The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-04-06

outbreak. Others lose their hoors or
develop permanent mouth trouble when
otherwise cured and eventually have to
be shot. representing total loss TO the
owner who has concealed the case from
the Government inspectors. It is be
cause Of the dangerous and uncertain
after results that the disease is fought
with such drastic measures.
Carried by Rats.
The methods of communicating the
disease are Innumerable. It may be
carried by rats. on farmers boots, IN
hay. and in fact in or on almost any
thing 10 which a germ can stick. Sew
eraI cases have been found in which a
farmer who called to look at a leigh
boris sick cows carried the disease back
TO his own herd on his boots One in
stance is known where rats driven
from one mans barn, to that of another
because of the dfsinfectants employed
TO clean the first barn, carried the dis
ease with them. An English case is
recorded where the disease was trans
ferTad a long distance in the hay which
was used to pack eggs.
Human beings have been known TO
contract the foot-and-mouth disease,
but it IS not a human disease and the
cases are rare. Infants are more sus-
ceptibie than grown people, and some
cases are on record where they have
died from the disease.
No Effective Remedy.
European investigators have been try
| ing for the past half century to find a
serum OF some other remedy for the
/ trouble. but their efforts have been prac-
ticaIIy fruitIess The germ has not yet
| been discovered. but tests and expert
ments have demonstrated that it is IN
usually small. The Bureau of Animal
Industry carefully Investigated all the
| alleged remedies. and came TO the CON
! clusion that none of them were effec-
/ tive, and decided that the only way to
/ check the contagion was to kill every
animal with the slightest sign of the
! disease
Several unfortunate cattle deals just
| about the time epidemic started spread
| the disease over a wide area. At ar
auction, held in Massachusetts,, cattle
were sold to buyers in three States
Every head had the germs, but neither
| buyers nor sellers were aware OF the
| fact. IN week the disease was in full
/ blast, and Il required unceasing work
on the part Of FIVE inspectors TO get
the history of the cases and find out
| what herds they came from and what
they were liable to contaminate-
single carload Of fancy cattle sent into
Rhode Island and distributed amons
half a dozen farmers. were the foct fol
that many outbreaks. besides injecting
nearby herds.
Not at First Understood.
The disease at first was not as wei
understood as at present, and where
herd had apparently recovered the cattI
were not killed. The result was tina
some OF the herds became sick agaj.
and initiated violent epidemics on sur
rounding farms
A good illustration of the rapid spreat
OF the disease was furnished at a Mass
achusetts reformatory institution. 1t re
ported a case of foot-and- mouth diseas
on Friday, but stated that the ANNA
EaO DSSH tSoldteG anu every AiSiuLttl
ing precaution taken The inspector
said that the herd had better be kilIat
at once, but the reformatory officials de
sired to see what they could save. O
| Saturday seven cows were sick, on Sun
day twenty had all the symptoms, an
on Monday the entire herd had to b
killed All this was in spite of the fac
that the greatest skill and the mos
modern methods were used to proven
the spread OF the disease.