The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1902-03-26
TfXAS HAY FEVER.

Brrcdrrs IN this State Lose Thous-
Hnds Annually By II.
Since The stock law went into effect.
and tiers have disappeared in many
! parts OF the State, Texas fever has be-
come ~ lie n common disease. 1t is
estimated that the breeders OF the
! State afe now losing annually more
than $4,000 from this disease, and it
has been shown to be so important
that the South Carolina experiment
station has undertaken the work OF
combating its ravages by process OF
inocculation Cvaccination)
In tic fall OF 1900 twelve calves
were bought by the veterinary divi-
sion, Of which DR.. G.. u. NeSom is
chief and Dr. Shealey assistant All
OF them were subject 20 the disease. as
they had never carried ticks. They
were inuoCulated with blood from a
COW that was Immune. and in n few
days they developed light case OF the
disease from which they soon recover
ed During the summer OF 1891 they
were kept in Il tick-infeSted pasture
and nupr of them contracted the Il al
form Of the disease.
But more important work is now be-
Ing done in the same way on Northern
cattle. Every one who has purchased
cattle from the North and exposed
them 10 the Southern cattle tick knows
that most ot them die the first year OF
'acclimation fever" another name
for Texas fever.
SINtcCu head OF beef cattle were
brought down from indianapolis in
November, 1901, and have been in
nocuIated They are doing well SO
far and " IN the work Is finished in
The SprinlI they will be tested I'm tick
INFESTED pastures. 1t is hoped they
VIII prove 'Smmune. If this method
proves ent Ae!y successful 1t will eS-
tahliSh theH Hfact that L great obstacle
IN the wayHpf Introducing better caC-
Jle INTO thgg State has been removed
In this Connection Dr. G. T.. Nesom
has sent g5It the following circular let
ter 10 farmers and cattle raiserS in
south Carolina
TtiS itrcular letter is sent you in
L lie -LypN assist the vete-
securing %
the cattle l!!
fever.
During One past few years the dis
ease has bchn prevalent in many sec
tions of th& State, but since the pas
sage Of the iprcsent stock law it has
hnFnFNa I'll i.
the upcOuntty and in the pastures
and pens OF stock buyers and feeders.
Texas fever is known by a number
OF names, but the most important OF
these are Splenic fever. Splcnetic fever,
acclimation fever, Southern cattle
fever, tick fever, red water, bloody
murrain. bloody urine. distemper.
mountain diStcmper and many local
names.
The symptoms are readily recog-
niZ"d by any one vino has seen cattle
suffering from this fever At first the
animals become stupid and leave the
herd for some secluded and shady part
of the pasture. They appear liStleSS
and droop, as if all energy had for
Sakcn them, the ears drop, the nose
is more or less dry, ruminatiOn Chew
ing cud) suspended. the urine light to
dark red in color, and constipation
marked, only small quantities of very
dark, dry dung being vOidcd. They
are highly fcycred. the temperature
running frOm'lO3 to lO7 degrees f.. In
milk cows the flow OF milk is almost
suspended. All Of the symptoms in
crease in severity until the animal be-
comes almost or quite unconscious.
walks round in circle. groans and
seems tO suffer real pain. Then CON
vulsionS set in. the animal falls, un-
conscious and snoring in the intervals
! between commissions, until death en-
sues. Calves rarely develop the severe
! symptoms or die from the disease, but
! in cattle over year old the death
rate is possibly 30 to 90 per cent. in
creaSing us the age increases.
! Post mOrtem examination Of the
! carcass shows the flesh to be almost
! hloodleSS and pale i'm color, the spleen
! imelD black and easily torn, the blad-
der filled with bloody urine, the liver
and intcStincs ycllowiSh and the gall
| bladder flied with bile.
4 III ull Y ANto dii tAdlilllldllOIl OI Ille
skin abou: the thighs, flankS, neck and
other parts OF the body reveals the
! presence OF ticks, which always 90
with Texas fever. The cause OF the
! disease is small animal organism
! iprotOZOan, which seems at all exist
| in the bOdyOf the times to tick. When
the tick Inserts its bin through the
/ hide these little germs gain access to
/ TN" blood Oithc cow and there develop,
| producing case Of Texas fever I'm ten
to twenty Gays Death results from
the destruction OF the red blood cells,
. the refuse ZOing to the spleen and the
| COiOrlng matter to the bladder.
Cattle tlat have had ticks on them
when they were calves are immune TO
the disease and VIII not have 1t again.
! Cattle that have not had ticks on
them untR year Old, will develop
the dlsear rs soon as they get the
ticks.
The experiment station officials de-
sire To asst the stockmen OF the State
in getting the disease under control
and prevcIt severe losses in future
lnnOculatim experiments are now i'm
progress, AID it is hoped that immun.
ity to 1t my be produced by artificial
| means.
You ART requested to answer the
questions "a the enclosed postal card
and return as soon as possible to the
veterinarians who wishes to thank
you in adv1cc for your cooperation
in the matFr. Yours truly,
c, NEsoM, Veterinarian.