The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-11-03
" 4. knight, State vctorlnarl n.
ANTHRAX OR CHARRoN.


MY experience with this disease cxtonlls
to the counties Of Harris. Fort y nd
Hayes. Milan. Jackson. Colorado, Yictot
Wharton. Starr, DuyNl and Nueces 1t has
also been reported to me that II exist IN
Brazorla, Matagord0, Chambers, ] ifcrson.
Hardin, Liberty. Tyler and Galveston count
Ties.
Anthrax OF the present day seems to have
been recognized by the aucieuts, Though not
by that name. It is apparently spoken Of
In the Bible
a great deal has been said upon the sub
jeet by the press Throughout the country
as It's Importance becomes evident IL u
undoubtedly causing an immense is OF
live stock in this state, ana Tue spreJu o.
the disease u abCrlD,u O. various ugeiclts,
Some favor tue theory th2t the mes AND
the mosquitoes carry the Infection, Whic
is of course possible. AH opiui, II ulso pre-
walls that loW mars9S lanas eIe uSSt
favorable for It's spread. am lei 70 be
lleve from personal observation that low OF
mnrshy lands have nothing to do with tic
spread of the disease, and base the opinion
streams or even pools Of water scarcely eN-
list, and where wlndmills furnish for the
most pprt the water supply starr and
DuYal counties furnish instances IN support
Cured from anthrax.
Dr. A. r Spohn OF Corpus Cbri u told
me that he had record Of the death Of on
Of party Of medical students who ld cut
his hand while posting q bua2ard for am
thrax. lie further states that IN his nrac-
tice he had had several cas's OF anthrax
that hns been traced to the buzz ri.
Mr.. j. ] Wcdcr Of Victoria u few ye lrs
ago built exteusive salt loughs In his pas
lures, and the huzzardB took no, spssi n ~
the salt aud trough ms place FOR plly
and for n general meeting place, befoullng
the salt to such an extent that the cattle
refused TO lick II. have reason to believe
that the buzzard will go thirty OF forty
miles to get his breakfast. | have observed
In certain localities whore there were hun-
dreds Of buzzards; that in a few days there
were none TO he seen. Fifty miles away
buzznrds were found In great numbers
The buZzard seems ~ me 10 he the chief
dissemination Of this disease. In the pas
lures In the southwest cO,alties there are an
abundance Of mesquite beans. The buzzard
using the mesquite bushes for a roasting
place, contamlnate by their offal hlt6 the
MESQUITE beans on which the cattle feed
and SO Infection follows, Tie buzEard's
droppings contain anthrax germs from
fcasting on cattle that have dled of the
disease In various other ways the buzzard
spreads the Infection; his droppings in some
localities pollute the water over which he
ronsts.
Nature seems to have furnished the buz.
zard and all birds and heasts Of prev WITH
method of securing their food and the
Characteristic way Of the buzzard Th4f
his blood and ofal both contain anthrax
germs have positive proof Two or three
drops Of the filtered manure will XIII
guinea Mig Of the disease
The buzzard Is also detrimental to the
stockmen by proving upon I've drfenselos
young causing many fatalities I'm this way
have vet to End n stockmhn who f7vo
the preservation OF the huzzard, nnd it,
determination "a advocated nv most ~
them. II is obvious that were the diseased
carcasscs Immediately burned or deeply
buried. some measure OF security might he
possible. but this Is not apparently prao-
tlcab'e, and so comes the buzzard's oppor
tunity
hope r. be Hhle In my next report 20
make public more extensive experiments "a
the matter ~ the spread OF diseases nv tho
hnzzard The law protects AT present t4isI
pest from an antiduatod and mistaken ida
~ his value ms n scavcnger Tho nutrpfnr
tion that fills the air during IN. ug
process ~ consumntlon nv buzzar ds Of car
casses makes this idea ridiculous and n he
ever had any age ~ usefulness It Il past.