Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-11-08
Foot and Mouth MaIady Among
Stock Spreads Through
out States.
MARYLAND is AMONG
THOSE QUARANTINED
Department of Justice May Be
Called on to Inquire Into
Higher Quotations.

chickens, as a consequence of the cpl
demic Of foot and mouth disease
among cattle, swine and sheep, which Is
now being discovered throughout the
United States.
This view was expressed last night to
a reporter for The Star by a provision
dealer of the capital, who did not care
to be quoted. Coincidentally, news dis
patches from New York announced that
the prices of lamb and mutton have
been advanced cents a pound there be-
cause of the alleged shortage Of sup
plies due to the lack of shipments from
Chicago. where, for the first time in
forty-three years. the Union stock yard.
the epidemic of the disease.
The price of pork has already been
put up in Washington cents a pound
wholesale. and this week there has
the price of the best grade of butter
at retail, as Washington housewives
who purchased these articles yesterday
found. Whether these increases are
properly attributable to the epidemic
Of foot and mouth disease Is a ques-
tion. but one Washington dealer last
night declared that he did not see how
they could be, in view Of the large
supplies of such articles in cold stor-
age.
United States Probe Possible.
No information could be obtained yes
terday afternoon at the Department Of
Justice as to whether complaints Of
increased prices of foodstuffs have been
made, or whether there will be an in
vestigation Of increases of prices based
on the claim that there is shortage
in supplies on account of the epidemic
oil III iaf nf tHa dan -
ment of investigation, Is out of the
city.
One Washington retail meat and pro-
vision dealer said last night, however,
that he would not be surprised if there
are immediate general advances In the
prices of meats, etc, blamed on the
epidemic, nor would he be sorry il the
Department of Justice does begin an
investigation, which is quite possible.
in view of the instructions given the
were put up by food dealers at the
outkteak of the European war. Re-
'taI1exs always blame *. increases on
wholesalers. Il
Dr. W. c. woodward. health officer Of
the District of Columbia, said last
as yet, in regard to the Washington
milk supply, although he is keeping in
touch with the situation.
"Of course, Maryland has been quar-
it's milk and butter from that state" !"
DR.. Woodward said. but I have not
heard of the disease being discovered
on any of the farms that supply Wash
ington. 1t is possible, If the disease
spreads in Maryland, that Washing
toms milk and butter supply will be af-
fected."
Humans Infected.
At the bureau of animal industry it is
said that the disease can be communi-
Gated to human beings, as well as
cats, dogs and chickens 1t is pointed
out that if there were a quarantine on
farm products generally from nearby
there will certainly be an increase in
the prices paid in Washington for
milk, butter, eggs and chickens, as well
as meat products. unless the Depart
ment of Justice by an investigation
prevents such increases. in view of the
great quantities of foodstuffs In stor-
age.
The disease is reported on one farm
in Washington county. Md. On the
farm of Harvey Hykes. near Reid. Md.
twenty head of cattle are sick. Fifteen
of these out of seventeen are steers
Mr. Hykes purchased. and the remain
der are cattle he owned before the pur-
chase of the steers, which have since
become infected.
There are fourteen other farms in
Washington county, Md, according to
reports last night from Hagerstown,
which are under quarantine by the
state authorities because the cattle on
them are known to have been in con-
tact with the cattle on Mr.. Hykes'
farm.
The state live stock board of Mary
authorities. Is taking every precaution.
and has appraisers at work setting a
value on the cattle quarantined in
| case they have to be slaughtered. The
quarantine is strict. Even children
| they carry the germs. If the cattle are
slaughtered the farmers will be REIN :
bursed. the state and the federal gov
ernment each paying half of their
value.
Information obtained at the bureau
of animal industry yesterday after
| noon is to the effect that unless the foot
and mouth disease infection can be i'm
mediately localized and quickly eradi-
Gated. untold losses among live stock
will be threatened"
Slaughter of Herds.
Reports SO far received show that
| 1900 cattle have already been slaugh-
| tered in Michigan and Illinois, as a
method of preventing the spread OF
the disease. No estimate has yet been
made of the number already slaush-
tered in other states. but the figures in
! total must be enormous.
| Ten states are under quarantine by
the federal government against in
terstate shipments Of cattle. In 1905
the government spent $780, to Grad
icate the disease. and 1t was stated a,
| the bureau yesterday afternoon tina,
the present epidemic is greater than
any Of the five epidemics Of the disease
that this country has suffered. The
German government few years ago
! spent the enormous sum Of $4,000. S0O
| to eradicate the disease in that coun.
try.
1t was announced yesterday afternoon
| that a whole trainload Of infected cat
tie. has been discovered by the state
veterinarian Of Montana. at towI
| called Glendive, Mont, and that it MAY
| be necessary to quarantine that state
| as well as the ten others. The train.
| load of cattle has been put in charge
| of the sheriff at the railroad yards In
| the Montana town and they will be
| slaughtered and buried. The Other
| states now under quarantine are New
| York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Michi.
gan, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa
Ohio and Massachusetts.
| 1t was also announced that In addi.
| tion to the 150 federal inspectors al