Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1902-02-26
THE TEXAS FEVER PEST.
InnoouIating Cows at Clemson TO Check Its
Ravages--The Process.

Since the stock law went into effect,
and ticks have disappeared in many parts
OF the State, Texas fever has become
quite common disease. 1t is estimated
that the breeders of the State are now
losing annually more than $4,000 from
this disease, and it has been shown to be
SO important that the South Carolina ex-
pertinent station has undertaken the
work OF combating its ravages by O pro-
cess of innoculation, (yaccination.)
In the fall of 1900 twelve calves were
bought by the veterinary division, of
which DIR. G. Il. Neson is chief and DIR.
Shealey assistant. ALI of them were
subject to the disease, as they had never
carried ticks. They were innoculated
with blood from a cow that was immune.
and in few days they developed light
case OF the disease from which they soon
recovered. During the summer of 1901
they were kept in tick.invested pasture
and none Of them contracted the fatal
form of the disease.
But more important work is now being
done in the same way on Northern cattle.
Every one who has purchased cattle
from the North and exposed them to the
Southern cattle tick knows that most of
them die the first year of ''acclimation
fever" another name for Texas fever.
Sixteen head of beef cattle were
brought down from indianapolis in No
vember, 1901, and have been innooulated.
They are doing we'll so far and when the
work is finished in the spring they will
be tested in tick-infested pastures. It
is hoped they will prove immune. IL
this method proves entirely successful
it will establish the fact that a great OBJ
stacle in the way of introducing better
cattle into this State has been removed.
SYMPTOMS AND CAUSES OF DISEASE.
In this connection DR.. G.. e. Nesom
has sent out the following circular letter
to farmers and cattle raisers in South
Carolina:
This circular letter is seut you in the
hope that you will assist the veterinarian
OF the experiment station in securing
some information regarding the cattle
disease known as Texas fever.
During the past few years this disease
has been prevalent in many sections of
the State, but since the passage of the
present stock law it has become very
common, especially in the up-country and
In the pastures and pens of stock buyers
and feeders.
Texas fever is known by number of
names, but the most important of these
are splenic fever, splenetic fever, acclima-
tion fever, Southern cattle fever, tick
fever, red water, bloody murrain, bloody
urine, distemper, mountain distemper
and many local names.
The symptoms are readily recognized
by any one who has seen cattle suffering
from this fever. At first the animals be-
come stupid and leave the herd for some
secluded and shady part of the pasture.
They appear listless and droop, as If all
energy had forsaken them, the ears
drop, the nose is moro or less dry, ru-
mination ichewing cnd) suspended, the
urine light to dark red in color, and con.
stipation marked, only small quantities
of very dark, dry dung being voided.
They are highly fevered, the temperature
running from 103 to 107 degrees #. In
pended. All of the symptoms increase
in severity until the animal becomes al
most or quite unconscious, walks round
in circle, groans and seems to suffer
real pain. Then commissions set in, the
animal falls, lies on the side, uncon-
scious and snoring in the intervals be-
tween convulsions, until death ensues.
Calves rarely develop the severe sytnp-
toms or die from the disease, but In
cattle over year old the death rate is
possibly 5O TO OO per cent, lnoI easing as
the age increases.
Post mortem examination of the car
cass shows the flesh to be almost blood
less and pale in color, the spleen (melt)
black and easily torn, the bladder filled
with bloody urine, tho liver nd-intes-
tines yellowish and the gall bladder filed
with bile.
In all cases an examination of the skin
about the thighs. flanks, neck and other
parts of the body reveals the presence of
ticks, which always go with Texas fever.
The cause of the disease is small ami
NAL organism, (protozoail,) Which seems
at all times to exist in the body of the
tick. When the tick inserts it's bill
through the hide these little germs gain
access to the blood of the COW and there
develop, producing case of Texas fever
In ten to twenty days. Death results
from the destruction of the red blood
cells, the refuse going to the spleen, and
the coloring matter to the bladder.
Cattle that have had ticks on them
when they were calves are immune to
the disease, and will not have it again.
Cattle that have not had ticks on thom
until year old, will develop the disease
as soon as they, get the ticks.
The experiment station officials desire
to assist the stockmen of the State in
getting this disease under control and
prevent sev'r7 losses in future Innocu-
lation experiments are now in progress,
and it is hoped that immunity to it may
be produced by artificial means.
You are requested to answer the ques-
lions on the enclosed postal card and re-
turn as soon an possible to the veterina-
rian, who wishes to thank you in advance
for your cooperation in tho matter.
Yours truly, G.. e. Nesom,
Veterinarian.
Clemson College, S. c., January 10, 1902,