The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-25
DISEASE |SR|)O|ED OUT.
Foot and Mouth Trouble Said
to be Overcome.
HOW IT ORIGINATED
Brought, Apparently, From
Animals Imported From
England.

ger or the spread OF the 1OOt ana NOUN
disease among cattle is now practically
| over. He says the epidemic is about
| stamped out, although there is still some
serious work to be done to remove the
danger of its recurrence. 1t is now con-
fined to eastern Massachusetts and Rhode
! Island. There are no evidences of the
/ disease in any other state. There have
been no cas- s in Maine and only three
cases in New Hampshire near tine Massa-
chusetts line, which were treated prompt
of cattle in whic hit appeared and the
establishment of quarantine against the
| infected districts of Massachusetts. Yer
mont is free, twenty OF more herds OF
| cattle having been killed there. There
have been no signs of the disease in Con-
| necticut, New York. Pennsylvania or New
Jersey, and all of the states named have
| been carefully inspected by the veterin-
airy surgeons of the agricultural depart
ment.
Secretary Wilson says that the origin of
the epidemic has not yet been determined
with satisfaction. 1t first appeared at the
cattle yards at Brighton, near Boston,
which is a distributing point for dairy
cattle for the New England farms. The
disease prevails continually throughout
Germany and France and must have been
brought in from one of those countries.
There have been no cases in the United
States for eighteen years. In 1884 il was
brought into Portland. Me-, by a cargo of
cattle from England and was scattered in
d singular manner. The stock yards Of
that city are about mile from the docks.
and while a herd of imported cattle were
being driven through the streets they
came in contact with a yoke of oxen
driven by a farmer. Those oxen soon after
developed the disease and must have
caught it from the English herd in which
it had already appeared
No imported cattle have been brought
tc Brighton stockayrds this year. how
ever Our government does not allow the
importatio nof cattle. sheep or hogs, but
some French horses have been allowed TO
land lately and may have brought the
disease with them. Or perhaps the germs
may have been concealed in bales of hay
which were brought from France with
the horses. A considerable surplus re-
manned at the end of the voyage which
was sold in the Boston market. This is
the most plausible theory yet advanced
tc explain the appearance of the disease
at Brighton.
AS soon as its existence was known
Secretary Wilson sent DR.. Salmon, chief
of the bureau Of animal industry; DR..
Mohler of the department OF agriculture
DR. Law. of Cornell university and Dr.
Pearson. OF the University of Pennsyl-
yania. who are believed to be the ablest
veterinarians in the United States to
Boston, with instructions TO make thor
ough examination. When they reported
that the disease was actually there he
instructed DIR. Salmon TO round up all
the veterinarians he could find and ar
range with the governor of Massachu-
sets and the neighboring states to kill
and quarantine all the cattle that had
been affected and exposed. If one ami
NAL in a herd showed symptoms of the
disease the entire herd was Immediately
killed and the stables, barnyards and pas
lures in which the infected animal had
been kept were thoroughly disinfected
and quarantined The question now arises
what shall be done with these premises
The disease can be communicated by
birds, cats, dogs. human beings and any
other animated beings which pass among
cattle. The germ can be carried in hay
OF manure or by any other inanmate
objects which may have come in con-
tact with diseased animals II the germs
once find access TO a stable it is almost
! mi Sfh To 70 he. nv i1Dr
methods and IT may be necessary to burn
all of the buildings in which infected cat
tie have been kept and their contents.
the fence that inclosed the yards. and any
article that may possibly furnish a hid
ing place for a microbe
Thus far 5ee cattle have been killed and
about 1.000 more are under surveillance
because it is suspected that they may
have been exposed. Every herd In which
the disease develops will be slaughtered.
Secretary Wilson is confident that his
agents have corraled every hoof of live
stocks in the country which could pos
sibly be infected and the only danger that
he can conceive OF now. which is very re-
mote. lies in the possibility that railway
cars may have been occupied by diseased
made TO ascertain whether such is the
case and il so the cars in which they
were carried -fll Be burned
II looks very much as il President
Roosevelt would finally agree 10 arbit-ate
the Venezuelan disputes The pressure Is
very strong. not only from England and
Germany but also from Venezuela and
the other Latin-Anerican countries. who
ere taking deep interest In the matter
because they realize that IL viii stand as
precedent. II he does accept he will go
into the case with a disposition 10 make
II a precedent. to establish p rule and
method by which claims against the Amer
lean republics shall De adjudicated and
settled. He realizes the difficulties. iabors
and dangers that attend the arbitration
a ndfuIIy understands that one Of the
reasons why his name has been suggested
is that the government OF the United
States viii feel under obligations 10 force
the award. The president is not unwili-
ing 10 accept this responsibility. There
s a decided difference Of opinion among
the members Of the cabinet IS 70 his duty
81 but Two % his advisers are opposed
20 having him mix up IL the case and
he VIII not decide until he has heard all
| OF their objections.
There Is no foundation for the published
stories that the United States government
: taking savsutase OF the situation To
secure possession Of the Islands Of Mar
Eariss from Venezuela. Nevertheless the
naval experts are yeagnins for Il. and the
Nish is father 10 the talk. The island lies
almost directly north Of the mouth Of the
Crsnoco river. and was one Of the first
| landing places Of Columbus on his third