The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1914-11-26

~ not severe M the case Of man. Chill
dren. however. may become danger,
oasly III II their milk is infected.
The first indications Of the disease
are chill followed by high fever
the temperature rising rapidly, some,
times 70 l0G degrees r. In shor,
time vesicles about the size Of the pea
appear in the mouth at the end Of the
tongue, on the inside OF the checks,
and on the gums. These vesicles con-
tain q yellowish watery fluid They
spread as the disease advances and
cause the animal 70 open and shut its
mouth uneasily with a characteristic
smacking sound. A day or two after
the first appearance Of the eruptions
in the mouth similar indications ap-
pear upon the feet, which are swol-
len, red, and tender. Because Of this
the animal frequently persists in lying
down, and bedsores develop with much
rapidity. In the case Of sows the I'D
der, and, more frequently, the teats
are affected by similar eruption.
Once the disease is well established
it becomes so painful for the animal
TO eat that food is frequently refused
altogether. Strings Of saliva hang
from the mouth, and flesh is lost with
astonishing rapidity. When the udder
is seriously affected the milk becomes
contaminated and may cause serious
results TO sucking calves and young
pigs. In mild cases from 10 to 20
days may bring about an apparent
recovery, but this time may be greatly
extended. Moreover, an apparent re-
covery by no means implies a real
cure. The animal may carry the virus
in its blood for year or more and
is liable during all this time to spread
the contagion or to experience re-
currence itself. The mortality, con-
sidering the seriousness of the disease
and the losses it occasions, is very
small, being estimated by some au-
thorities at per cent, although 1t
frequently is much greater than this.
The morality, however, by no means
represents the real losses occasioned
by the disease. No revenue is possible /
from infected herds, and in the case of
dairymen an outbreak of foot-and I
mouth disease often means that their |
business is completely ruined. Blood /
ed or other cattle that have become I
sick with the disease naturally lose
their value as breeding animals. 1t 4
is, however, impossible to get rid of 4
the disease by ignoring it. The only
possible remedy is to kill off infected
herds, disinfect the premises, and be-
gin over again.
What the disease means to those
countries where it has gained real
grip is shown by the fact that on its
last serious outbreak in Germany the
German Government spent 100000
in fighting it. In 1890 official statis-
tics showed that in the German En-
pire 431 ,235 head Of cattle, 230,S6S
sheep and goats, and l53,80S swine
were affected with the disease. During
the same year the pestilence ravaged
i've stock in France, Italy, Belgium,
Austria Hungary, Switzerland, Rou-
mania, and Bulgaria. In 1883 it was
estimated that the disease cost Eng
and s5,000,000. On the occasion of
the last outbreak in the United States
n 1908 100000 was appropriated by
Congress, and with the exception of
lew hundred dollars it was spent in
stamping out the disease. This of
.ourse does not include the indirect
oss caused by the interruption Of
business and other factors.
While the Federal Government is
.ctive in fighting the disease through $
Is power to control interstate COM
nerce, cooperation on the part of the
tate authorities is most essential. :
The quarantining individually of in !
ected farms is state matter, and it !
S, of course, a most essential precau-
ion. Farms on which the disease has
,roken out should be as rigidly quar- '
.ntined as If some contagious human :
Iisease had been found. Since the
,erms can be transported by cats, Y
ogs, chickens, or human beings, moth r
ny should be allowed TO leave the I
arm until the proper disinfecting Q
measures have been taken. In par c
icular, farmers are urged to keep !.
way themselves, and to assist in =
eeping others away, from all infected
nimals. The inspectors who do the
and disinfecting are sup
lied with the necessary equipment OF
ubber gloves, coats, boots, and hats,
Thich can be thoroughly disinfected
S often as necessary. Others who
lck this equipment merely help in
proading the disease over the country
hen they visit or inspect sick },
nimals. U. S. Gov. Weekly
,ews Letter. !.