The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1905-04-07
WHAT IS TEXAS FEvER."
Where II Is Prevalent and How InOcuIa-
ton Immunizes Cattle.
The IndustriaIist, a weekly periodical

non INN unLGa L4LLlG.
The Industrialist, a weekly periodical
issued by the Kansas State Agricultural
college, prints IN the April number an
article entitled, minimizing OF North
ern Cattle Against Texas Fever" The
fact that western Kansas cattle were
last year put under the ban of quaran-
tine for mango or Texas itch, necessi-
tating dipping whether they were infect
ed or not, arouses inquiry into the
exact nature Of Texas itch IN cattle, Of
which, perhaps, mango may be a mOdi-
ficatiOn Of the disease IN more northern
climates. The Industriaiist says:
Texas fever IS a specific fever of
cattle and euzOOtic during the warm
seasons in the low, malaTiOus ground
and wooded or uncultivated districts Of
different countries, caused by a protO-
zOan IN the blood and red glObules,
which IS conveyed from animal to ami
nal by ticks and leading to engOrge-
ment of the spleen and liver, and de-
structiOn Of red giObules and haemOglO-
binuria.
Texas fever is found in the southern
states south of what is known as the
quarantine line, which is an imaginary
division of the United States, running
from the Pacific to the Atlantic ocean;
It is established by the bureau of ami
nal industry, department Of agricul-
ture, indicating that the country south
Of this line is inhabited by ticks, and
Texas fever IS therefore prevalent The
winters, as q rule, are not cold enough
TO kill the eggs Of the ticks that are de-
posted in the fall, whereas north of the
Texas fever quarantine line the winters
are sufficiently cold to destroy all ticks
and their eggs, and consequently the
disease is not prevalent there
The specific description of the quar-
antine line may not be Of interest to
our readers, but suffice to say that the
line, IN running northeast through and
out of Texas includes some of the
southern portion of Oklahoma and
strikes the southern boundary of Kan
sas Just east Of Arkansas City; then It
goes eastward following the southern
boundary Of Kansas and Missouri to the
Mississippi river.
Before anything was known of the
true nature and cause Of Texas fever II
was the common experience of men
shipping cattle from northern states to
the south to have them die, as soon as
they were turned out to pasture, or on
the range with the southern cattle.
Thus the shipment of northern cattle
was not profitable and, as the cause of
death was not then known, II held IN
check the importation of cattle to the
south Scientific investigations about
the same time as to the causes and lines
of treatment, especially as to immuniz-
ing northern cattle against this disease
were begun, and little Ineligible re-
suits obtained until 1898. Since that
time veterinarians of the southern ex-
pertinent stations have acquired valu-
able knowledge in regard to immuniz-
ing northern cattle, so that from fat
atty of from so to SO per cent, the death
rate has been reduced to about 8 per
cent among inOculated cattle.
''InOculatiOn is a process By which
northern cattle, OF those animals that
are raised free from ticks, are rendered
immune to Texas fever, and is accom-
plished by injecting hypOdermically in
to each animal from one to three
cubic centimeters of fresh, defribinated
blood, taken from an immune animal -
The article goes on to say that the
principal object of incubation IN this
country is TO immune nOrtheTn-bred
cattle, which, when shipped will not
contract the fatal form of Texas fever.
1t is also found to be applicable to cat
the raised south Of the quarantine line
incubation Is impractical IN cattle
over two years old. Under eighteen
months is the suitable age limit.