The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-01-10

Mr.. President, Officers and Members
Of the Iowa State Agricultural Society:
In dealing with this subject must
Of necessity confine myself to a few
plain wordsi in reference to some of the
diseases which appear as factors in the
destruction Of our domestic animals,
the loss of property and sometimes
human life. These results follow al
most all forms of contagion and in.
lection.
We should know that almost ali con-
tagious diseases of animals are com
to man and vica-versa.
When sanitarians of the medical pro-
fession recognize the fact that vetelin
arians are in close touch with the great
question of communication of diseases
from animals TO man and are willing to
meet us half way, then we will achieve
greater things in the prevention of
diseases communicable to man and in
SO doing may save some lives in future
which in the past have been sacrificed
to disease germs.
First, let us consider Anthrax germ
disease affecting all domestic animals,
very fatal in its results and very dam
gerous to human life 1t is due to the
introduction into the body of the bacil-
lus anthracis which works especially on
the blood destroying the red corpuscles
rapidly and causing spleenic apoplexy.
The bacillus is visible under the micros-
cope and appear as little rod like body
with bright spot at either end which is
the spore OF the bacillus. The rod gives
way to the influence Of the atmosphere
and disappears leaving only the spores
which are not easily destroyed by heat
or frost and have been known to live
for many years and then reproduce the
disease. Immediately after the death
of an animal from Anthrax there is a
dripping of serum laden with the bacil-
lus from all the orifices of the body
which infects the bedding and ground
in the immediate vicinity of the car
cass. The carcass may be removed but
the litter and soil thus contaminated
remain as the probable source of future
outbreaks even supposing a violent
rain storm follows and washes the
spores all away to the low grounds,
there they will remain and retain their
virulence until picked up by animals
forced by the drouth of summer to feed
upon the coarser marsh grasses This
| is how and why this disease breaks out
80 often during the drouth of latest
summer. Again, suppose the carcass
of the victim of this disease is buried
an ordinary depth in the earth, the
changes which the body and it's tissues
undergo do not destroy these spores but
they remain for years and are carried
upward or downward in the soil by the
water or by earth worms in search OF
moisture and finally by them brought
to the surface of the earth where they
remain attached to the roots of the
grass until finally they are taken up by
the animal grazing and an outbreak OF
Anthrax follows. Such outbreaks are
traced to the burial of animals years
before. In one case seventeen years
had elapsed before the outbreak thus
traced. Therefore we conclude that
the best preventive to future outbreaks
of Anthrax is the proper cremation OF
all animals dying of the disease and to
this end it will be necessary that each
township have a suitable crematory
which might be so constructed as to be
portable and could be taken to the car.
casses and thus prevent the possible
danger in moving the carcasses. Not
only the carcass should be cremated
but all litter, eXcrement and contamin.
ated soil. Thus all the spores might be
destroyed and future outbreaks pre-.
vented.
Anthrax is readily communicated to
man by innoculation and is called
malignant pustule in man. In the
summer of '97ithere was an outbreak OF
virulent Anthrax at Sioux City and in
connection Herewith five men became
affected from skinning the dead ami.
mails. In connection with the same
outbreak litter of pigs two or three
months old licked up the serum which
dripped from dead COW and all OF
them died inside of three days. Some
dogs also became afflicted from eating
of the flesh of cattle dying of the
disease.
| ActinOmycosis.
Actinomycosis Qumpy jaw is a dis
ease very common amongst cattle
throughout the earth. 1t is due to a
Vegetable fungus, actinomyces, and
may be transmitted from:one animal to
another and from!animal to man. 1t il
durable unless ia very advanced stage:
By the use of iodide of potassium
When affecting the glands in the region
OF the jaw or neck it may be mistaken
for tuberculosis, but an examination of
the tumor will decide upon diagnosis