The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-09-30
THE TEXAS FEWER
cflnterest TO Cattle owners Through
out the State.

The following article on the Treat
ment OF Cattle for Texas Fever, writ
ten by A. S. Sheally, D. V. NJ, Of
Clemson College, for the Columbia
State, will be of interest to our read
ers who raise or keep cattle:
AS there is such an increasing de.
mand for the services Of the State
veterinarian throughout the State, l
take the opportunity to mention a few
facts in connection with the many
calls to which have responded with
in the last six weeks. 1 was sum.
moned, either by wire or by letter
saying: Come at once; cattle are
sick and dying" In every case, with
one exception, 1 found the same dis
ease, which is the only one at present
that menaces the cattle industry OF
the State, viz: Texas fever, distem-
per in cattle, or southern cattle fever.
The deadly effects Of this disease
have been discussed through the col
umns OF the newspapers of this State,
at farmers Institutes and in personal
conversation for the last four years
by DR.. G. E. Nesom, my worthy
friend aud coworker, who just a little
over month ago severed his conncc
tion with Clemson and took up work
in new field. His bulletins have
been universally distributed, yet there
continues to be considerable less
throughout the State from the effects
Of this disease. So much SO, till am
forced to believe that our people do
not retain facts as they should after
they have once been presented to
them. at any rate, there are con-
tinual outbreaks Of Texas fever, and
while do not hope to be able to COM
pletely eradicate 1T by simply saying a
| few words to the cattle owners Of the
State, yet II they should bear in mind
that the disease does not occur only
when 1t Is produced in a mild form by
incubation, unless the common cattle
tick Is present. Also should they re-
member that a number of years ago,
when cattle were permitted to run at
large, the common cattle tick was
more or less prevalent on all cattle,
and there never was case or the dis
ease noted, as we'll as the fact that a
number OF farms throughout the State
have become free from ticks, and so
long as they remain so the disease
dos not occur on these tick free
farms. With these facts in mind,
they can't help but come to the con-
clusion that cattle must have ticks
and then all the time or else never
have them at all.
To take measures 10 produce gen
eral Infection would he going back to
the same conditions as existed before
the stock law went into effect.
And as the environment Of cattle at
present has tendency to free them
from ticks, naturally 1T would only
take another period Of Is or 20 years
for us to gradually rise back to our
present situation.
i realize the seeming mpCSiibility
Of freeing farm Of ticks, yet it can
be done by systematic and thorough
cleaning of the cattle once every ten
days or two weeks during the summer
months. And should there be any
cattle owners, whose farms are infest-
ed, wishing to free their farms Of
ticks, If they will address me l will
gladly take the matter up with them
AS L have already stated, this dis
ease never occurs unless the common
cattle tick Is present, and at this time
very little can be done to prevent the
further spread of the disease except
| to thoroughly remove all the ticks
from the cattle and place them in a
pasture which is noninfested In this
way possibly number Of the herd
will be taken out Of the infested ter
ritory before they have become infect
ed and will be placed where 1t will he
impossible for them to contract the
disease, unless ticks gain access tn
them later.
The medicinal treatment for ami
mails while suffering from the disease
is very unsatisfactory, the morality
being at least 80 per cent. Yet, al
ways advise to Great them sympto
matically and hope for good results.
have had few cases that recovered
under the following treatment, which
is the one / always recommend for
cattle suffering from the disease:
| When the first symptoms Of the dis
ease are noted ticks that are on the
animal should be thoroughly removed
and a good purgative given, viz: Ep-
! ooii odiCo, III OuC VI UnO pOuHl uOScS,
according to the size of the animal.
Within eight or ten hours after the
administration OF the salts, commence
giving quinine sulphate in one-half
ounce doses dissolved in one-half pint
OF whiskey three times Il day. Con
tinue for at least three days. Ii the
salts have not acted in "A hours, re
peat its administration, giving only
half as much as was given in the first
dose. The sick animals should be sep
Grated from the herd and given The
benefit Of comfol table quarters
Very young cattle have the power
to withstand the disease without any
dangerous results, and cattle owners
can bring calves under four months
old to their tick infested farms with
practically no danger, provided these
calves become infested at once with
ticks. Though | always advise the
immune to Texas feyer when they are
to be introduced on q farm infested
with ticks. This incubation can be
practiced successfully only with cattle
that are under two years old, though
have inoculated, and with good re
suits, cattle much older.
The traffic in cattle IS very import.
ant to the cattle owners OF the State.
! { he has tick-fr farm, no animal
that Is infected can be permitted to
enter those premises without very
much endangering the lives OF the cat