Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-12-11
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE,
Concerning the Epidemic OF Mouth and
Foot Disease.
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To the Editor of The Free Press:
Our State and tho rest Of New England
is now facing one of the gravest dangers
encountered since the Civil war in the
mouth and foot disease now epidemic in
southern Vermont. Massachusetts and
| Rhode Island. How to meet It and pre-
vent the enormous economic loss entailed
by its spreading amongst our diaries and
becoming stationary here as in many of
the old countries is problem OF the
greatest national interest, problem
which cannot and must not be met in any
half-hearted way, but will call for great
sacrifices in the infected States. free ex-
penditure of money and local board Of cat
tic commissioners with power to act
promptly and power to enforce their regu-
lations.
From experience in dealing with foot
ana mouth disease in other places come
| these suggestions in the firm BELIEF that
sooner or later they will be found valua-
bic in dealing with present epidemic.
OF greatest importance is a law making
| ii compulsory for stock owner to notify
| the beard of cattle commissioners without
delay of any conta gious disease amongst
| his stock under penalty of heavy fine and
loss Of compensation if condemnation Of
stock is necessary. The advantage of
such law in dealing promptly with a
disease like the mouth and foot disease
would be Immense. And in this connec-
tion let mo suggest that a quick scatter
ing broadcast over the St9te of doscrip-
ton of this or any other disease rcqlftr-
ing action from tho authorities would y.
OF the greatest value as any one will :l-
init with q knowledge of the current Nd
most often erroneous ideas of infect J,,s
diseases of stock. Equally important is
an absolute quarantine on all kinds OF
stock and farm products from infected
states. Very often the disease is import
ed not with live stock, but with products
having come in contact with infected
stock. IT is the writer's conviction that
The present epidemic is imported from
abroad in some such way. In connection
with such quarantine should be combined
disinfection al the State border of all
railroad cars carrying stock or farm pro-
ducts and hHiling from infected States
Inc car in which the Chester cattle was
carried up here from MASSACHUSETTS, is
bound to make trouble if not traced up
and made harmless.
A similar quarantine would be advisa
hle on stock and farm products from any
county In which even only one single herd
is infected, with forbiddng of driving ot
any stock over public highways, with ex-
termination of stray dogs and cats; with
no utilization Of by-products from cream
cries or cheese factories. etc, and finally
proper surveillance that such regulations
a re enforced.
Ana last but not least to be recommend
ed would be the immediate slaughter ~
all stock on any farm where the disease
appears. destruction OF all refuse in
such place diSnfertion Of all buildings
used for stock ard restriction in rcstock-
ing such farm within certain limit Of
time, all under direction Of and conpensat-
cd for by the State.
some such proceedings is certain to be
followed by the department ~ Agriculture
in trying to eradicate this disease They
may seem unnecessarily harsh but are IN
tircly justified by the nature and economic
Importance Of the epidemic. And here as
IN no other disease prompt action is nee
cssary to success. Shall We have il or
not? our legislators are now assembled
IT Is UP to them to decide if we shall go
along in the present crisis with a cattle
commission shorn Of all power and YES
'iee or take steps to properly guard the
dairy interests of the State
fERMAE P'rILIZSEN. V. S.
Brandon, Vt. Dec. 3