Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1908-12-03
STAMPING OUT
DREAD DISEASE
ALL INFECTED CATTLE TO
BE KILLED
State and General Governments
Adopt Drastic Measures to Sup
press Apthous Fever.

Advices from Philadelphia are to
the effect that the apthous fever cat
tie plague, now prevalent lin Penn
sylvania involves little or no dan
ger to mankind, but that it must
be fought with the most unceasing
vigor to prevent tits becoming dis
,astrous to the cattle interests of the !
country, has been made clear by Dr.
Leonard Pearson, State Veterinar-
IAN at the University of Pennsyl-
vania.
DR.. Pearson believes that the stu
alton is we'll in hand, and that it
can be confined to the II Counties
where it has appeared, but he makes
no effort to conceal that it will be
very serious if there is the slightest
Iet-up in the crusade against it, and
it is his intention that there shall
be no let-up.
AS an illustration of the necessi-
ty for the instant slaughter of all
herds affected for the burning of for
age and the quarantine of farms
where the disease has appeared, DR..
Pearson called attention to the fact
that seven years ago, when the dis
ease appeared in Germany, the Gov
eminent of that country endeavored
to deal with it by simple quarantine
methods. with the result that the
subsequent cost of the plague was
$50, 100000.
Government Gets Busy.
So seriously does the National
Government regard the matter that
Secretary of Agriculture James Will
son and DR.. A. d. Melvin, chief of
the Bureau of Animal Industry,
have gone to the scene of the out
break to make personal investiga-
ton of the epidemic in this State.
There is much anxiety on the part
of the Federal officials lest the dis
ease should spread to other States
and eventually obtain a hold upon
the great cattle ranges of the West.
The States force of veterinarians
engaged in the crusade against the
disease numbers 1856, under the di-
.SzaCst. .,an ~ u. Dr. y earsQRs Besides
these. $50 Federal veterinarians are
giving all the assistance in their
mower. 'Apthous fever is bad
thing among CATTLE" said Dr. Pear
son. "just as bad as smallpox is
among human beings, and it is con-
tagious for people, but we already
have gained such full control over
it that there cannot be any PAD
results to the citizens of the state
or City The people are absolutely
in no danger Even II they dld eal
the meat of the cattle the cooking
process would kill every germ
'.There is no danger, either OF
being infected by drinking the milk
sold in the City or eating the but
fer. Practically every COW that has
the disease is under strict suryeil
l'The farms are under quaran
tine as strong as If smallpox haC
broken out among the people.
Farmers Lose Nothing.
esThe farmers are losing ,pthinI
by this slaughter of their cattle an'
.disinfection of their barns. TIL
work is covered by an appropria
ton Of $4,000 by the State an
the Federal Government pays two
thirds of the indemnity costs. Full
value is being paid for everythin
destroyed, and Governor Stuart ha
told me not to mind the cost bu
to go ahead. He does not want m
to stop until 1 get the disease ell
tirely stamped out.
1--WE are using a new system
disinfecting with steam, and ever
harm is being thoroughly cleane
out It is possible that we ma
not have traced all the expose
animals, and it will take a routin
of six or eight months's work b
fore every vestige is cleaned trol
the State.
ut means farm to farm inspe
ton over an area OF a thousll
acres, and that is no little work
look forward to. The disease, eve
if the COWS are cured of it, reduc
its value from 80 to SO per Ger
and then we are taking chances
it breaking out again. The be
way is to kill the COW.
eve caught the disease IN go'
time. and we do not anticipate al
trouble. as we are using mode
methods of getting rid OF 1t.
1901 the fever broke out IN Ge
many, and that Government attemI
ed to stamp it out by the quaranti
method and with the use OF We
little disinfecting. 1t cost the &C
eminent $50 100000 before 1t "
dnally wiped out, and there "
considerable loss of life.
n