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

IUTG.J 1
FOot-And-M Mouth Disease.
The outbreak of foot-and-mouth
disease has already affected an area
so large that it is evident that most
active measures are necessary 10 era
dictate it. Cases have been found as
far apart as Iowa and Massachusetts,
and at the time Of this writing, Nov.
10) - States have been quarantined-
Massachusetts, New York, Pennsyl-
vania- Indiana, Illinois, Michigan,
Ohio, Wisconsin, Maryland, Iowa.
Rhod Island, New JERSEY, and Della
ware. Interstate shipments Of live
stock from these States are absolute
ly prohibited, and such articles as
hides, straw, hay, etc, must be thor
oughly disinfected before they an be
moved in interstate commerce. Both
in VirulenCe and in extent of area at
feCted the present outbreak is more
serious than any Of the five previous
ones which have occurred in the Unit
ed States.
These previous outbreaks have not
been sufficiently serious either to fami-
liarize farmers with the symptoms of
the disease or TO render them fully
| alive to the losses that it occasions
when permitted to gain Q firm foot
hold. One of it's most dangerous char
aCteristicS is its extreme contagious
ness. Not only may it be conveyed
o@lS ~ nv ~
but it may be transported in fodder,
picked up from the ground and car
ried over the country by cats, dogs,
and chickens, or communicated
through the agency of Cases
have already been found in which it
seems certain hat the disease vas
spread by the curiosity Of farmers to
inspect suffering animals. They re-
turned from these visits to commune
cate the disease to their own prevl-
ously healthy herds.
The consciousness Of the disease
explains the action of the Federal au-
thorities in q~uaranJining such large
areas. The practice is to clap a
blanket of quarantine on the State
in which a case Of the disease has
been found, and then, by careful in
v~estigatiOn, determine the exact area
infected. When an animal suffering
from foot-and-nouth disease is dis
covered in a herd the whole herd is
at once slaughtered. Otherwise it
would remain d dangerous source Of
infection and be a menace to the en-
tire community. 1t is customary to
appoint an appraiser to value the herd.
One-half Of the appraised value is paid
to the owner by the Federal Govern
ment and one-half by the State. The
slaughtered animals are buried in =
deep trench, their hides slashed to
make it useless for yon to dig them
up again. and the are satu-
rated with quicklime. In this man
: ner previous outbreaks have been
!. completely stamped out and there is
every reason to hope that this will be
the case this year. The chief danger
is that there may be infected herds
lwhose existence is not reported to the
proper authorities. Farmers are there
fore urged, both for their own pro.
\ teton and as a duty to their neighbors
: to report Immediately all cases Of sus.
picious sore mouths OF lameness
among their stock.
Foot-and-mouth disease affects
{ chiefly cattle, sheep, goats, n swine
q but there are a lumber of other ami
! mails Of less commercial Importance
: which are also susceptible. Occa
%sionally human beings are affected
out in the majority Of instances tn,
disease is not severe in the case O
q man. Children, however, may becom,
dangerously i'll il their milk is infect
ed.
d The first indications of the diseas'
are a chill followed by q high fever
d the temperature rising rapidly, some
g times 106 degrees fever. In a shor
time v~esicles about the size of the pc;
appear in the mouth at the end o
the tongue, on the inside Of the cheeks
and on the gums. These v~esiCles con
t, tain a yellowish watery fluid The,
spread as the disease advances ant
cause the animal to open and shut it
mouth uneasily with a characteristic
:. smacking sound. A day or two afte
the first appearance Of the eruption
in the mouth similar indications ap
:, pear upon the feet, which are swol
!, len, red, and tender. Because of thi
! the animal frequently persists in ly
= ing down, and bedsores develop wit
: much rapidity. In the case of cow
the udder and. more frequently, tn
y teats are affected by a similar erup
ton.
ar Once the disease is we'll establishe
IT it becomes so painful for the ani1na
+ to eat that food is frequently refuse
IL altogether. Strings Of saliva han
from the mouth and flesh is lost wit
D. astonishing rapidity. When the udde
III is seriously aected the milk become
es contaminated and may cause seriou
results to sucking calves and youn
pigs. In mild cases from 10 to 2