Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1914-11-27
Human Health
and Foot and
Mouth Disease
(U. S. Department Of Agriculture)

The anxiety that has been express
sed in several quarters in regard to
the effect upon human health of the
present outbreak of the foot-and-
mouth disease is regarded by Govern
ment authorities as somewhat exag-
Grated. The most common fear H
that the milk supply might become
contaminated. but in v,.v OF the
precautions that the local authorities
in the infected areas are very general
ly taking, there is comparatively little
danger Of this. Milk from infected
farms is not permitted to be shipped
at all. The only danger is. therefore,
that before the disease has manifested
itself some infected milk might reach
the market. For this reason experts
in the department recommend pasteur-
ization. A matter Of fact. however,
pasteurization is recommended by the
department anyway for all milk that
i. not very high grade and from tub
erculin-tested cows.
1t has been demonstrated by exper-
inaents which have been made in Den
mark and Germany that pasteuriza-
ton will serve as safeguard against
contagion from the foot-and-mouth di-
cease just as readily as it does against
typhoid fever, but in any event it
must be thoroughly done-the milk
must be heated to i45 degrees F. and
held s,t this temperature for 80 min
utes.
In this country the foot-and- mouth
disease has been so rare that there are
few recorded cases of its transmission
to human beings. In 1902 few cas-
es were reported in New England and
in 1908 in few instances eruptions
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 con-
hncd by ridgid quarantine to certain
specified areas the danger from this
source is very small. Should the pes
,iience 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 SER
ious. Under any circumstances, how
ever. pasteurization woud be an eff
cient remedy. Where pasteurization
is not possible and where there is any
, reaon to suspect that the disease may
exist the precaution of boiling milk
might be advisable.
Cows affected with malignant form
of the disease lose practically all their
milk. In mild cases however, the de-
crease may be from one-third to one
half of the usual yield. The appear
ance of the milk also changes 1t be-
comes thinner, blush, and poor in fat.
When the udder is affected, the milk
frequently contains coagulated fbrn
and blood, so that considerable sedi-
mcnt forms. while the cream is thin
and of dirty color. These changes,
however, occur only when the disease
is in an advanced form, and as mat
ter of fact, the disease is not permit
ted to pass into an advanced stage, as
any stricken animal is at once destroy
ed
Men who come in contact with de-
seased animals may also become infec-
ted. In the adult human beings the
contagion cause ssuch symptoms as
sore mouths, painful swallowing. fever
and occasional eruptions on the hands,
finger tips, etc. While causing con-
siderable discomfort, however, the d.
prevalent among animals, some auth
critics believe that ii is fairly general
among human beings, but that the dis
turbances it causes are usually SC
slight that they are not brought to the
attention of the family physician
There is however, very gool reason
for everyone giving the diseased ami
mails as wide a birth as possible, name
ly that otherwise they may easily car
ry the disease to perfect herds. Fed
eral inspectors engaged in the work c
eradicating the pestilence are thor
oughly equipped with rubber coats
hats, boots, and gloves, which may be
completely disinfected; and others who
not to allow their curiosity to induce
them to become menace to their owr
and their neighbors property.
The disease in short. is dangerou.
because of the loss that it occasions tc
property, and not because of its ef
fects upon the health of mankind. A
present all infected herds are being
slaughtered as soon as they are discov
cred, the carcasses buried, and tn.
premises thoroughly disinfected. Un
til all danger of infection has been re
moved in this way, the local authori
ties quarantine the milk.
Those who wish additional precau
tions are recommend to use pasteur
lied milk but al has already been sait