The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1914-11-26
EXPLAIN FOOT
AND MOUTH
DISEASE
T. F. Mcconnell, Lewis Coun.
ty Farm Expert, Gives
Valuable Pointers.

Regarding the foot and mouth disease
which has created considerable havoc
In the livestock market and which has
necessitated the destruction of thous-
ands of dollars worth of cattle in the
east and middle west the past few
weeks, T. +. Mcconnell, county agri-
culturist and farm advisor of Lewis
county, has written very interesting
and authentic article which is here re
produced. Mr.. Mcconnell was in
Grangeville last spring when he acted
as a judge at the Horse Show and met
many of our farmers and business men.
This is the sixth time the disease
has appeared in the United States.
The first outbreak occurred in 1870,
and the others in 1880. 1884. 1s02-03
and 1908. The regulations of the
federal government guard all the
known channels through which the
disease may enter, but in each of the
recent outbreaks the disease has come
in through some new and unexpected
way The infection in 1908 was inn
ported in smallpox virus and that
channel of infection has since been
protected, but in the present out
break the infection appears to have
been brought in with some material
used in tanning hides a source never
before incriminated. On all previous
| occasions of it's appearance the dis
ease has been stamped out. The out
break in 1908 was suppressed and all
quarantine restrictions removed in
less than five months, a record time
for such work. In the present out
break. however, the infection was
carried into the Chicago stock yards.
the greatest distributing point for
cattle and hogs in the country, and
| the disease is consequently more
widely disseminated than ever be-
| fore.
What Mcconnell Says.
Mr.. McConnel's article is as follows:
Foot and mouth disease so named
because vesicles or blisters from the
size of a birdshot to that of a pea.
form in and about the mouth, be-
tween the toes and at the coronet or
where the hair and hoof come to-
gether on the feet of the animal
affected. While the animal is first af-
fected by chill followed by fever the
blisters appear only a day or two after
the first indications of sickness. These
symptoms are accompanied by loss of
appetite, diminution of milk flow or
cessation of gain or growth.
| 1t is not the aim OF the writer IN
this article to give a complete history
of the foot and mouth disease from
a scientific standpoint but rather de-
scribe the pronounced symptoms and
, allay fear of some great calamity to
: the livestock industry of our coun-
try. The mortality is not high
: among animals where the disease Is
{ allowed to run its full course but the
> decrease in the milk flow of dairy
= cows and cessation of gains OF
e growth in the meat producing animals
2 | is where the greatest losses obtain
2 1t is generally considered to be g
= disease of cattle but all eloven animals
[ are more or less susceptible to the
a trouble and even horses. dogs. cats
= and chickens have been known to de
f velop the disease. During the presen
e outbreak in the United States swine
v one report states. have shown an un
= usual susceptibility to the disease
s The disease has existed for cen
: turtles in Europe and accepted as on
e CONTINUED on page five)