Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-01-28

Washington, Jan. ga publicity
campaign with the object of tustlfylng
it's stringent and burdensome quaran-
tine rules during the recent outbreak
of the foot and mouth disease has ap'
parently been launched by the depart
ment of agriculture. A lengthy state
ment has just been issued, under the
title: "The Foot and Mouth Disease IN
Europe Immense Losses in Countries
where the pestilence Is too VIDE
spread for infected herds to be slaugh'
tered
This statement is in part as follows:
because of the prevalence of foot
and mouth disease in Europe. and
South America, importatiOns OF 1--we
stock are now limited practically 10
shipments from Great Britain, ireland
and the channel isles. Even Win
these countries trade has been inter-
rupted several times In recent years,
for the government does not permit
the importation of animals from coun.
tries where the disease exists, and
there have been several outbreaks IN
Great Britain lately.
slJp to November, 1906, American
porte were open to Belgium and Hol-
land. In that month, however, some
sheep were taken into Belgium from
France where the disease was preva-
lent and brought the pestilence with
them. BY the end of that year every
province in Belgium was affected, and
Holland as we'll. Since that time both
of these countries have been fighting
tho disease, but have not succeeded IN
Graduating 1t.
"ln Italy, France, Switzerland, Ger
many and Russia, the plague has exist
ed 60 long and has gained such foot
hold that it is economically impossible
to fight 1t with the American methods
of slaughter and disinfection, for to
do 50 would be to kill large percent
age of the livestock in these countries.
In consequence the authorities appear
to be making little or no progress IN
their campaign. The outbreak, Tor
example, which appeared in Germany
in 1888 increased steadily until 1892,
when It diminished gradually for few
years, but again reached great proper
tons In 1899. Thereafter it continued
to exist to a greater or less extent I'M
til in 1911 it attained a virulence I'M
equalled before.
'In that year 3,366,369 cattle, 1902
927 sheep, 53,674 goats and 2,555,37l
hogs were affected. At that time the
total number of cattle, sheep, goats and
swine in Germany was only 51,319,OOO
while there were in the United States
172,572,OOO, or between three and four
times as many. 1t can readily be imag-
ined. therefore, what it would mean
to the United States If the disease
were to gain the foothold here that it
had In Germany, where, as the figures
show, approximately one out OF seven
OF the animals susceptible to the di.
ease was affected.
Since the mortality in the disease
ranges only from per cent in mild
forms to 80 or 40 per cent in malignant
cases, the havoc caused is sometimes
underestimate. From the work OF var
ious scientists, however, who have en-
deavored to ascertain the decrease in
value of an animal which RECEIVERS
from an attack, it may be said that on
an average this amounts in Germany
to 81 and in Holland TO $40. In this
country, with it's higher prices, the loss
is correspondingly greater. II these
figures be accepted, it Is obvious that
the amount Of money spent in eradi-
eating the disease becomes insignifi-
cant in comparison with the loss it
causes when left to ITSELF"
The department goes on to explain
that the German government has tried
various schemes of checking the dis
ease, and in recent years has even at
tempted the American method-slaugh-
{,,f ho
pestilence had gained too much head
way, it seemed, and the idea of slaugh-
tering the infected herds was given I'D