The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-11-25

swollen. red and tender Beca ,fse Of
this the animal frequently persists In
lying down, and bedsores develop
with much rapidity. In the case OF
cows the udder and, more frequently
the teats are affected by a similar
eruption.
Hard Disease to Cure.
Once the disease Is well estab-
liished II becomes so painful for the
animal TO eat thai food Is frequently
refused altogether. Strings OF saliva
hang from the mouth, and flesh Is
lost with astonishing rapidly. When
the udder is seriously affected. the
milk becomes contaminated and may
caHse serious results TO sucking calves
and young pigs. In mild cases from
ten to twenty days may bring about
an apparent recovery, bat this tmse
may he greatly extended. Moreover.
an apparent recovery by no means
implies a real cure. The animal may
carry thu virus in its blood for g. year
or more and is liable during all that
time to spread the coutagion or to
experience a recurrence itself The
mortality, considering the seriousness
of the disease and the losses II occa-
sions, Is very small, being estimated
by some authorities at five per cent.
although Il frequently Is much greater
than tits, The mortality. however, by
no means represents the real losses
occasioned by the disease. No rera-
nue. Is possible from infected herds and
in the case Of dairymen. an outbreak
frequently means that their business
is completely ruined. Blooded Or
other cattle that have become sick
with the disease naturally lose thei~
value as breeding animals. II is, how
ever impossible 10 get rid OF tho dis
ease by ignoring 1t. The only possible
remedy Is TO kill off the infected herds.
disinfect the premises and begin over
iagain.
What the disease means to thosa
countries where II 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 sta
t;stics showed that in the German En-
pire 431,2S5 head of cattle, 230,sss
sheep and goats. and i53.SDs swine
were affected with the disease. Dur
Ing the same year the pestilence
ravaged live stock in France, Italy.
Belgium. Austria Hungary. Switzer-
land, ItoumantA ana Bulgaria. In
1883 1t wa estimated that the disease
cost England 100000. On the oc-
CASTOR of the last outbreak In the
United States in 1908 $500 900 w.s
appropriated by Congress. art With
the exception Of few HUNDRED <iai-
lars 1t was spent in stanis ing rut the
disease. This of course. does not In
clude the indirect loss .'aused l,y the
interruption of business and other fac
tors.
State Authorities Co-Operute.
while the Federal Government Ia
active in fighting the disease through
Its power to control interstate COM
merce, corporation on the part OF tho
State authorities Is most essential.
The quarantin,ng individually OF In
fected farms Is a state matter. and II
is, OF course. a most essential pre-
caution. Farms on which 1ae disease
has broken out should be as rigidly /
quarantiued as II some contagious hu-
man disease had been found. Since
the germs can be transported by cats,
dogs, chickens or human beings.
nothing should be allowed to leave
the farm until the proper disinfectinx
me asures have been taken. In par
ticular farmers are urged to keep
away themselves, and TO assist in
keeping others away from all infected
animals. The inspectors who do tho
slaughtering and disineect,ng are SUP
pied with the necessary equipment OF
rubber gloves. coats, boots and hats.
which can be thoroughly disinfccted
as often as necessary. Others who
Jack this equipment mercy help in
spreading the disease over the country
when they visit or inspect sick
animals"