The Ordway new era., 1912-03-28
Swamp Fever.

This is a disease of horses, which
has received Il variety of names,
probably the most satisfactory OF
which is "lnfectious Anemia" since
that name seems to mean more than
the one given at the head of this
article.
This disease was never definitely
described until about ten years
ago, although it has doubtless been
with us much longer. In the last FEW
years several of the experiment sta
tions have issued bulletins dealing
with the disease, and the unlted
States Department of Agriculture
has made IL study of it. Its history In
Colorado secn's to be very obscure
In number of communities there
have been reports of horses having
become rapidly thin and weak, for
no apparent reason and in spite
of good appetite, finally getting
down and becoming unable 10 rise.
and soon dying. \ large number OF
these cases, We believe, were swamp
fever.
Sonc eight or ton years ago the
veterinarian of the experiment sta
ton at Fort Collins and the State
Veterinarian had occasion to make II
number OF trips to the vicinity oil
Montrosc where Il number of horses
had been dying OF mysterious dis
ease, which VIC believe now was the
above-namcd malady. Since that tim
the writer has had occasion to see
similarly affected horses in various
parts of the state. Nearly all our
veterinary practitioners now regard
Il case Of swamp fever rs very
.common occurrence.
Probably the first symptom noticed
by-thc owner will be weak,and
struggling gait and soon rather
rapid loss os, flesh During that tina
II the temperature could be taken.
il would bo found that NJ times the,
fever would hcycryhigh. while at
other times the temperature would
be normal. The mucous membrane
of the eys and mouth becomes very
pale: the appetite nearly always re-
mains good. Later the legs begin to
swell and then the sheath or uDcGrl
part OF the abdomen becomes great
ly swollen. owing to The thin blood
and Tie Weakness OF the heart. FL
nally, in The course OF from two
weeks to six months. the heart gets
so weak that the animal drops dead
or else pCts down and cannot rts"
and dies 4 Iingcringdcath.
RI { disease Is found to be ra;hyT
easily transEltiodfrom one animal to
another by direct incubation or by
feeding the infected material. Many
cases are known, however. where
affected animals have been put with
healthy ones without spreading the
disease. However. when ii gets
started On farm. 1t frequently car
RIGS off from one to Il dozen ami
mails a year. and there are mum.
Der of Colorado farmers who ar"
aware that this statement is all
too true.
We know, that It is n germ dis
case. but since tho germ Is small
enough to pass through the finest
filters it is probably too small to
be seen with Il microscope.
While arsenic and iron have been
most used and highly recommended.
yet most cases prove fatal in spite
of them. A number of our vctcr.
nary pra, a,titioncrs arc now recon-
mcnding slaughter rather than treat
mrnt. 1t ccratinly would seem. in
view of the wcll-known infectious
nature of The disease, that slaugh-
ter or isolation should be insisted
upon. Some state authorities are
strongly recommending quarantining
The affected animals rs has bycn
done Cor g!anGors.. il tic diSr.-sr
ruHt:nu,! to increase rs il las
in tic past b,n !oars. il "tIl Ia
dor.b, be n..,"ss@r! ter tine stH;" -
take radical ns"asur,s FOR stamping
it Out.
Colorado Agricultural College. Fort
Collins.
l. L. NEWSOM.