The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-31
A GOOD SHOWING.
Live Stock Commissioner Mercer
Tells Of Work.
System and Economy Prevail in
His Department.
VIEWS 100000 CATTLE.
Results of Tests of Serum to
Cure Hog Cholera.
Satisfactory Condition of Health
of Kansas Live Stock.
VIEWS 100000 CATTLE.

his department during the nine months
of his term. He has systematized his
work. keeps a record of all inspec-
lions, is in touch with the stock rails
ers of the state. and has generally
speaking made good on the job Gov
ernor Stubs points with pride to the
Mercer appointment as one of his best,
and the governor prides himself on his
Judgment of men.
The expenses of the live stock sani-
tary department for salaries and all
other items of expense has been about
$500 for the past nine months. Dur
ing the nine months previous to Mer-
GERS occupation of his office the ex-
penses of the department were $500.
Mercer has only eight inspectors
actively engaged in the work. Ihfee
of these are kept on the quarantine
line between Kansas and Oklahoma,
and the other five are stationed in the
far western counties. About 10000
head of cattle have been inspected by
the department this year.
Mr.. Mercer has abolished the plan
of paying federal inspectors for Work
done in this state. They are given
state commissions, but draw no extra
pay aside from the salaries they re-
ceive from the federal government.
Asked for an outline of his work
and present live stock conditions in the
state, Mr.. Mercer today made the fol-
lowing statement:
MERGERS Statement.
1.-The chief features of the work in
this department during the past year
can be classified under four heads:
"Scabbies-1'his disease is prevalent
to some extent in the central part OF
the state, but to a greater extent in
the extreme western portion, from the
south line north. At the time 1 as
sumed the position of live stock com
missioner 25 counties were under
quarantine. Immediately I took the
matter up With Colonel Dean, chief in
spector at Kansas City. who has had
much experience in handling stock
diseases, and we have been co-operat-
ing in an effort to eradicate the scab
in Kansas. AS result of our cam
paign during the past nine months,
nine of these counties have been re-
moved from the state quarantine. The
federal authorities will soon ratify this
action. My plan for the future is to
state, especially in the 16 remaining
counties now in quarantine, and han
die the remaining infected herds by
purely local OF arantine. as is now the
custom in what is termed the clean
territory of the state. When this is
done it will give freedom to all nom
infected herds which 2. are now re-
stricted by the general quarantine.
Cooperate With Federal Government
tuberculosis - Kansas passed a
tuberculosis law last winter, but on
account of the small appropriation
which the law carried, we have con-
fined our work in this line to the dairy
herds of the state. This, in fact. is
all that is necessary, as investigation
shows tuberculosis rarely exists in
what is known as our range cattle.
So far We have not made much prog
ress in this work, only 1900 head of
dairy cattle having been tested up to
date. The percentage of infection in
H. -
My plan Is to secure the cooperation
of the federal department and test
dairy herds just as fast as we can
reach them. We will encourage the
various cities to pass ordinances in
accordance with the law. Then our
inspectors will do the work. The
state will pay their expenses and the
federal government their salaries.
With federal assistance and also the
assistance of the veterinarians of the
state, we ought to be able to test
p most of the dairy herds within year.
We have found that owners of dairy
herds have no particular objection to
their cows being tested when it is
done at state expense. In fact, many
OF them are anxious to have it done.
Serum VIII Cure Cholera.
Hog cholera-No statistics are
available showing the extent of hog
cholera in Kansas. No statistics were
ever taken on that matter. The only
information 1 have on the subject is
from the Kansas City packers and it
is to the effect that less diseased hogs
have gone to market from Kansas
this year than in any previous year.
When the information was given out
last summer that the state live stock
commissioner was preparing to try
hog cholera serum, many farmers
over the state took notice and began
writing in that they had afflicted
herds. The more the matter was ad-
vertised the more 1 became aware
that cholera existed in every section
of the state. 1 made every effort tc
secure serum for all the afflicted
herds, but was not successful. The
government would only supply a linn
tied amount and it sent an expert out
different herds and the results were
beyond our expectations. In no in
stance, save one, were there any more
deaths from cholera. A post morten
examination of hogs which died ir
these herds before the serum was ad-
ministered showed that the hogs haC
cholera. So l am of the opinion thai
while there may be other diseases OF
a fatal nature. the large percentage
OF deaths among hogs comes from
cholera. The state expects big thing.
from hog cholera serum in the future
The Manhattan Agricultural college
has put in plant to manufacture the
serum and it is now available. TIL,
college expects to supply all the de
mands for serum from Kansas hos
raisers. This department will take
charge of all diseased herds of hog
from now on and handle them as w.
do other contagious diseases among
live stock of the state.
Law Lax as Regards Chambers
Glanders-There are some case.
of CHAMBERS in the state. The diseas.
is most prevalent in the northwes
part of the state. Kansas laws ar,
very lax in regard to the disposition
of glandered horses. 1t provides nj
remuneration for them, but they nus
be disposed of when reported. TIL
result is that many farmers hesitate
to report CHAMBERS. law should b.