The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1914-11-18
SUBSCRIPTIONS RATES:
FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE Is
EXAGGERATED.

The anxiety that has been express
ed in several quarters in regard to
the effect upon human health OF the
present outbreak of the foot-and-moutli
disease is regarded by government au-
thorities as somewhat exaggerated.
The most common fear is that the
milk supply might become contaminat'
ed, but in view OF the precautions that
the local authorities in the infected
areas are very generally taking, there
is comparatively little danger of this.
Milk from infected farms is not per-
mitted to be shipped at all. The only
danger is, therefore. that before the
disease has manifested itself some in
fected milk might reach the market.
For this reason, experts in the T. S.
department of agriculture recommend
pasteurization. AS matter of fact
however, pasteurization is recon-
mended by the department anyway for
all milk that is not very high grade
and from tuberculin tested cows.
1t has been demonstrated by exper-
iments which have been made in Den
mark and Germany that pasteuriza-
tion will serve as safeguard against
contagion from the footand-mouth
disease just as readily as it does
against typhoid fever, but in any
event ii must be thoroughly done
the milk must be heated to 145 de-
grees Fahrenheit and held at this
temperature for 80 minutes.
In this country the foot-and-mouth
disease has been so rare that there
are few recorded cases of its trans
mission to human beings Inr1902 a
few cases were reported in New Eng
land, and in 1908 in a few instances
eruption were found in the mouths of
children which were believed to have
been caused by contaminated milk.
In both of these outbreaks, the sale
of milk was stopped as soon as the
disease was found among the cattle.
AS long, therefore, as the disease can
be confined by rigid quarantine to
certain specified areas, the danger
from this source is very small Should
the pestilence spread all over this
country and become as general as it
has been at various times in large
areas in Europe the problem would
become more serious. Under any cir
cumstances, however, pasteurization
would be an efficient remedy. There
is, however, a very good reason for
everyone giving the diseased animals
as wide berth as possible, namely,
that otherwise they may easily carry
the disease to perfectly healthy herds.
Federal inspectors engaged in the
work of eradicating the pestilence are
thoroughly equipped with rubber
coats, hats, boots and gloves, which
may be completely disinfected; and
others who lack this equipment are
strongly urged not to allow their cur
iosity to induce them to become a
menace to their own and their neigh
bors' property.
The disease, in short, is dangerous
because of the loss that it occasions
TO property, and not because Of its eff
fects upon the health of mankind.
At present all infected herds are be-
ing slaughtered as soon as they are
discovered, the carcasses buried and
the premises thoroughly disinfected.
Until all danger Of infection has been
removed in this way, the local author
tiles quarantine the milk.
Those who wish additional precau-
tions are recommended to use pas
teurized milk, but as has already been
said, this recommendation holds true
whether or not there is any fear Of
the foot-and-mouth disease.
T