The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1915-02-26
prepared by che Cnted States Depart
ment of Agriculture)

prepared by ,he Cn.ted States Depart
ment of Agriculture)
Because of the prevalence of foot
and-mouth disease in Europe and
South America, importations of live
stock are now limited practically to
shipments from Great Britain, Ire
land and the Channel Isles. Even
with these countries trade has been
interrupted several times in recent
years. for the government does not
permit the importation of animals
from countries where the disease ex-
lists, and there have been several out
breaks in Great Britain lately.
Up to November, 1906, American
ports were open to Belgium and Hol-
land. In that month, however, some
sheep we're taken into Belgium from
France, where the disease was quite
prevalent, and brought the pestilence
with them. BY the end Of the year
every province in Belgium was affect
ed, and Holland as well. Since that
time both of these countries have
been fighting the disease, but have
not yet succeeded in graduating it.
In Italy, France, Switzerland, Ger
many and Russia the plague has ex.
listed so long and has gained such a
foothold that it is economically impos-
sible to fight 1t with the American
methods of slaughter and disinfection,
for to do so would be to kill large
percentage Of the live stock in these
countries. In consequence, the au-
thorities appear to be making little or
no progress in their campaign. The
outbreak, for example, which ap-
peared in Germany in 1888 increased
steadily until 1892, when it dimin-
ished gradually for few years, but
again reached great proportions in
1899. Thereafter it continued to exist
to greater or less extent until in
1911 it attained a virulence un-
equaled before. In that year 1885,
1863 cattle, 1.602,927 sheep, 2,555,371
hogs, and 1854 goats were affected.
At that time the total number of cat
tie. sheep, swine and goats in Ger
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were in the United States 1852, 900,
or between three and four times as
many. 1t can readily be imagined,
therefore, what it would mean to the
United States il the disease were to
gain the foothold here that it had in
Germany where, as these figures
show, approximately one out of seven
of the animals susceptible to the dis
ease was affected.
Since the mortality in the disease
Is comparatively low, ranging from
only three per cent in mild form to
thirty or forty per cent in malignant
cases, the havoc caused by the pesti-
lence is sometimes underestimated.
From the work of various scientists,
however, who have endeavored to as
certain the decrease in value of an
animal which RECEIVERS from an at
tack, it may be said that ON an aver
age this amounts in Germany to 81
and in Holland to $40. In this coun-
try. with its higher prices, the loss is
correspondingly greater. II these fig
ures be accepted, 1t is obvious that the
amount of money spent in eradicat-
ing the disease becomes insignificant
in comparison with the loss it causes
when left to itself.
The German government, of course,
has not left the disease to itself. The
more recent outbreaks it attempted
to control by the American method of
slaughter, but the pestilence had
gained too much Roadway and was too
firmly established in too many por-
tons of the country for this method
to succeed, and the slaughter of the
infected herds had to be abandoned.
It now appears that there is no hope
of getting rid of it until the virus has
worn itself out. At present il seems
that as soon as the animals period
of acquired immunity is over and ia
vorable conditions present them
selves. the contagion breaks out with
renewed virulence so that the author
tiles have practically abandoned all
hope of controlling it by means Of
guarantees. One scientist indeed has
asserted that unless all the infected
farms were absolutely isolated and
the, movement not only of live stock
but of persons absolutely prohibited,
the disease could not be stamped out.
Such quarantine is, of course, ut
terly impossible to enforce. In GER
tain portions of Germany, indeed, the
farmers, realizing that the disease is
inevitable. make haste to be done
with it by exposing their stock DELHI
erately to mild cases In the hope that
this will result in an immediate mild
attack and immunity for several years
thereafter.
Great Britain and Norway and
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