The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1906-09-21
THE DREAD TEXAS FEVER HERE.

Texas fever, brought here by a ship
ment of stock cattle to Mr.. Benjamin
Dever, of near Perryman. has alarmed
all the stock raisers of Hartford county,
as the disease is of a nature when once
contracted is nearly always fatal.
Mr.. Dever who is large cattle dealer,
has been lately purchasing some particu-
larly fine animals in Kansas City. With
every load he has carefully fortified him.
self against possible disease by the re-
quired bill of health, which is issued
under the provisions of law. The drove
that brought the disease included about
100 animals, all of which had been sold
excepting twenty nine. Tuesday morn
ing Of last week, Mr.. J. Thomas Webster,
who is associated with Mr.. Dever in the
business noticed two sick steers in the
field. Others later showed the same
affection, and an effort was made to at
once get in touch with the state veteri-
marian. This was impossible for one
day and i'll the meantime, Dr. Tubbs, of
Darlington was called in. He pronounc-
ed the disease, Splenetic or Texas" fever.
The next day, state veterinarian DIR. J.
w. Jarmen arrived Oh the scene, and
made a similar report He at once COM
municated with the government authori-
ties and DR.. Bosley on Friday went to
the residence of Mr.. Morgan Mitchell,
who had bought some of the stock. He
found tick on a sick steer, which con-
firmed the diagnosis made by the other
veterinarians. Out of the afflicted lot of
cattle that had been sold, Mcssrs. J.
Parker Mitchell got 10; Howard Rich
ardson s; Charles w. Baker, 40; Ralph
Mitchell, IA, and Morgan Mitchell, 6.
All have since lost several of their re-
spective herds, and the ravages of the
disease are by no means over.
Unfortunately, Mr.. Dever turned 50
cattle, which he had bought subsequent
ly, into the herd of 30 that afterwards
showed symptoms of the disease.
Texas fever is a peculiar disease. 1t
gets its name from that state where,
strange to stay fatalities are rare,
although the disease is quite common.
A northern line has been established by
the government which bounds the ship
ment of any cattle, except when inspected,
until after frost. The disease is spread
by tick, which poisons the blood CT the
animal, bringing on the fever. Strange
to say, it cannot be communicated by
contagion, except within one degree.
Cattle first afflicted can givcit to another
lot, but in the latter, the disease forms
no ticks to ineculate other animals. The
government veterinarian said that there
occupation of premises by healthy ami
mails, where the disease once had been.
Hence it will not be necessary to adopt
any other precautions in the county, ex-
cepting quarantine, as that will control
the disease
There has been no Texas fever in Har-
AOlu iOi VI llIll
years. Mr.. J. Lawrence Mccormick says
that he recalls fatality among their
cows when their property was used as
a public cattle buying place a quarter of
a century ago. 1t is also said that the
fever once broke out on the Indian Spring
farm when it was owned by the late
Johns H. Janney, and that all the cattle
died, with the exception of one calf.
A letter from Perryman says that the
sick cattle of Messrs. Morgan Mitchell
and B. M. Dever are better. Mr. Dever
has decided to hold the IS that came in
last Monday and they are looking fine.
1t is hoped that the fever will not affect
them. Out of Mr. c. w. Bakers lot of
forty, sixteen have died
Mr.. Dever's customers are anxious for
him to buy more cattle, and he will
probably do SO. OF course they will not
be brought near the premises where the
Infected cattle now are