Graham guardian., 1914-11-27

in lying down and bedsores develop
with much rapidity. In the case of
cows the udder and, more frequent
ly, the teats are affected by SINH
lar eruption.
Once the disease is well established
it becomes so painful for the animal
to eat that food is frequently re-
fused altogether. Strings of saliva
hang from the mouth and flesh is
lost with astonishing rapidity. When
the udder is seriously affected the
milk becomes contaminated and may
cause serious results to sucking
calves and young pigs. In mild
cases from 10 to 20 days may bring
about an apparent recovery, but
this time may be greatly extended.
Moreover, an apparent recovery by
no means implies a real cure. The
animal may carry the virus in its
blood for a year or more and is liable
during all this time to sprc ad the
contagion or to experience a recur-
renee itself. The mortality. consid-
ering the seriousness of the disease
and the losses it occasions, is very
small, being estimated by some au-
thorities at 5 per cent, although 1t
frequently is much greater than
this. The mortality, however, by
no means represents the real losses
occasioned by the disease. No rev
enue is possible from infected herds,
and in the case of dairymen an out
break of foot-and-mouth disease
frequently means that their bust
ness is completely ruined. Blooded
or other cattle that have become
sick with the disease naturally lose
their value as breeding animals 1t
is, however, impossible to get rid of
the disease by ignoring it. The only
possible remedy is to kill off infected
herds, diSinfect the premises and
begin over again.
What the disease means to those
countries where it has gained a real
grip is shown by the fact that on its
last serious outbreak in Germany
the German Government spent
$2,000,0 900 in fighting it. In 1890
official statistics showed that in the
German Empire 43l, ,235 head of
cattle, 230.868 sheep and goats and
153,S08 swine were affected with
the disease. During the same year
the pestilence ravaged live stock in
France, Italy, Belgium, Austria
Hungary, Switzerland, Roumania
and Bulgaria. In 1883 it was esti-
mated that the disease cost England
IS 100000. On the occasion of the
last outbreak in the United States
in 1908 100000 was appropriated
by Congress, and with the exception
of few hundred dollars it was spent
in stamping out the disease. This
of course does not include the in
direct loss caused by the interrup.
tion of business and other factors.
While the Federal Government is
active in fighting the disease through
its power to control interstate COM
merce, cooperation on the part of
the state authorities is most essential.
The quarantining individually of in
fected farms is a state matter, and
it is, of course, a most essential
precaution. Farms on which the
disease has broken out should be as
rigidIy quarantined as if some con-
tagious human disease had been
found. Since the germs can bc
transported by cats, dogs, chickens.
or human beings, nothing should be
allowed to leave the farm until the
proper disinfecting measures have
been taken. In particular, farmers
are urged to keep away themselves,
and to assist in keeping others away, |
from all infected animals. The in
spectors who do the Strengthening
and disinfecting are supplied with
the necessary equipment Of rubber
gloves, coats, boots and hats. which !
can be thoroughly disinfected as
often as necessary. Others who lack
this equipment merely help in
spreading the disease over the coun-
try when they visit or inspect sick
animals.
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