Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-01-27
COMMUNICATION FROM THE AG
RiCULTURAI EXPERIMENT
STATlONl

I - AON.l
There are two sides 10 every cues
I ton upon which men differ honestly
and at present there are differences OF
I opinion between many OF the cattle
owners on one side and the federal
bureau OF animal industry and Illinois
/ state live stock commission on the
other regarding the best msthod OF
combating foot and mouth disease.
/ The agricultural experiment station
recognizes that this Is a crisis and
feels that a clear statement OF both
sides may aid the public generally 70
a better understanding OF the present
situation
A brief outline OF preceding events
may serve as an introduction to this
statement Spreading from a single
point in Michigan the foot and mouth
disease was distributed from New Eng
land TO Montana within a month and
Il vas plain that II not checked 1t
would reach practically every herd
in the country within a short time.
The federal bureau OF animal indus
try and the various state live stock
commissions who are charged with
handling such matters were not or
sanized to control an outbreak OF such
magnitude. Al that time there were
but few men In the United States avail
able as inspectors who had ever seen
a case OF this disease. Under such
circumstances II is TO be expected that
mistakes in diagnosis would be made.
Starting in late October with what
seemed a practically hopeless situa-
ton the centers OF infection have been
located and removed until the general
situation IS now well in hand and there
. little uncertainty as TO the outcome
except in the state OF Illinois. Here
the infection had been heaviest and
something over 500 herds have been
destroyed IN combating the disease in I
this state. OF the herds reported dis
cased less than 25 remained alive on
dairy show cattle held in quarantine /.
for experimental purposes.
Where even a single animal was !
found diseased the entire herd has 4
been slaughtered and the federal au-
thorities have agreed 70 pay one-halt !
~ the appraised value OF the slaugh-
tered animals. there being an under
standing. but no legal provision that
the state would pay the other half.
The large financial loss incident to
This slaughter and the uncertainty
created in the minds OF other cattle
owners as 20 the possibility OF their
being the next victims have created a
very pauicky feeling in many com
nuuities.
The cattle owners feel that they
nave been made TO bear unnecessary
burdens by this program of universal
slaughter They point out that in
many OF the herds. particularly IN the
rational dairy show cattle, the effect
Il the disease Is so slight as 10 be
iardly noticeable To the casual OBJ
.erver and the death rate has been ,
extremely low. They urge that a way ;
.e provided for saving the cattle par
icularly in the cases where the herds I
epresent the results Of years OF care I
al breeding
There Is also dissatisfaction on the q
nancial side. The appraised values. I
lille not seriously below the market {
alue of the ordinary animal. do not I
over the breeding value Of the ami {
iai or the DISCRIMINATION or the farm Z
usiness which has resulted from the {
estruction of the herds. The latter q
5 especially important upon the dairy e.
arms where the farm plan calls for