The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1914-11-21

]
leading veterinarians in this country,
has given out an article discussing the
foot and mouth disease now SO pre-
yalent over a large part of the couna
try, 1t follows:
Owing to the appearance Of the
dreaded foot-and-mouth disease in
some of the Northern, Eastern and
Western states, and some suspicious
cases having been reported from Como,
Pamela county, Miss, brief state
ment concerning this ailment at this
time may be Of interest to stock-own-
ers OF Louisiana, and be helpful to
them in arriving at conclusions re-
garding suspicious cases, should any
occur in the state; any, or all, Of which
should be at once reported to the State
Live Stock Sanitary Board, Baton
Rouge, La.
"The origin of the present extensive
outbreak is not definitely known, but
from bulletin issued by the United
States Live Stock Sanitary Associa-
ton, dated Oct. 80, 1914, it is suspect
ed to have originated from shipments
of hides from water buffaloes from the
Philippines, or tanning materials re-
ceived at Niles, Mich, (?) tanner3es
from South America. The infection in
Mississippi is thought to have been
brought in cattle from the National
Dairy Show recently held at Chicago.
"The disease is defined as an acute,
highly contagious fever of specific
nature (due to specific virus), char
acterized by the eruption of vesicles,
or blisters, in the mouth, around the
coronets (skin at top of the hoofs),
and between the toes or claws.
"The animals mainly affected are
cattle, sheep, goats, other ruminants.
and swine, and the human being may
be attacked through contaminated ma
terials, such as milk for example, COM
ing in contact with the mouth.
"The chief symptoms in cattle are:
High fever; infiammatory vesicles, or
blisters in the mouth, and hot, pain
full, swollen condition of the feet, which
in about twenty-four or forty-eight
hours is followed by the appearance Of
numerous small blisters, varying in
size from that of small pea to that
of a nut (hazelnut) on the udder and
feet and in the mouth.
"In sheep and swine the disease may
be localized entirely in the feet.
"The disease usually makes its ap-
pearance in from three to six days
after the animal has been exposed to
the infection. AS soon as the ailment
has become well established, the animal
evinces pain when trying to eat, and
frequently has to refuse food entirely,
opening and closing the mouth with
characteristic smacking sound; while
strings of ropy saliva hang suspended
from the lips.
Natural infection often occurs d.
rectly where healthy animals come in
contact with affected cases in stables,
pasture, or yards, and obtain the virus
upon the lining Of the mouth. Indirect
transmission, however, Is of much
greater Importance in the spread of
the disease. The saliva which flows
from the mouth of the affected animal,
and the contents of the blisters which
develop on the feet, contaminate the
food, drinking water, straw, floor OF
stable, pasture, railways, railroad cars,
ETC., as we'll as the hands and clothes
of attendants. The virus is according
ly disseminated by affected animals
during driving, railroad transportation,
stabling, common watering places,
common pastures and yards. Also by
manure, and raw animal products, es-
pecially hides, wool and milk, may be
looked upon as carriers of the infec-
ton. Other sources of transmission
are, butchers, dealers, peddlers, farm
hands, ETC., and also animals, which
may not be susceptible, coming from
infected premises. Stock markets,
also, play a very important part,
through trading. In the present out
break, the children on the infected
farms are prohibited from leaving the
premises to attend school, on account
of the probability of infection being
carried by them. 1t is probable, also,
that buzzards, sparrows and other
birds may carry the disease and
spread it to other localities.
"The seriousness of foot-and-mouth
disease Is not so much in the fatalities
which result from 1t, but In Its con-
tagiousness, the ease with which 1t
may be spread, the devastation it
causes in both dairy and beef herds,