Rocky Ford enterprise., 1909-10-22

~ NE OF the most expert
enced writer's on grouse
afiirms that this year
there Is a belt OF grouse
~ disease spreading. II not
regularly. In patches.
from the Lammermuirs and Northum-
berland right across tho border coun-
ties from east to west. As always
happens" he observes. when disease
shows Itself. some moors In an affect.
ed belt seem to escape. This Is no
great assistance to them. for even II
they have large stocks. which is not
likely. the grouse will distribute
themselves and occupy vacant sites
on other moors when spring and
breeding start again. 80 that escap-
Ing moors In disease belts rarely avoid
reduction Of stocks TO the level. or
nearly to tho level. OF the disease at
fiicted moors." 1t well be seen. there
fore. that the causes of grouse disease
are matters which are Of very great
importance. and call for further light
from the grouse disease inquiry. the
committee Of which began its labors
In 1905.
The literature OF grouse disease
may almost be characterized as volum.
nous. especially II We include the
ceaseless flow OF contributions to the
newspapers by naturalists and sports
men relative to the dissemination Of
the mnlady.
Some forty years ago DIR. Cobbold
enunciatcd that the main cause OF
mortality among the birds was the
mischief induced In the intestines by
nematodc worm. In 1874 DR.. r. Far
quharson. writing to the Lancet, ex-
pressed the opinion that the disease
In Its acute form was an Infectious
fever. of epidemic Incidence. a view
which received considerable support
New and fruitful lines OF Inquiry were
developed by DIR. T.. Klein. r. II. s.,
who in 1892 published a monograph,
falling the symptoms. pathology and
bacteriologoy of grouse disease. He
found that the chief change In its
C ursc resulted from acute con gestion
Of one or both lungs OF the affiictes.
bird. This congestion was marked ap
parcntly In post mortem examinations
and. In Klcin's opinion. II was clear
that as In acute congestion OF the lung
In man and animals. SO also In the
grouse under thcs. conditions fever
must be prominent symptom.
Lord Lovat became chairman OF a
grouse disease inquiry which was ap-
pointed by Lord Onslow in 1905. but
which. ns is not unusual when scien-
tific work Is launched In Great Brit.
ain. was expected to defray the cost #
Its Investigations by private subscrip-
tions. Last year II iriued an interim
report. which has not yet received the
imprimatur of being made a gown.
ment publication. and Is. consequent.
ly. a rather rare document From on.
point Of view the committee has been
decidedly unlucky in that during the
period OF Its Investigations no cases |
of the acute form of the disease. nr |
that form in which the disease runs |
like a fire through the heather. hav. |
come under notice. The form they |
have investigated is what may he
called the chronic. or endemic. form
of the disease. which appears to b.
n wasting and usually fatal Illness.
In the earlier stages the bird is less
strong on the wing than ordinarily,
and changes its station from the
heather to the green ground In the
later stages the power OF flight is lost.
The internal congestion becomes more
acute. and the microscopic parasites
swarm inside the birds. Loss of
weight makes itself daily more notice.
abe. and the bird morcs about tn.
banks Of the stream till death puts
III end To Its sufferinEs Among the
,aragif es the microscopic thread.