Yellowstone monitor. [volume] (Glendive, Mont.) 1905-1928, 1909-05-27
Government Blames Foot and
Mouth Disease Upon Two
Big Drug Concerns

Agriculture which will be made pub
lie tomorrow the presence of foo
and mouth disease among American
cattle lies at the door of two great
drug firms. Fl. K. Mulford & Co., o:
Philadelphia, made an importation
OF vaccine some time ago. This vi
rus, it is alleged, was infected with
foot and mouth disease.
Parke, Davis & Co., of Detroit
purchased consignment Of this vac
cine from the Mulford concern, and
after making use Of it in the regu-
lar manner on their cattle, accumu-
lated as much Of a supply Of the
vaccine as they desired, and as soon
as the 'scow-pox" virus had time to
work out its course, these cattle
supposedly free from disease, were
sent TO Detroit stockyard.
The vaccine had done it's work,
| and these cattle were suffering from
foot and mouth disease. From the
Detroit stockyard the scourge
spread until foot and mouth disease
was prevalent throughout a part of
the country. An epidemic was
threatened, but at the present time
the spread of the disease has been
apparently checked.
Lax methods of inspection by the
Government officials charged with
toe duty of guarding the public
health from outside contagion were
found by DR.. ]. R. Mohler, head of
the Pathological Bureau, and the
officials of the Bureau of Animal
Industry Of the Agricultural De-
partment, to be responsible.
Efforts were made by Secretary
Wilson to secure the enactment Of d
law by Congress vesting the Dep
artment Of Agriculture with author
ity to inspect and report on all vi
rus imported. The bill introduced
with this object in view failed Of
passage. AS a result of the depart
ment's activity, new regulations
have been adopted by the Marine
Hospital Service of the Treasury
Department, charged with inspec-
ton of the virus under the existing
law, to prevent repetition of the
conditions responsible for the spread
Of the foot and mouth disease.
Anti-vaccination soci tie s
throughout the country are taking
advantage of the situation to point
out the dangers that lurk in
vaccine. They are quoting Sen
ator Dolliver in support of their
contention that vaccination is
menace to health.
The investigation revealed that
this virus" said Senator Dolliver,
used upon calves III ii the District of
Columbia communicated the foot
and mouth disease TO them. The in
yestigation showed that the disease
is almost universal in the countries
of Europe and Asia, Japan, the
Philippine Islands, and in practically
all the countries from which we i'm
port our medical viruses, including
the vaccine for smallpox and kin
dred diseases.
There could be no more horrible
situation than the compulsory vac
cination laws of the United States
administered in connection with the
free and uninspected admission of
infected virus to be sold and dis
tributed everywhere among our
people" !"
Senator Warren is quoted as de-
claring that the Department of Ag-
riculture spent S350.000 to stamp
out the foot and mouth disease in
New England six years ago and that
it spent more than S250,000 in
out the second attack.
Mrs. Geo. Berry Of Gossett and
Mrs. W. A. B2ubaker Of Terry, who
have been Yisiting the parents of
the latter at Sidney, returned Mon
day and left for the west that even
inc, Mrs. Brubaker returning to
Terry and Mrs. Berry going on TO
Billings for a further visit.