Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1904-10-07

gested and red but later they have
dull leaden color. Animals suffering
from it are easily excited in early
stages and if disturbed will fight
viciously. After animal affected with
blackleg gets down and unable to rise
there is often some bloating noticed,
particularly ON the left side, but bloat-
ing is only incidental. Death usually
occurs in from six to forty-eight hours
after sickness is first discovered.
Backlog occurs at all times of the
year, but the reports show that the
loss is greater in May. June and in
September or October. The greatest
losses of all are in May and June; as
the cattle are. making rapid gains.
AS rule the season has quite bit
to do with blackleg, as the reports
show that during a wet season the
loss is greater than in dry one.
Blackleg is generally considered by
veterinary authorities TO be wound
infection disease but among a large
number of cases observed by the
writer there has never been visible
wound through which infection might
have taken place except in cases ex-
perimentally inoculated. 1t is posi-
BILE if not. probable if infection with
germs of blackleg takes place through
a wound that sores in the mouth
which are frequent in young cattle
while they are cutting and shedding
teeth may offer favorable places for
infection.
Experiments made by this depart
ment by drenching susceptible calves
with infective material, have not been
successful in producing the disease.
Another circumstance which is rather
against the theory of wound infec-
ton is that quite frequent practice
among stockmen is to dehorn bunch
of calves as soon as blackleg appears,
as there is a common opinion that
the operation tends to stop the spread
of the disease. If wound infection
is common method of contracting
disease, dehorning an infected bunch
ought to offer favorable conditions
for the spreading of blackleg. After
the germs are introduced into the
body it takes from FIVE hours to four
or five days for the disease to appear.
Immunity against blackleg may be
acquired by having mild form of
the disease or by vaccination. Calves
are vaccinated to give immunity
against blackleg. The physical con-
dition of the animal also affects the
natural immunity. Calves that are
gaining flesh rapidly are unusually
susceptible. This is well estab-
lished fact that the ones that are the
best and latest are among the first
to contract the disease. When calves
are properly vaccinated with good
vaccine the immunity conferred is con-
siderable. Backlog Vaccine is made
by taking the bruised looking, di-
seased flesh from the animal affected
with blackleg. This meat is cut in
to then cut into thin strips dried and
ground into fine powder. The pow
der is wet with distilled water and
weakened or attenuated by beating
from six to seven hours. Two kinds
of vaccine are made by this depart
ment. Each vaccine is put up in ten
and twenty-five dose packets only.
These are doses for yearlings and
over. A single vaccine that requires
but one vaccination is put up in red
paper packets and the double vacci-
nation is put up in yellow packets.
Both single and double vaccine are
labeled and on-the back is stamped
the date by which time the vaccine
should be used as it loses its strength
in few months.
This first vaccine is put up in a
white paper and is intended to put
the animal system in shape for the
second.
The vaccine made by this depart