The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-12-31
TEXAS FEVER.
Hay De Regarded as Native Disease
in this State.
WHAT Or. NEsoM SAYS ABOUT IT
Caused by the Bite OF the Common
Cattle Tick. How the Stock
Law Greatly Decreased
the Disease.


in cattle was written by DR.. G. +.
Nesom. State veterinarian. and Is
published for the benefit Of cur farm
erS:
For the benefit of the many stock
owners who read this paper desire to
cali special attention to the cattle dis
ease, now commonly known as Texas
fever, but possibly better known in
South Carolina by the names Of bloody
murrian. red water and diStemper.
So great has been the inroadS Of this
disease on the cattle industry Of this
State during the last four years that
many men. especially breeders OF beef
cattle, have become SO discouraged
that they have abandoned the bust
ness altogether. From a business
standpoint this is quite detrimental
to the live stock industry, as it often
drives out many men who have the
means and could successfully continue
and leave it in the hands OF the
others who have not the means to en-
gage in other business, where such
also robbing many people Of those
staple necessities in all families, milk
and butter. Besides it is discouraging
breeders who are at present engaged
in the production dairy Of cattle, and
deterring others who might engage in
it but for the fact that they fear they
might incur severe losses. have
quite frequently published more o.
less extended accounts Of this disease
and do not think necessary to repeat
at length what l. have already said.
The South Carolina experiment sta
tiOn has left a few copies CT Bulletin
- On this disease and they will be
furnished, so long as they last, to
citizens Of this State who will write
for them and state to what extent
they are interested in the cattle buSi
ness.
Texas fever may be regarded as a
native disease in South Carolina, just
as we think Of chills and fever us soon
as the Mississippi Valley is mentioned.
1t is now well known to be specific
disease Of the blood, caused by very
small animal organisms entering the
body through the bite Of the common
cattle tick, and By its growth and
multiplication destroys the red por-
tion OF the blood and causes very high
fever. In cattle, except calves. it va
ries in its intensity in direct proper
tion to the age Of the animal, or, in
other words. it is lighteSt on young
calves and increases in severity with
the age OF the animal. The question
has frequently been asked if this dis
ease has been caused by ticks, why all
cattle did not die before the war,
when ticks we're SO common in this
State? That is vital question and
the answer to it is that when cattle
are allowed to run at large and all Of
them are continually carrying ticks
throughout the year they acquire a
perfect immunity to the disease as
young calves. AS stated before, calves
do not seem to suffer very greatly
from this disease, and when they have
once had it they are entirely immune
for all future time so far as our knowl-
edge goes, and may carry ticks in
great numbers with perfect immunity
for the balance of their lives.
EFFECT OF THE STOCK LAW.
When our agricultural system under
went its notifications subsequent to
the war, and stock law was passed,
the number Of cattle in the State was
greatly decreased, and those few that
were kept were penned on small areas,
and herds of near neighbors were
allowed to run on the same pasture.
Beside, when people began to see their
cattle more constantly they seemed
to have taken more interest in their
care. and especially in getting those
ugly and filthy ticks otf Of them. The
result has been that since the stock
law went into effect ticks have rapid
ly disappeared in all parts Of the
State, but especially in the upper
country, where there is less woodland.
more bare ground and colder winters.
1t is now difficult to find many farms
in Greenville, PickenS and portions OF
Oconee, Anderson, LaurenS, Spartan
burg and Cherokee counties on which
cattle are infested with ticks. These
counties, and even as far south as
far south as Hampton, have many
farms in them on which tick has not
been seen for years. Many OF the
older citizens say that in one or two
years after the stock law went into
effect the ticks seemed to have disap-
peared as if by magic. No" what
has been the result Of this change:
Where the ticks still remain the cat
tie are still immune to Texas fever, as
they were in the old days. But where
the ticks have disappeared and the
cattle have had no access to them
during their lives they have had no
opportunity to become immune to this
fever. The result is that as S0ou as
these tick-free cattle are brought into
contact with the ticks they develop.
Texas fever and great many OF them
die.
SOME CONCRETE EXAMPLES.
There are many concrete examples
that might be given to prove this
idea and few will be given as fol-
lows:
\ woman and her children came
over from Georgia to cotton mill in
Oconee County and brought with them
the family milk COW, covered with
ticks. Now, at the mill in question,
as az many other mills, there is a COM
mon pasture into which the mill
hands are allowed to turn their cat
tie. The COW went in with the others.
the ticks on her filled up and dropped
off, laid a batch Of eggs, which hatch |
ed out a corresponding number Of
seed ticks. and these in turn were
picked up by the other in the pasture
while grazing there. The result was