The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-11-24

kiioN1s '"'C
given the United States authorities
more to worry about than they have
had in years. Fourteen States are I'M
der quarantine. Thousands of cattle
are being slaughtered-either shot or
dubbed to death-and thousands
more will be sacrificed in the effort
to stamp out the disease, says an
article in the Washington Star.
The most learned scientists In the
Department of Agriculture, men
whose lives have been devoted TO the
study Of cattle, admit that there are
phases Of the foot and mouth disease
which are not understood by them.
The disease is supposed to be a germ
disease. but the bacillus that wreaks
such havoc is so small that the hneSt
microscope has thus TAR been unable
to detect it.
Foot and mouth disease is the
deadliest plague known to hoofed ami
mails. II is practically 100 per cent
contagious among cows, goats, hogs
and sheep. Horses may be a1rlcted.
but to a milder extent, and human
beings may contract 1t, though IL Is
rarely fatal save in h cases of very
young or weak children.
Inspectors Busy.
Government inspectors to the num-
Der OF 800 are so-operators with State
officials in farm-to-farm demOnStra-
ton of the infected cattle. swine and
sheep Of farmers. How many more
States will be visited by the epidemic
the government authorities make no
attempt to State. Neither will they
attempt to estimate the number or
cattle which will have to be killed be-
fore the end is reached. 1t is not
improbable that a million animals will
he slaughtered in different parts OF
the country.
Since Germany had her last seri-
GUS plague in 1892 her scientists have
reached the conclusion that the only
manner in which the foo and mouth
disease may be fought is by complete
eradication-and that means the eX-
termination of cattle.
Hence, if a farmer has one COW
suffering from the disease. the fact
that the remainder of the herd are
apparently without it will not q v
them from death-by rife bullet or
club in the bottom of a deep trench.
Experience has taught the inspectors
that sooner or later the dread dis
ease will claim the other animals.
When the foot and mouth disease
first makes it's appearance the alllne
animal suffers from a sore throat and
a general debility, which, among hu.
mans, would be described rs a run.
down condition. Soon thereafter sa'
Iva appears at the mouth, an eXceS:
Of Shiny fluid caused by the throat
ulcerations set in and within a shor
time the animal is unable to eat.
Animals Lose Weight.
At the same time sore places ap
pear between the cleft hoofs. Thes'
gradually grow worse until, in seri
Gus cases, the hoofs finally drop of
The horns of COWS and sheep ais
w
like the hoofs, have been known t
fall off.
The most serious phase Of the dis
ease, however, is the startling mar
ner in which the diseased animal
lose weight. One official Of the de
partment, in describing animal
which had come to him for exam.
nation. declared that one could a
most see the flesh disappearing an
the bones protru6!ng.
THE fat comes off of a COW {
sheep" he added, like snow meltin
under the sun. Nothing can be dor
to prevent this"
After they have once become a
fficted with foot and mouth disea:
the cattle are no longer Of enoue
value to their owners to warrant the
isolation until such time as they sha
have recovered. Forty per cen
their original weight is frequently los
In addition they may be subject to
recurrent attack at any time.
The chief danger of human inoc'
lation is through the drinking of mi
from infected COWS. To the healtl
adult an attack of the ailInent won
mean little more than a slight ind
position. German specialists decla
that the men who worked near L
infected cows during the plague
1892 frequently contracted the d
ease and did not find it necessary
visit physicians
One official in the Department
Agriculture, while examining (
mouth of a COW, had a little Of I
saliva from the animals mouth stri
his face. Within a short time he
veloped an ttack of sore throat a
small eruption broke out between t
fingers OF both hands. But the q
ease passed Off within a few wee
and without harmful results.
Some Statistics.
A slight idea of the magnitude
the calamity which would confrt
the United States should the pres,