The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-09-20

t4s.r al l4.z manufacture and free dis
tribution Of blackleg vaccine by the
Bureau OF Animal Industry. Blaekleg
! is an almost invariably fatal infectious
disease which attacks young cattle be-
tween the ages OF six months to two
years old. Though the disease has been
known for centuries il only became
epidemic in the United States in the
middle Of the nineties. the losses in
creasing steadily and keeping step with
the Improvement of the range cattle by
the Introduction Of pure bred stock
The more improved herd the more
susceptible to blackleg became the
young stock In the beginning CT 1892
the losses from this disease We're ap-
palling the mortality in many badly
infected districts aggregating from %
per cent TO so per cent Of all young
stock. Curative measures were of no
avail SO prevention had to be resorted
to- Vaccination for this disease had
been introduced in France some years
previous. but the method was cunlber-
some and required the treatment of
all animals twice with an interval of
ten days. This of course was imprac-
tlcable where the question was of treat
ing hundreds Of thousands of half wild
range cattle. and through laboratory
experiments supported by practical
tests on herds of range cattle a new
vaccine was produced which in one APP
plication would render a susceptible
animal immune to fatal dose OF
blackleg virus as Wei as 10 the natural
attack of the disease. This settled,
the next point was TO get the cattle
raisers in the infected districts to use
it That proved far from easy. They
had been humbugged with panaceas
and sure cures TO such an extent that
they were exceedingly sceptical, espe-
cially toward a remedy which was fur
nished them free of charge, and only
the fact that the United states gov
eminent was al the back Of it induced
a number Of the cattle men to give it
a trial Their published reports OF
success soon made others follow-suit
and before the end Of the second year
thousa nds of cattle raisers all over the
Union were using it as regularly as
they rounded up and branded their
calves Since then nearly ten million
doses of blackleg vaccine has been
prepared and distributed by the Path
illogical division Of the Bureau of
Animal Industry and the mortality
from blackleg has been reduced to less
than one-half Of ore per cent when
formerly II aggregated II per cent and
often reached 50 per cent or more
GSE[1EAai% OL <4SiAcuII4IE 1tSOl once
stated in an interview that the aggre-
gate Of the value of the animals an
nually saved through the free distribu-
ton Of blackleg vaccine exceeded the
total expenditures for the entire De
partnent of Agriculture
IN 1898 DR. Norgaard. at the request
Of the Secretary of War, was appoint
ed as member of board to exam
Inc the veterinarians of the United
States Army. and in 1899 was delegat-
ed 10 represent the United States at
the 7th International Veterinary Con-
gress, which only meets every fifth
year He became a vice president of
the Congress which was held at Baden /
Baden. Germany. and was granted per- |
mission TO visit the principal patho- |
logical institutions of Europe at the ex-
pense Of the government.
AT the close Of the Spanish Amer |
lean War the End L s. Volunteer cav
airy was mustered out at Jacksonville, |
Fla Nearly 1000 horses and mules |
were to be sold there. when the state /
Board of Health secured an injunction |
against the sale on the grounds that |
CHAMBERS prevailed among the horses. |
Again the War Department called up
on the Secretary of Agriculture and |
agreed with the health authorities TO /
abide by the decision of veterinarian |
designated by Secretary Wilson. DR..
NcTgaard was sent to Florida and |
found CHAMBERS rampant among the (
horses IN question. His decision was
supported by the destruction and dis
secting Of number of the affected
animals and the demonstration Of the /
LESSONS OF CHAMBERS in the presence Of
representatives. from both OF the con-
testing sides. All OF the animals which
-<sI-
CHAMBERS were destroyed and the rest
submitted 70 the mailein test. with the
result that many more were killed
Al the end of 1901 DR.. Norgaard re-
signed from the government service to
accept a more lucrative position IN
New York But after more than ten
years official service he found his new
uncongeniaI and Renter
ed the government service when an
opportunity presented itself
A large number Of publications over
Dr. Norgaard's signature On original
OF various infectious dis
eases OF the domestic animals testify
to the scope OF his original work