The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-07-31
CASES AT HENDERSON, ILL.,,
CALL FORTH INVESTIGATION,
o'sesse We'll in Hand and No Unusual
Number Of Cases Reported In the
Southwest

,,rd ne report that Texas fever is prevalent
t.,', IVu' the entire Southwest Is beiny
,.s,. i1ousiy circulated with a view TO in.
the Kansas City feeder trade" saws
Co'onei Albert Dean, live stock agent in
e"uise Tor the bureau OF animal industry
~ mat city Colonel Dean has Just re-
turned from Henderson county. III wbere
Ne went to make personal Investigation OF
cases OF Texas fever which develoned 70.
Seh'y among some cattle shipped from
Nnox county, Mo. "Adyantase Ia he,ny
taken OF this Illinois Incident 10 spreea tha
report that the herds Of Missouri and Kan.
$40 are teemlng with fever ticks" states
N''onel Dean. The fact OF the matter ia
'uaV 'Ae Texas fever situation was never
AnoFe completely in hand than at the prcs.
emu ume' The present season has been an
unusually favorable one for the fever ticks.
which thrive In wet. warm weather. Nor.
"lthstanaing this fact there are fewer
cases oil Texas fever In the Southwest now
than there were a year ago dnring tho
memorable drouth. There is some infsction
~ NuWley county, Kan, and o few days
aso couple of southern steers escaped
10 a car near Paola. The infected places
az az .S unu S strict quarantine and no spread
stories such as / refer to Will do great in.
JuIF 10 the Kansas City market unless they
pre- SHOWN up IN their true light as false
In regard to the Texas fever in Hepder
son county, ILL.,. Colonel Dean says: ION
July : twtGty heud Of native Missouri
steers were shipped from Fabius, Knox
couSty, Mo, TO Stronghurst, Henderson
county. ll by a cattle dealer and dis.
tnbuted among three farmers on the 18th
Instant sixteen days after their arrival,
tney oegan to die and by the oath nineteen
OF the twenty head were dead The re-
naming one was still alive when left
there yesterday. He has a case of slow
FEVER. We caught him and took a number
Of ticks from him
AS soon as the cattle began to get sick
Inc people became alarmed and a hurry.up
call was sent out for State veterinarians.
Two Of them responded, ole from Spring
held and one from Peoria The first one TO
arrive properly diagnosed the case, but told
me people they needn't be alarmed; that
there was no danger whatever of the dis.
ease spreading; that all they had to do was
TO allow the disease to run its course. The
second veterinarian also properly diagnosed
the case, but told the people they had bet
ter take some precautions to prevent
spread of the disease. When ! arrived there
the one sick steer was In a pasture with
nifty head OF healthy native steers. The
ticks on him were not big enough to lay
eggs. but they are likely to he before he
dies. The steer was Immediately placed in
quarantine, and other precautions taken to
prevent the disease from spreading
The people in the vicinity were in
state bordering on panic. This was their
first experience with Texas fever, and
many Of them shipped their herds out Of
the country as soon as they found out what
the disease was,
There is no question as to when the
cattle acquired the ticks. 1t was on July
2 during the trip from Fabius 10 Strong
hurst. There is no sign of Texas fever In
Knox county, Mo. nor never has been.
Neither has there ever been before in Hen
derson county, H. Nor Is there the slight.
est danger OF the disease spreading nov.
If that one surviving steer had been allow
ed TO run with other cattle a few days
longer there is no doubt but that seri0us
results would have followed.
lone thing should be emphasized In con
nectlou with this AFFAIR. The cattle which
died of the fever never were within 2o)
miles of Kansas City. In the effort to use
this incident to injure the Kansas City mar
ket the impression has been given out thar
these cattle canoe from Kansas city, In
this connection | want 10 repeat that the
Texas fever situation was never more thor.
onghly in hand by the bureau OF animal
Industry and the State authorities than II
is AT present and there IS no cause Tor
alarm among clttemen. Iha inSpeItl0n
here at Kansas City is thorough, as 1t Is
also Mt the various points along the quaran'
tine line and there Is little danger OF cdtt;e
that have passed through the native yards
here CARRYING fever ticks with them