The Washington times., 1914-11-07
PLAGUE FAILS To
AFFECT MILK HERE
Although Maryland Is Quaran-
tined, Herds That Supply
Washington Are Immune.

Although Maryland has been quaran-
| tined by the Department of Agriculture
because Of the foot and mouth disease
among cows, the washington milk sup
ply has not been affected. The quar-
antine, merely stops the shipment of
cattle. and does not mean that all of
the cattle of the State are affected.
AS yet no cases Of the disease have
been discovered in dairy herds that
furnish a quota of the washington milk
supply.
Although the disease can be communi-
Gated to human beings, the danger OF
such contagion is not great. and there
is small possibility of its spread,
through the milk supply. it is said.
Farmers Are Warned.
Warming has been sent by the De-
partment to all farmers and dairymen
to guard their herds closely because of
the highly contagious nature of the dis
ease. Don't" the Department officials
say, "go to see that COW of your neigh
hors which has the foot and mouth dis
ease
Most of the animals destroyed, be-
cause they had the disease, incurred it,
because their owners examined cow
of neighbor which had the disease.
The germ of the foot and mouth dis.
disclose it. has an ability to travel and
infect cattle, beyond that of any other
known germ. In short, the foot and
mouth disease is the most contagious,
from which any form Of animal life
suffers.
Only by cooperation from the State
authorities has the Department Of Ag-
riculture been able to do the really ef-
fective work in preventing the spread
of the disease. The Federal department
sound areas in those States must be
protected from the infected sections, by
the State authorities. and in this work
the Federal officers are cooperating
with the State officials.
This local quarantining reached the
point today where if farmer was dis
covered to have any infected cattle his
farm was at once quarantined. His
children were not allowed to go to
school, lest they carry the germs. All
Of his cattle were at once killed. Set
tlement for them in money was effected
afterward, or will be, as the case may
be.
Ten States Quarantined.
The ten States quarantined are Mas
sachusetts, New York, Wisconsin, Mich
igan Indiana, Illinois. Ohio. Pennsyl-
vania. Iowa and Maryland. Massachu-
setts is the most recent to be added to
the list. 1t was discovered today that
a trainload of cattle, shipped from Chi
cago and on siding at Glendive, Mont.
was affected. The whole trainload will
be destroyed. but whether Montana will
be added to the quarantined area has
not been determined. 1t is not likely
that this State will be quarantihed, as
none of the cattle, had really found
lodgment in the State.
There is but slight danger of humans
becoming infected with the disease, ex-
ccpt occasionally in the case of chill
dren. An adult, normally, throws Off
the disease, though DR.. John r. Mohler.
of the department, incurred
the disease himself in a previous epi-
demic when examining the throat of an
COW.
Officials of the department said it
was impossible to transmit the germs
to humans except in milk. and immedi-
ate milk products which do not undergo
cooking. Even butter, however. Is Vlr-
tually safeGuarded against the trans
mission of the grms. There Is no dan
ger whatever in eating meat, as the
cooking kills the germ.
Desperate fight Is being Waged by
Federal and State officials at chicago
TO save the huge number OF the very
cream of the breeding cattle OF the
country at the national dairy show. or
more than 1,5t cattle IN the sh0"
only thirty have been infected The
whole place has been quarantined, so
as to protect the rest of the country
from infection originating there, whlie
each animal discovered to be injected is
at once isolated.