Graham guardian., 1914-11-27
NOVEMBER q. 1914
FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE

disease has already affected an ares
so large that it is evident that mos
active measures are necessary tt
eradicate it. Cases have been founC
as far apart as Iowa and Massachu
sets. and at the time of this writing
November 10th, thirteen states have
been quarantined: Massachusetts
New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana,
Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin,
Maryland, Iowa, Rhode Island. Ne"
Jersey, and Delaware. Interstate
shipments of live stock from these
states are absolutely prohibited, and
such articles as hides. straw, hay,
etc., must be thoroughly disinfected
before they can be moved ininterstate
commerce. Both in virulence and
in extent of area affected the present
outbreak is more serious than any
of the five previous ones which have
occurred in the United States.
These previous outbreaks have not
been sufficiently serious either to
familiarize farmers with the symp-
toms of the disease or to render them
fully alive to the losses that it oc-
casions when permitted to gain a
firm foot-hold. One of its most
dangerous characteristics is its eX-
treme contagiousness. Not only
may. it be conveyed directly from
one animal to another, but it may
be transported in fodder. picked up
from the ground and carried ov' r
the country by cats. dogs. and
chickens, or communicated through
the agency of man. Cases have
already been found in which it seems
certain that the disease was spread
by the curiosity of farmers to in
spect suffering animals. They re-
turned from these visits to COM
municate the disease to their own
previously healthy herds.
The contagiousness of the disease
explains the action of the Fedora
authorities in quarantining such
large areas. The practice is to clap
a blanket of quarantine on the state
in which a case of the disease has
been found, and then, by careful
investigation. determine the exact
area infected. When an animal
suffering from foot-and-mouth dis.
ease is discovered in herd the whole
herd is atonce slaughtered. Otherwise
it would remain dangerous source
of infection and be menace to the
entire community. 1t is customary
to appoint an appraiser to value the
herd. One-half of the appraised
value is paid to the owner by the
Federal Government and one-half
by the state. The slaughtered
animals are buried in a deep trench.
their hides slashed to make it useless
for anyone to dig them up again,
and the carcasseS are saturated with
quicklime. In this manner previous
outbreaks have been completely
stamped out and there is every rea-
son to hope that this will be the case
this year. The chief danger is thai
there may be infected herds whose
existence is not reported to the pro-
per authorities. Farmers are there
fore urged, both for their own pro-
lection and as a duty to their neigh,
bors, to report Immediately all cases
of suspicious sore mouths or lame
ness among their stock.
FoOt-and-mouth disease affects
chiefly cattle. sheep, goats and swine,
but there are a number of other
animals of less commercial import
ance which are also susceptible. Oc-
casionally human beings are affected,
but in the majority of instances
the disease is not severe in the case
of man. Children, however, may
become dangerously i'll if their milk
is infected.
The first indications of the disease
are chill followed by high fever,
the temperature rising rapidly,
sometimes to 100 degrees abr. f.
In a short time vesicles about
the size of the pea appear in the
mouth at the end of the tongue, on
the inside of the cheeks, and on the
gums. The vesicIes contain yell
lowish watery fluid. They spread
as the disease advances and cause
the animal to open and shut its
mouth uneasily with characteristic