The record-union., 1898-10-08
DOCTOR KIER ON ANTHRAX.
LOCAL DOCTORS SURPRISED
AT LAX YOLO METHODS.
woodland Doctors Views Are
Criticised by Sacramento
Health Officers.

1t has long been known that doctors
may differ, even after competent prac-
Utoners have made a careful diagno-
saS; but there are certain cardlnal
points where agreement is common A
striking instance of the agreement Oh
medical men and their books is seen
In what is said and written concerning
the frightful disease called anthrax.
1t remains for Dr. II. NJ. Kler OF
Woodland to set all the doctors of sac
ramento to laughing about his view OF
anthrax in Yolo County In an inter-
view in the Mall yesterday the gooo
Yolo doctor passes by the anthrax
question as lightly as if it We're noth-
ing of consequence. He says, among
other things, that it has not yet as
sumed a malignant form" Ihe doc-
tors elsewhere are wondering Whether
1t has ever been known since the days
of Moses to assume any other lorlh.
Harmless, acknowledgement anthrax mas
never been heard Of unless the 4olo
doctor is prepared to show that ne mas
attenuated the virus SO that cattle over
there are not seriously affected by
disease that kills a hundred anlmalS III
every hundred that get 1t IN other
parts of the world" said local doctor
yesterday.
The interview says that the Perkins
herd shows little indication that II IS
suffering from anthrax" This state
ment is true regarding twenty of the
sixty cattle that comprised the herd
week ago. They have passed away,
and il is supposed their sufferings are
over. The interview with the 1olo
doctor is so funny, if he is correctly
reported, that it is worth reproduction
The Mali of yesterday says:
DIR. H. NJ Kier, County Physician,
who was authorized by the Board OF
Supervisors to investigate the reported
existence of anthrax among the cattle
on Perkins ranch and to take such
precautions against it's spreading as he
deemed necessary, made a trip TO the
infected district yesterday morning. He
returned about noon after having per-
formed his duty.
THE doctor said in an interview with
a Mail representative yesterday that
he was somewhat relieved to find that
the real conditions were not as bad as
he had expected. There is no doubt
that the disease existing is anthrax,
but as yet it has not assumed maHg-
nant form and there are hopes that 1t
will not About eighteen head of cat
tie have died within the past month,
thirteen of which were milk cows. Mr..
Perkins has been very careful himself
about taking precautions to prevent
the disease spreading and at present
his herd bears little Indication of be-
ing affected"
The only trouble with this statement,
according to all the health authorities
in Sacramento, is that the facts are
against the Yolo doctor in this: twenty
cattle have died in a week. instead of
eighteen in a month; and the disease
never assumes any other than a malig-
nant form.
The humorous statements appear
further. as follows: Doctor Kier no
ticed only one COW which could be
called sick and she was not seriously
so There were, however, three or four
others little droopy."
Drs Henderson and Mcgowan took
the temperatures of six cattle, five of
which were away above normal. All
sick cattle are seriously sick, since all
die, while cattle apparently well die
without previous warning.
Continuing, the doctor says: THE
carcasses of the dead cattle have been
buried in deep trenches and thoroughly
covered over with dirt, and under the
circumstances it is best to leave them
as they are. though it was DR.. kier'
intention to direct that the carcass
should be burned To exhume the
dead bodies now would only increase
the danger Of contagion, and TO burn
them would necessitate the consump-
tion of more wood than can be found
conveniently on the whole range.
Sacramento doctors, Perkins himself,
the United States Inspector, and a
Record Union reporter say that the
cattle have not been buried deep-un-
less three feet are called deep; and the
local physicians, as we'll as those IN
San Francisco, say that such cadavers
should be buried not less than ten feet.
If they are cremated it is not necessary
70 reduce the bodies to ashes, but mere
" to give the flesh a thorough roast
ing 10 kill the spores of the bacteria.
Further on the interview states this:
.The doctor left instructions for a thor
oueh disinfection of the trenches by the
use of chloride Of lime which the coun-
w will furnish Mr.. Perkins seemed
10 appreciate the dangers Of the disease
and will be very careful to check its
progress"
It is the duty Of doctors TO do the
disfnfecting themselves. or to leave
men on the premises to do it. The To-
cal physicians say that the leaving OF
such orders for laymen to carry out is
had. because dangerous. Disinfection
requires skill.
Mr.. Perkins appears not to appreciate
the dangers of the disease: for he sold
milk to a dealer of this city after his
cattle were sick. and to Record
Trnfon" man he said: These new fan
.rled ideas are all rot. and would just
a soon eat the meat as not If the cat
tie had not died; I mean if they We're
killed while they had the disease"
It is probable that the negligent
methods of the Yolo Health officer viii
be called TO the attention OF the state
Board of Health by some of the Sacra-
mento doctors They are unanimous
" Of the opinion, so far as seen tha'
serious efforts must be made TO stamT