The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-30

The cold weather Of the past twt
weeks has done a great deal townrds
eradicating the much dreaded disease
duck cholera-which has been so prev
slent and destructive In several of the
western states-Utab probably suffer
ing more than any of the others No
words can describe the slaughter the dis
case has caused in the ueighborhood OF
Bear river and the Jordan, river, In
which localities over 100000 ducks
have succumbed 10 duck cholera, dag
nosed as intestinal coccidiosis by gov
ernmental pathologists.
In these localities dead birds can be
seen as far as the eye can reach. The
first glance of the sportsman over this
great field which could be properly
termed wild bird slaughter house,
brings tears to the eyes and an ardent
desire to save the dying birds, but in
this task human hands are useless. The
disease has gained such hold that 1T
is bound to run it's course in spite of
all that human skill might do or sug-
gost. At the beginning of the disease
something might have been done to have
held the dreaded malady down. but now
the only thing left is for the sportsmen
to pray that all the ducks be not ex.
terminated.
Frost Has Helped.
In Salt Lake valley it appears as if
'eJack Frost" has put stop to the
contagion and the disease is fast disap.
pearing. The members of nearly all
the duck clubs are shooting and daily
reports are favorable and but few
sick ducks can be seen. There are a
great many aocks of wild ducks flying
back and forth in the valley and the
birds killed are said to be in excellent
condition Many Of the doctors have
been out shooting and after careful
examination of ducks killed, pronounce
the birds fit for the table and say there
is no danger of contracting any disease
from birds killed while in flight. Pre-
caution should be taken, however, in
the selection of the killed birds and
should any show signs of having been
sick--such as thin and lean duckB--the
hunter should discard these
"Upcle Jim Harvey returned from
Bear river last week and reports condi-
tions worse at present than at any time
this seasop. Harvey says there are acres
average one to the square foot. He
also reports that the canvas-b back, full.
gula vslisnerianR. was the last to con-
tract the disease. The geese are also
contracting the disease and are dying in
large numbers.
Idaho and Montana Free.
John F. Cowou. who recently returned
from trip through Idaho and Mon
tana. saws there are no sick ducks there
The ducks have left Montana owing to
the scarcity Of feed. There are plenty
of birds in Idaho and they are all in fine
condition.
People coming from California report
that the disease is playing havoc in the
neighborhood of Stockton Many of the
people there claim the disease came
from Utah, while others contend that
The California ducks arc infected by
the stagnant slough water near Stock
ton. The Stockton sewer Ia allowed 10
How into the sloughs aud the sportsmeu
therc are of the opinion that the sewage
has great deal to do in starting the |
disease.
In diagnosing the disease DR., Reid
elaid. veterinarian and patholoeist of |
The New York Geological society. and |
! r. Mobler Of the bureau Of animal in |
lnstry. department of agriculture. |
Washington, D. G., concur in their opin,
ons relative to the disease DR.. Biaid |
saws that the mortality in some cases of |
severe epidemics has reached as high as
50 per cent The sportsmeu fear that |
lnless the disease is checked all the
incks in the iDtermountaiu region will
lie.
Several of the most prominent doctors
'f the city give 1T as their opinion that /
Y