Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-22
INVOLVES GREAT LOSS
Effect of Foot and Mouth Dis
ease Epidemic.
EASILY CARRIED ABOUT
Drastic Steps Necessary to Prevent
Its Spread.
BAN ON INFECTED STABLES
Action Taken by the Bureau Of Ami
NAL Industry in Stopping the
Outbreak in 1902

Some idea of the great loss which will
undoubtedly fall upon the cattle owners
in the New York and Pennsylvania dis
tricts affected by the foot and mouth
disease may be gained from statistics
furnished The Star by DR.. Mohler Of the
bureau of animal industry, and which
deal with epidemics of the same plague
within the last few years. A table
showing compensation paid by states
and the federal government for animals
slaughtered in four New England states
in campaign waged against the dis
ease in 1902-1903 gives a total of
s12s.9Os.57.
Remarkably Contagious Disease.
At present the bureau of animal indus
try is in the field and has quarantined
the stables of the affected herds, so that
there shall he no interstate or foreign
transportation. The disease is remark
ably contagious. and can be carried from
stable to stable by a man who walks
from one to the other. Dogs cats and
chickens are particularly dangerous as
carriers of the contagion. Children often
suffer from the disease as the result OF
drinking unboiled milk from infected
cattle. though the disease is seldom
fatal
Thus far every appearance of the foot
and mouth disease has been quickly fol-
lowed by the total suppression of the
malady.
Loss Caused by the Disease.
In some foreign countries millions of
dollars worth of cattle have been lost.
An outbreak of the disease amounts to
high losses in remarkably quick time.
1t is stated by Dr. Mohler that a consid-
cradle spread of the disease in this coun-
try would entail the entire loss of our
export trade in live animals, Interruptions
of domestic commerce and guarantees
which would surpass the loss caused by
the ravages of the disease.
The foot and mouth disease may at
tack the same animals repeatedly. hence
there is no use of protective incubation
of virus. as this will merely introduce
the disease.
Drastic Measures Taken
An entire campaign against the disease
| is recorded in one of the pamphlets of the
bureau of animal industry and shows
that drastic measures were taken in 1902
to prevent its spread. At the time of the
outbreak. discovered in Vermont and
shortly afterward in neighboring states
quick action was imperative, and the fed
eral government started in Strengthening
infected animals. Some of the carcasscs
| were buried in trenches several feet In
depth: other carcasses were burned.
Photographs in the bureau of animal In
dustry show the carcasses piled as high
as a mans head and strung out across
ten-acre lot, ready for. fuel to be ap-
| piled
To prevent CARRYING contarion from
stable to stable the veterina res and
other experts from the bureau who are
conducting the quarantine wear rubber
coats and boots. which are sponged off
with d1sintectant before the man leaves
the stable.
Policing the Delaware Line.
WILMINGTON. Del, November 21.-
Owing to reports of hoof and mouth
disease among cattle in nearby counties
| of Pennsylvania the Della ware state board
| of agriculture held meeting here today,
with Gov. Lea and experts from Delawar
College in attendance. 1t was decided to
police the border line between Delaware
and Pennsylvania to keep out any dis
eased cattle
DETROIT. Mich. November 21-It is
reported more than forty cases of mout h
and foot disease have been discovered
in herds of cattle in Livona township
in this (Wayne) county.
Barred From United Kingdom.
NEW YORK. November 21-At the
British consulate general here today the
following copy of telegram received
from the British ambassador at Washing
ton. under date of November 81 was
given out:
Order prohibiting landing in United
Kingdom of animals. hay, straw. from
Pennsylvania. in force from November
20 and from New York, New Jersey, from
November -.
The order referred to by the ambassador
has evidently been issued in consequence
of the outbreak of foot and mouth disease