The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-12-17
TEXAS FEVER IN BLlgKVILLE.
The State Veterinarian, Dr..
Nesom, Gives Some Facts About
the WFittie cattIe---The Less.

Columbia, Dec. 15.-Dr. G. E.
Nesom. State veterinarian, arrived in
the city Saturday evening from Blacl:-
vile where he had gone in response to
telegram from Mr.. J. D. White.
Some weeks ago Mr.. White bought
in western North Carolina one hur-
dred and fifty steers for his feed pens.
About week ago fifteen of them be-
gan to show signs Of being sick and
soon four died. The State veterinarian
examined them and found that they
were dying from Texas fever, or
southern cattle fever. Mr.. Whittle
has just gone into the business If
feeding cattle and will no doubt be
very much discouraged with such un-
expected results.
Two other gentlemen who have re-
Gently sustained losses are Mr.. ". e.
Rutland who is feeding 200 steers ca
his farm at Batesburg, and Mr.. j.
+. Bland, Jr., Of Mayesville, feeding
125 head.
The three have total of nearly SOD
| choice steers, from western North
| Carolina, valued at about SIS, 600, and
the aggregate loss from Texas fever is
about 81, 600.
When it is known that similar losses
June TO January the disease must be
reckoned as one of greatlimportance to
the stockmen.
DR.. Nesom estimates that last yeal.
it caused losses amounting to over,
500, 600, and says it will be consider
ably more for 1902.
Texas fever was not well understood
until about twelve years ago, but is
now known to be specific disease OF
cattle similar in many respects tc
human malaria. The primary cause
of it is microscopic protozyan
(animal germ which destroys the red
cells of the blood. The animals be-
come infected by being bitten by the
common cattle tick, formerly so num-
erous in all cattle in this State.
All native cattle that carry ticks from
the time they are calves, acquire in,
munity to the disease when very young,
but if cattle have never had ticks cn
them they readily take the disease
when they are exposed to tick infesta-
tion. That is the trouble with cattle
from the northern States as well as
western North Carolina, which is en-
tirely free from ticks and above the
government quarantine lire. These
feeders who snip from there should
be very careful never to ship before
frost, to load cattle into clean cars,
not to unload into stock pens where
tick infested cattle have been kept
during summer, and to scrupulously
avoid driving the cattle over roads cr
through woods where seed ticks may
be on the grass and leaves; also to
avoid the use of straw or leaves for
bedding if taken from woods where
| tick-infested cattle have used the past
summer. If, however, it is found
that the cattle haye gotten the ticks
on them, begin at once to remove them
by oiling the parts where they are
found, using cotton seed or cheap
lubricating oil. A good way is to build
a chute consisting of two Slated
fences sixteen feet long and two feet
I apart and so arranged that the. Cattle
may be shut in with bars as driven
| through.
Put the chute IN cross fence SO
that cattle may be driven from one lo5
80 another, making sure that ell of
them are creased. If any are taken
sick, they refuse food, stand with head
aung low or lie with the head stretch
ed on the ground in front, have high
fever, and in bad cases red urine.
After death the most noticeable lesion
is that the spleen {naelt) is very much
enlarged, black, easily torn, and filed
with black clotted blood. 4 good
treatment is to give pound of salts
every "a hours till bowels act freely
and twice a day give half ounce Of
uuinine.
Mr.. Nesom says many people do not
believe in she ftick theory An ap-
propriate answer to this is that those
who do not believe in Newton s law Of
gravity and step out of a fifth story
window to prove their disbelief viii
pay the penalty just as though they
had been the most devout believers.
All who are interested in this dis
ease should write DR.. Nesom at Cle1n-
son college for Bulletin No. y On
Texas fever.
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