The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-12-10
APHTHOUS FEVER OR FOOT AMI
MOUTH DISEASE.

This is an acute infectious and
a highly contagious disease Affect
ing cloven-footed animals. 1t oc
ours most frequently among cattle,
sheep, goats and swine. 1t has al
so, in some rare instances, occurred
in horses and some observations de
note that dogs, cats and even poul-
try may be affected by it. The
large herbivcra, as found in zoologi
cal gardens--camels, giraffes, deer
of all kinds and elephants-are sus-
ceptible. The disease is also trans
misslble to man; such transmission
results most frequently in children
and from the Use of the raw milk
of diseased COWS. Aphthous fever
in man is usually not dangerous
malady but it is recorded that i'll
some outbreaks there have been
many deaths.
The disease is an old one but its
most extensive and destructive out
breaks have occurred during the
past two hundred years, The sew
eral invasions of European herds
and flocks by foot-and mouth di-
sease have come from the East to-
ward the west, have oeen very eX.
tensive, covering great regions, in
volving several countries, and have
sometimes persisted many years.
The invasion of England which be-
gan at about the beginning of the
second third of the past century
continued nearly fifty years. The
German invasion which began in
1888 continued seventeen years. III
ISo7-ISoo more than 1000, 900
animals were attacked in Holland
There was a small outbreak of foot
and mouth disease in Western
Massachusetts, and in Eastern New
York in 1870, and all outbreak in
New England, centered around
Boston, in Ioo2-3. The latter out
break involved 244 herds in four
states ard necessitated the destruc-
tion of 4,7I2 animals.
The rate of mortality from foot
and mouth disease is low but the
destruction of values and the losses
resulting from it are high. 1t was
estimated in 1875 by Fleming, the
great English authority, that the
losses to the farmers of England
from foot-and-mouth disease then
amounted, upon a very conserva-
tive basis of appraisal, 10 1900, =
coo pounds sterling CSC 5, 900, 900. }
The loss upon each l.erd attacked
by this disease amounts to from 20
per cent. to so per cent. of its val
ne. The consideration of this fact
in connection with the knowledge
hat foot and mouth disease spreads
with such remarkable facility that,
# uncontrolled by public measures,
t may attack from SIS to IS per
cent. Of the herds of district will
give an idea as to the potentialities
|or harm that accompany outbreaks
If this disease and will explain why
:armers in countries that have pass
ID through visitations of this pla-
que dread it more than any other
scourge Of cattle.
In 1871, about 700, 900 cattle
we're attacked by foot and mouth
disease in England. The average
.oss on each bovine animal attacked
vas Is, or about $40, 900, 900. An
outbreak of about the same dimen-
'ions occurred that year in France;
his outbreak was repressed but a
reinfection began in 1898 and con-
inued to increase and spread until
900, after which it was fought
back until 1906 when there was
igain considerable increase. Dur
ing twelve years. up to 1905 49,
>oo,oo animals were attacked by
toot-andmouth disease in Ger
many. The losses to German farm
RS from this cause amounted to
veil above $Ioo, 900, 900 and the
ost to the government of measures
Ipplied to control the disease was
bout s., 700, 900. During the past
ew years, most of the countries OF