAL n TURE OF DISEASE AND
AN Ms AFFECTED.
Blackleg, known as "blsck quar-
ter" "quarter ill.," and "symptomatlc
anthrax is an accute infectious dis
ease caused by specific germ. the
blackleg bacillus. 1t is characterized
by extensive alterations in parts affect
ed, accompanied by distension OF the
tissues due to the formation of gas.
SPECIES OF ANIMAL AFFECTED.
Cattle contract the disease on past
ures, and this is also stated to be the
case with sheep and goats. All three
species of animals can be artifically in
oculated with blackleg, though cattle
and sheep are more readily inoculated
than goats. Guinea pigs are very sus-
cepti Die. When horses, asses, and white
rats, enjoy natural immunity from
the disease, and attempts to inoculate
them are therefore unsuccessful. Man
also is unaffected by the blackleg ba-
cillus.
AGES OF CATTLE AFFECTED.
Bladkleg is more common in cattle
other ages; occasionally animals from
6 months to l year old or from z to u
wears OF may be a. cked, and in rare
cases calves under IL months or cattle
over % years ma oe affected. me
The comparative = eetom OF calves
from the disease is 10 be explain ed IN
two ways: FIRST, caves are naturally
less susceptible to backlog than are
older animals, as has BEEN S. own by
experiment II inoculatiop; second, ami
mails feeding on milk are L SIS exposed
to infection than - &c grazing animals.
MANNER OF INFECTION.
Blackleg is not contagious disease,
that is one animal will not con tract it
simply coming in contact with another.
AS u rule the germ Is Introduced into
the system through some wound or
abrasion of the skin or mucuous MEM
brancs, such as may be received on
the skin from barded wire fence or
from stubbles or briars in the pasture,
or from any hard, sharp substance
(which punctures the lining OF the
mouth or intestinal tract.
CHARACTERISTIC OF THE BACILLI.
The blackleg bacilli are not able to
multiply in the prese nee OF oxygen; 10
technical lang uage. they are aDaerobe.
This explains the fact that while they
do not develop on parts of the bO0y ex-
posed to free air, such as the skin and
mucous membranes, the germs find
the conditions necessary to their growth
in the parts underneath the skin, as
the underlying connective tissue,
to which the air does not have access.
The secoud point to be noticed in oon-
nection with the bacilli is that one of
the ends of each bacillus is enlarged.
This enlargement is due to the forma-
tion of the so-called ,,SpOre, which l.
q small portion of the germ surrounded
by a sharp 81 ell like substance "a sLruct-
ure of TINS kind is natur ally very resis
tant to external influences, being able
to with stand heat, cold, light, ADD other
unfavorable conditions, and even de-
composition in dead body, which
would more quickly result in the de-
structiOn OF unprotected bacllll. With
such spore stage to protect 1t, the
blackleg germ may exist Tor a long time
outside of the body, aud 1t is very d.
fficult to eradicate the disease from
pasture which has once become infect
ed. Experience shows that the spores
may exist almost indefinitely in the
ground, and that animals may become
infected on the same pasture years
after years. 1t is claimed that cuiti-
waiting the soil for several years viii;
effectualiy eradicate the disease, but
with large areas which are unfit for
anything except pasturage this method
is of course impractible.
SYMPTOMS.
The symptoms of blackleg are SO
characteristic, tnat the disease is easily
recognized. The first symptoms may
De either of q general or of local ma
ture, though more frequently the lat
ter Is the case. The general symptoms
are high fever, loss of appetite, and
suspension OF rumina ton, followed by
great depression. Re ration becomes
accelerated: the amin : moves around
with difficulty, frequently lies down,
and, when water Is Gear at hand,
drinks at short Intervals and but little
at a time. The visible mucous mem
braues are at trst dark red and con-
gested, but they change in the course |
oil twelve hours to dirty leaden or
purplish color.
the most important d1agnoStlc |
feature is the development of tGmOr
or swelling under the SKIN. This
swelling may appear on any part OIL
the bOuy ana limos except below the
Knee or hOck-joiut. Ii Is frequently
SEED on the Lnigh or SHOULDER, ana,
owlDg to the extensive dIscoloratiOn OF
the swollen parts, as observed after
the animal has BEN skinned, tie
disease mas been popularity nameo
'Olackieg' or "black quarter"
TuIuOrs may also appear on the neck,
The chest, the flank, or the rump.
At first they are small and very pain
full. They increase rapidly in size and
may in d few hours cover d large por-
ION OF the body. Oae or more of these
juniors may form simultaneously, and
when in close proximity TO each other
may become continent. The neigh
boring lymph glands become consider
ably swollen.
Ii slight pressure is exerted on the i.
JUNIOR q cracking sound Is heard, ano
percussion gives cleat, resonant |
lone, due tn the collection of gas in
IL affected tissue. The tumor lie cool :
10 The touch and painless in the CEN
,er: toe skin over it Is dry and parch-
nent like. When the tumOr Is ianced :
irothy, dark-red fluid is discharged. |
tue lnclsion is made while the ami
nal is alive or Immediately after =
cam, there is no offensive odor to the E
discharge, but decomposition taxes
lace very soon after death. No pam I;
; manifested when the center of the !.
umor is lanced. but as SOON as the
nife reaches the warm, iniamed part y
ne animal will below loudly and :