Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1907-12-12

others; but in central and western
Texas the greatest number of out
breaks occur during fall, winter and
spring, with but few cases during
June. July and August.
The symptoms of blackleg are so
characteristic that the disease is easily
recognized The first symptoms may
be either of general or Of local
nature, though more frequently of the
latter. The general symptoms are high
fever, loss of appetite, and suspen-
sion of rumination, followed by great
depression. Respiration becomes accel-
Grated; the animal moves around with
difficulty, frequently lies down, and,
when water is near at hand, drinks at
short intervals and but little at a
time. The visible mucous membranes
are at first dark red and congested,
but they change in the course of II
hours to dirty leaden or purplish
color.
The most important diagnostic feat
ure is the development of tumor or
swelling under the skin. The swelling
may appear on any part of the body
and limbs, except below the knee or
hook joint or on the tail. 1t is fire.
quently seen on the thigh or shoulder,
and, owing to the extensive discolora-
ton of the swollen parts, as observed
after the animal has been skinned, the
disease has been popularity named
"blackleg," or "black quarter"
Tumors may also appear on the neck,
the chest, the flank, or the rump. At
first they are small and very painful
They increase rapidly in size and may
in few hours cover a large portion
of the body. One or more of these
tumors may form simultaneously, and
when in close proximity to one an
other may become continent. The
neighboring lymph glands become con-
siderably swollen.
1t is very rare that an animal af-
fected with blackleg RECEIVERS. In
Europe very few of the veterinarians
and scientists who have made investi-
cations along this line have ever been
fortunate enough to observe a case of
recovery.
Remedial treatment is of little avail,
and consequently our principal re-
course against the disease is proven
ton.
The various measures employed for
this purpose may be classified in two
groups: CD Those which aim at de-
stroying or preventing the spread of
infection in all places where cattle are
kept, and which may be termed n.y.
gienic measures; and CD those which
operate to fortify the systems of sus-
ceptible animals against an effective
invasion of the blackleg germ, and
which may be called prophylactic
measures.
The effect of the vaccine prepared
by the bureau of animal industry of
the agricultural department in pre-
venting outbreaks of the disease and
in Immediately abating outbreaks al
ready in progress has been highly sat
isfactory, and it is not to be doubted
that thousands of young cattle have
been saved to the stock owners during
been distributed More than 100000
doses have been sent out during this
period, and from reports received it
is safe to conclude that at least g.
100000 animals have actually been
vaccinated, whereby the percentage OF
loss from blackleg has been reduced to
about one-half of L per cent When
it is considered that in regions where
blackleg prevails the losses from this
disease alone exceed those from all
other causes combined, and in certain
badly infected regions amount to more
than 10 per cent. of the annual calf
crop, then it is plain that the general
introduction of preventive vaccination
must be of material benefit to the cat
tie raisers in the infected districts.
With these figures before us there is
every reason to believe that, with the
continued use of black1eg vaccine in
all districts where the disease is