The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-04-08
BLACKLEG In KANSAS
How the Veterinary Department at
Manhattan Is Handling 1t.

Manhattan, Kan, April 7.-(SDecial)-
The veterinary department of the Kansas
State Agricultural college will issue cen
secutively several bulletins on blackleg,
marked A, B, c, etc, which will include
a general review OF this disease, and show
plainly just what is being done. as Well as
the benefits offered to the Kansas farm
efs by this department
Blackleg vaccine has become an impor-
tant laboratory product at the Kansas
State Agricultural college, and is fur
nished free to all applicants. Printed di-
rections, explaining how to vaccinate, are
furnished with every order. Sufficient vac
cine has already been distributed to vac
cinate over %, 900 head of calves.
Bulletin A follows: 'sBlackleg exists in
nearly every county in this state, and PIE
walls in certain districts to an alarming
extent. Previous to 1896 it does nOt appear
that many cattle were lost from this dis
ease; at least the average stockman Gid
not regard an occasional death as sig
nificant of any infectious disease; conse-
quently this subject received very little
attention. During the past few years,
however, due principally to literature upon
this and many other infectious diseases
affecting the domesticated animals, the
stockman has become better informed, and
has learned to associate certain known
causes with losses sustained, and in this
way is enabled to report with compare
tive accuracy upon the existence and prev
alence of some of the most common DIS
eases.
within the last few months carefully
prepared statistics have been obtained
from some of the best informed cattle
owners in every county in Kansas, which
shows that this disease not only exists.
but prevails to an alarming extent in more
than two-thirds of the counties. That the
disease germ of blackleg has rapidly null
tiplied and spread over the greater por-
ton of this state is shown by the tcsti-
mony received, which gives the figures
upon which the CALCULATION Is based. AS
our report IS not yet complete, no at
tempt will be made to quote the exact per
| centage of cattle lost during the last three
| years; but: so far as replies have reached
US. the evidence is conclusive that this
disease has caused at least 5 per cent loss,
/ or equivalent to so per cent of all that have
died between the ages of ond u months
These reports further show that more
have died from backlog during the past
year than during any previous year. Now
when we consider that many thousand
calves have been vaccinated against this
disease, and most Of them belonging to
herds that have suffered from the ravages
OF this trouble, II is rational to assume
that a greater percentage would have died
had not preventive precautions been used
The evidence obtained from other states
where blackleg is prevalent confirms the
! statistics gathered from various parts oil
this state. Not only in Kansas, but else
where, we find that there has been seem
| ingly an increase in the death rate, equa
| in proportion to that sustained by me
ranchmen of Kansas.
THE applications for vaccine represent
more than fifty counties and over twenty
five thousand head of young cattle AS tn,
disease germ can only spread from or'
pasture to another by certain means o
transportation, we find It located here snC
there, and often in restricted areas. Tn
! period of invasion, however, often ext7nd
through many days, and cattle that hav,
hod access to infected pastures NAV no
show any signs of disease for severd
weeks, during which time they may chang
hands and carry the disease germs Il
other places heretofore uninfected. TIL
disposition on the part of some people i
TO sell just as soon as they discover tina
something is wrong with lot of cattle, -
in this way several farms may become in
fected by one single bunch of cattle. View
this question from every standpoint. ant
/ we cannot fail to observe that every On
portunity is offered for rapid distribution
of this disease germ, and as this germ /
! very hardy, being able 10 resist the heat o
summer and the severe freezes of winter
! the conclusion is that blackleg has beef
| gradually increasing. Our remedy les Il
| preventive measures, which wiz be con
sidered hereafter"