The Oskaloosa herald., 1908-12-03
THE DISEASE MAY
YET REACH IOWA
FEAR IN CAPITOL THE CATTLE
PLAGUE is MOVING WEST.
WILSON ISSUES A BULLETIN
The Secretary. is Anxious That His
q. Home State and South Dakota
and Nebraska be Given
Protection.

HtSuluStOH ~. ", Lee. 1.-OO DC
rious has become the spread of the
foot and mouth disease among cattle
that Secretary of Agriculture Wilson
has issued a special bulletin on the
subject in addition to already quaran-
timing three states, New York, Penn.
sylvania and Michigan. The appear
ance of the plague in the latter state
has aroused the fears of the depart.
ment that the disease is travelling
westward and will soon reach Iowa,
South Dakota and Nebraska, and 9TH
err middle western states with large
cattle interests. Dr. G. A. Johnson,
head of the bureau of animal industry
at Sioux City, who has been hurried
to New York to assist in fighting the
plague there, Is one of the best
posted veterinarians in the country on
the foot and mouth disease, according
to the officials of the ', ashington blu.
reau. He will be returned to Iowa
should the plague appear there, for
Secretary Wilson ID especially anxious
that the cattle of his home state be
given every protection. --... ~. ~
Although the actual mortality from
the plague in this country has been
quite low owing TO, the rigid quaran-
tine and extensive slaughter of infect.
ed animals. it has caused great losses
to dairy and live stock interests in
various parts of the United States.
The disease is particularly infectious,
affecting nearly all species of domes
tic and wild animals, and even human
beings are not immune.
Children Suffering From the Milk.
Children suffer as a result of drink.
ing the unboiled milk from infected
cattle. In such cases the symptoms
resemble those observed in animals.
There is fever and difficulty in swal-
lowing, followed by an eruption of
blisters in the mouth, and very rarely
by similar ones on the fingers. The
disease is seldom fatal and chiefly re-
stricted to children and to those adults
who handle sick animals or drink large
Quantities of unbofled2 milk.
Veterinarians of the bureau of ami
NAL industry say that the disease
among cattle Wshould not be difficult
of recognition,asas rule especially
when it is known to be in the vicinity.
The combination of high fever, vesicu-
lar inflammation of the mouth and Q
hot, painful, swollen condition of the
feet, followed in twenty-four to forty
ifrhF ht hn nj
merous 'vesicles~ varying in size from
that of pea to that of haZelnGt
on the udder and feet and in the
mouth, should prevent any serious or
long continued error in the diagnosis.
Unlike most infectious diseases, foot
and mouth disease may attack the
same animals repeatedly. 1t may at
tack some internal organs before
it appears upon any OF the external
tissues These cases are very liable
twenty days are required usually for
the recovery of normal appetites and
spirits in mild outbreaks, while the re-
turn to. full flow of milk in; the case
of mich COWS seldom is witnessed be-
fore the arrival of the following sea
son. In the malignant type of the
disease it requires from three months
to year for the animal to recover.
The mortality Is not great, generally
about l to 3 per cent, but In severe
outbreaks 1t may reach 5 per cent.
Animals Should Be Killed.
While quarantine viii aid greatly in
preventing a spread Of the disease, the
department of agriculture urges that
1t would be quicker and more affective
to slaughter and destroy the carcasses
of all affected and exposed animals.
Stables should be disinfected by scrub.
bling with hot water and the whole in
terror covered with good coat of
limewash containing one part Of a 40
per cent solution of .formalin to thirty
parts of the limewash, or four ounces
of formalin to each gallon of lime
wash. No other cattle should be pur-
chased for at least thirty days after
the complete disinfection of the prem.
ises. .t ..a... ..s+ 3d.. ...,
For medical treatment in mild at
lacks of the foot and mouth disease
among cattle the bureau of animal in
dustry approves the following: IT,.
"a teaspoonful of alum, chlorate OF
potash, Doracic acid,or one-half tea
spoonful of tincture Of aloes and
myrrh placed in the mouth has proved
efiicacious. The infected animals may
be made to stand from FIVE to ten
minutes in shallow trough contain
ing medicinal agents such as: to 1000
solution of bichlorid of mercury or "a
8 per cent carbolic acid or creolln
solution. Where the udder is affected
the application of carbonized vaseline,
camphor ointment or borated glycer'
inc has given excellent results. II the
symptoms Of heart weakness are man.
ifest give digitalis, camphor or alco'
hol. while excessive fever may be re-
duced with phenacetin. The cattle
should be fed on soft meal or grain
and given plentiful supply OF clean
water"
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