The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-02-26

lively Isolated positions, have been
more successful In keeping out the
disease. The outbreaks in these
countries have been more sporadic.
and by resorting to immediate slaugh
ter the authorities have been able to
stamp them out In the outbreak near
Dublin In 1912, indeed, measures were
adopted which were more stringent
than any used in this country. AS
became definitely known, so-called
"stand-still" restrictions were i'm
posed on the affected district. Not
only was the movement OF live stock
into or out OF the district absolutely
forbidden, but no cattle, sheep, goats
or swine could move along or even
across any highway or thoroughfare
Moreover, within each OF the af
fected districts, known as scheduled
Districts" were two smaller areas In
which there were even closer restric.
tions. One OF these areas consisted
of the premises on which the actual
outbreak had taken place. These
premises were declared to be an "in.
fected place." From such a place
nothing could be taken Of any sort
without permission, and no permis
sion was granted until the objects in
question had been thoroughly disin.
fected. No one but the person actual
ly attending the stock was allowed
to enter any shed or field In which
a diseased or suspected animal had
been kept, and the one man who could
do so was compelled upon leaving to
wash his hands thoroughly with soap
and water and disinfect his boots and
clothes. He was, moreover, prohib.
tied from caring for any animal which
was not diseased or suspected. On
farms adjacent to the infected place"
the owners of live stock were ordered
to stop all movements of their ami
mails. and these orders, together with
the other regulations, were enforced
through the local constabulary. This
patrol was SO strict that 1t was prac-
tically impossible for anyone to pass
into or out from the forbidden area
without instant detection.
Within the scheduled districts" a
house to house and farm to farm in.
spection was carried on by veterinary
inspectors, who not only examined
live stock, but made a record of the
number ON each farm in order to de.
tect any cases of surreptitious ship
ments. Exposed stock WAS slaugh.
tered as has been done in all sec.
tions OF this country where satisfac.
tory progress has as yet been made in
stamping out the pestilence.
In addition to slaughtering the
stock, farmyards and similar places
were thoroughly disinfected; the
fields in which the animals had grazed
were carefully strewn' by machines
hay were disinfected by superheated
steam, the foxes in the neighborhood
were destroyed as far as possible by
poison, and all persons in the neigh.
borhood were compelled to tie up
their dogs. The wheels of all vehicles
and the feet of horses which left the
infected places" were previously
washed with disinfectant fluid, and
cans OF this fluid were placed about
in fields so that there would be no
excuse for anyone failing to observe
the required precautions.
These methods were successful in
stamping out the disease, although
there have been one or two minor
outbreaks in Ireland since that time.
In this connection II is interesting to
note that the authorities in charge OF
the campaign were unable to discover
any clue to the origin of the pest.
"Foot-and-mouth disease" they re-
ported, is of such an infectious char.
acter and may apparently be carried
through so many diverse and elusive
ways that In this, as In other cases,
IL is most difficult To fix on any speci-
fic medium OF diffusing the infection.
The disease was probably carried. for
the most part, by persons who had
been in contact with infected animals,
but the connection between the vari.
Gus cases could not be definitely
traced except in one or two In.
stances"