Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-11-30
CATTLE DISEASE
PROVING COSTLY
Allowances by National and State
Governments Will Not Cover
Value of the Cattle


sustained by stock owners as re-
suit of the epidemic of foot and mouth
disease among cattle in Pennsylvania,
there is very inadequate concep-
tion of the total damage. While the
State bears in part the loss of de-
struction of hetd, the owner in many
cases is the heavier losel. 1t is said
that "a fine steers owned by Licuten-
ant Governor-el McClain were
killed and buried in a trench on Sat
urday. The hides alone would have
been worth at least $1,000 Under
the operation of the law the discovery
of one diseased steer in herd means
the destruction of the entire herd.
A dispatch from Lancaster states
that farmers in that county whose
cattle were killed on account of the
disease are vigorously clamoring Tor
their money The national authori-
ties have given checks for the ap-
praised value of the stock killed, but
the checks cannot be cashed until
there is an appropriation by Con-
gress.
! Disease Under Control
Many fine cattle in this section have
demic, but the State authorities are
gradually getting the disease under
control and the quarantine has been
raised in a considerable number OF
counties.
The foot and mouth disease is prob
ably the worst cattle scourge known.
Within a week after it's appearance in
southern Michigan thirteen States
from New England to the Mississippi
as we'll as Canada, had been quaran-
tined against shipments of cattle OF
any kind. The biggest task came in
the quarantining and disinfecting Of
the Union stoclxyards at Chicago No
other cattle infection spreads with the
rapidity of this disease. Many prize
animals have been killed during the
epidemic and while registered stock
is appraised at a higher figure than
the common herd, the losses to the
owners are not in any sense covered
by the State or national laws.
Although cattle are most suscept-
ible. hogs, goats, dogs, cats and even
poultry have been victims of infec-
ton. Even man is not immune and
the drinking of milk from affected
cows has caused a mild form of the
disease in the human being. This,
however, has never been fatal. The
present outbreak of the disease is the
worst in the history of the United
States.
! Came From Abroad
I 1t is stated that the United States
Department of Agriculture traces the
present outbreak to calves which had
been used by a pharmaceutical COM
pany for the propagation of vaccine
virus. This firm, in turn, had Sc
cured cultures of the virus from a
Pennsylvania company whose supply,
from Japan, it was discovered, had
been contaminated with the bacteria
of the dread foot and mouth disease.
In 1908 the outbreak was caused by
imported contaminated vaccine.
Stock raisers and owners and deal
ers in hides and all others injuriously
affected by the epidemic are not in
entire sympathy with the regulations
for the suppression of the disease.
Some of them cannot understand why
an entire herd should be blotted out
because one or two cattle have been
found to be infected. All hides are
required to be disinfected with a solu-
ton of bichloride of mercury or car
! bolc acid The quarantine is so strict
that all shippers of cattle or hides
must secure national and State certifi-
Gates. The total losses will run into
the thousands of dollars. similar
epidemic cost the Commonwealth
pretty penny in 1908.
The Wall Street Journal publishes
the following dispatch from Boston:
cdr. Milton ]. Rosenau of the Har-
ward Medical School, who has had q
wide experience in the treatment OF
the hoof and mouth disease, says;
The press reports regarding the SER
iousness of this disease are greatly
over-exaggerated Its percentage OF
mortality is small, not over three pei
cent. and the danger to the public
very slight. The number of animals
1t is proposed to kill is entirely un-
necessary, as the same result would
be reached by the segregation of the
: animals. Under medical treatment
they would subsequently recover theil
health.
The States Side
It was stated by an official of the
State Livestock Sanitary Board to-day
that the outbreak in this State in 1905
was suppressed at cost of less than
100000, the total deficiency appro-
priation available at that time. He
said the present epidemic will cost the
State three times as much owing tc
its virulence. AS to the value OF
segregation or isolation of those cat
tie in a herd not showing symptoms
of the disease, he said this practice in
other countries had resulted in g
continuous epidemic whereas the
blottlng out of all animals diseased
or subject to infection was in the enc
cheaper and more effective.
1t is admitted that the losses tc
the owners of cattle are not covered
by the actual appraisement of the in
spectors, these losses including the
cost of cleaning and disinfectine
stockyards and barns, the suspension
of all business for a period of at least
month. etc. For instance, it cost
; 1000 to clean and disinfect the
: Pittsburgh stockyards.
: Owing to their experience in 1905
the State force is having more sue
cess In promptly stamping out the dis