Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1915-07-22
Keeping the Foot and Mouth
Disease Under Control.

A few scattering cases of foot-and-
mouth disease are still reported from
time to time, and as long as even
these sporadic and quickly controli-
ed occurrences continue the epidemic
which first made its appearance ia
Michigan in 1914 can not be consider
ed as entirely over. Carelessness may
now undo the work of eight months
and force the country to face once
more the greatest danger that has
ever threatened its live stock By the
immediate slaughter of all animals
known to have been expos ID to the
infection, by the thorough disinfection
of all premises and articles that might
harbor the contagion, by the imposi-
ton of Federal and State guarantees,
and by close inspection of cattle for
shipment, the disease has been
brought under control. These meas
ures must be persisted in, however,
until the last atQm-nf~ in. eGtsol hi.
Been 6est soyed You'd conbt.
Necessity For CaTefuiaess.
At the present time farmers and
stockmen are unquestionably incon
venienced by the guarantees which
restrict and regulate the movement of
their stock. The necessity for these
Ndu IiOt. NC ICdliZCh ssulllH
the extreme contaSiousness of the di-
sease is understood. Once single
animal in herd gets foot-and-mouth
disease, or where an infected animal
is introduced into a clean herd, every
animal in that herd is almost sure to-
contract 1t. Cattle, swine, sheep, and
coats are the chief sufferers, but the
disease may be conveyed not only by
them,- but by an article which has
come into contact, no matter how in
directly, with an. infected animal
Men, women, and children may carry
the conta zion on their shoes, cloth
ing and hands. Dogs, cats, rats,
chickens, and pigeons may pick it up
from the ground and carry it to an
other farm. Raw skim milk may
transmit the disease, and hay and
manure may easily be infected and
made dangerous In many cases farm
ers who have been induced by curios-
ty to inspect their neighbours stricken
herd have carried the contagion back
with them to their own stock. In
short, the foot-and-mouth disease is
the most contagious of all known ami
NAL diseases. To be effective against
it, quarantine must be not only
proportionately strict, but it must be
Continued until all danger of spread
ing the disease has passed. A quar-
antine that is lftei too soon is as
useless as one that is not enforced.
Danger of Infected Animal
and Feed Products
Not only live stock, but such arti
cles as hides, hoofs, skins, hair, horns,
hay, straw and similar fodder, manure,
litter, ETC., may convey the contagion.
In consequence, the expectation OF
such articles without previous disin
lection is prohibited in the exposed
and closed areas. In the case of ami
NAL products, however, taken from
animals before August /, 1914, and
stored since that date away from all
live stock, shipment without disintec-.
ton is permitted on affidavit that
these conditions have Been complied
with. Hay and straw, harvested be-
fore this date east of the Mississipp;
and before October / west Of thu
Mississippi and stored in places away
from live stock and not within Smiles
of any premises infected with the di-
sease, also may be shipped on the
same conditions. Other hay and
straw must-sbe first disinfected with
formalin gas
Experience in this and previous
epidemics has shown conclusively that
these precautions are necessary to
prevent the disease being carried from
-one section of the country to another,
just as local guarantees are necessary
to prevent lsS sweeping through the
herds of county as smallpox used
to sweep through cities. Where the
people have realized this, the loss has
been confined to comparatively small
proportions; where it has not been
realized and the temporary inconven-
fence caused by the guarantees has
caused laxity in their enforcement, the
loss has been crushing.
The Lesson From Europe.
1t is not, however, SO much matter
Of the present as of the future. Ii
the disease were once to gain the
foothold here that it has abroad, Grad
ication would be an impossibilty and
the stock interests of the country
would lose far more each year than
it has cost to suppress this epidemic.
In Germany in 1911 it was calculated
that one out of seven animals suscep
tible to the disease was suffering from
it. Under such circumstances the
slaughter of the EXPOSED heels b
comes an impossibility and the di-
sease remains chronic drain upon
the resources of the country, as the
price is too great to pay for freedom
from such a calamity