Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-09-15
ABOUT BLAoKLEa.'
Bulletin No. 8, Kansas Experiment Sta
ton.

For the Kansas stock raiser no dis
ease is of greater interest than black
leg. 1t is the cause of enormous losses
IN cattle herds, attacking chiefly the
young and thrifty calves.
Native cattle above four years and
calves under six months old are rarely
attacked; have. however, observed a
we'll marked and fatal case of blackleg
IN an unthrifty calf ten weeks old.
Blackfeg is an infectious disease pro-
duced by the blackleg bacillus, facul.
tative parasite. which lives aud propa-
gates In the soil of infected districts
and in the bodies of the deceased ami
mails. Certain kinds of soil are very
favorable to the existence of this germ,
and such soil when once injected usu-
ally remains SO permanently and con-
stitutes the source of the disease Ia ami
mails. Although infectious, blackleg is,
strictly speaking, not contagious DIS
ease. /. e.. the disease owes its exist
ence to an injecting principle, the black
leg germ, but a diseased animal does
not transmit the disease directly to a
healthy one. Healthy animals become
diseased when the germ enters wound
III the skin or mucous membrane of the
body. Such wounds can easily be pro
duced on the legs while roaming over
the ranches. or AT the mouth while graz
lug. The body of an animal that has
died of blackleg swarms with disease
germs, and a sn all quantity of the dis
eased muscle of such an animal when
inserted under the Skin of healthy
animal will produce the disease SINH
iarly. the burying ground of such an ami
NAL becomes infected with these germs,
which remain in virulent condition
an lndetlnate time, and thus becomes a
new source of Infection. Hence, ami
mails that have died of blackleg should
not be buried, but burned on the spot
where they died. Unnecessary moving
of such an animal from one place to
another simply increases the danger of
spreading the infection.
The characteristic symptom OF tins
disease, aud by which it alone can usu-
ally be Recognized. is the appearance of
large swelliDgs on various parts OF the
body, usually OH or near the upper por-
tons OF the legs and never below the
hook or knee joints. The swellings vary
/ III Size. but are always formed by the
presence OF gas that has collected in
the tissue meshes beneath the skin This
gas Is product of the hlackleg bacillI.
When the hand is passed over these
swelilngs characteristic cracking
sound IS produced. When incised with
kuite a bloody fluid with disagreeable
and sicknlng odor is discharged. The
principal general symptoms of the dis
ease are loss of appetite. high fever. and
lameness when the muscles of the legs
are affected. Nearly all affected ami
mails die within one aud one-half to
three days from time of attack.
Medical treatment of this disease
may at present be considered as abso.
lutely useless. The only practical meth
cd of dealing with the disease is to pre-.
vent it. Keeping animals away from
infected ranges or part of ranges is an
absolute protection. Sometimes this
is impossible. and then protective inoc-
ulation must be resorted to. 1t is we'll
known fact that vaccination or pro-
tective incubation prevents almost en-
tire the appearance of the disease. The
Experiment Station has manufactured
vaccine which will soon be ready for
free distribution among the stock raisers
of Kansas.