Tensas gazette., 1917-12-28

weevil INVASION prevailed upon the United States
congress to make appropriation in 1906 to
empower the United States secretary of agricul-
ture to inaugurate plan of cooperation with the
authorities of Southern states in tick eradication.
In the annual report for 1907 Of the chief of the
bureau Of animal industry 1t was stated: EN-
couraging progress has been made in the eradlca-
ton of cattle ticks from the Southern states.
This work. which was begun in the summer Of
1905 under an appropriation by congress of
SS2.5OO is no longer an experiment. The results
already accomplished demonstrate that the ex-
termination Of this costly pest Is not only possible
but practicable, though several years may be re-
quired for the completion Of the work"
The years since that report have been years Of
meeting and overcoming obstacles until now,
when the real magnitude of the task can be ap-
preciated. II Is certain that nothing can perma-
nently hold up the work.
Tick Fever and the Manner Of Its Transmission
to Cattle.
The story of the cattle tick (known scientifcal-
ly as Margaropus annulatus), in relation to the
part 1t plays carrier Of the ticlfever organism.
is one Of the most interesting in the annals of
scientific investigation. 1t has been described by
one writer romance In pathology" 1t may
be recalled that in the early days Of our cattle
exporting trade the Texas longhorn was most
prominent. 1t soon became known that these cat
tie, although apparently healthy themselves.
cnused deadly disease In other cattle, the part
played by the tick being at that time unknown
and unsuspected. Hence the disease acquired the
name Of Texas fever. The tick, however. Is no
respector of localities so long they are suitable
for its propagation. and tick fever occurs wher-
ever the combination Of infected ticks and cattle
Is present. the problem Of combating the dis
ease was undertaken after the bureau Of
animal industry organized in 1894, and few
years later the epoch-mabng discoveries Of the
INI%
ease being found.
The discovery that ticks can carry germs Of
disease from one animal to another the first
instance IN which the important role Of insects
as carriers Of disease was ascertaned. From 1t
nrose new procedures in preventive sanitation.
Since then the noxous roles of various other in
sects have been learned. For example: Mosqui-
toes carrying malaria and yellow fever; the rat
fea, buhonc plague: the house fly. typhoid fever.
Formerly no attention was paid to the carriers;
only treatment of the patients was considered
necessary. Now mosquitoes are screened out OF
buildings and exterminated; rats are killed; and
house flies are screened, starved. and "swatted;" :"
all Of which has greatly reduced the number Of
victims Of the mentioned diseases. The discovery
OF tick inoculation made through the Joint
efforts Of several members Of the bureau staff.
A systematic study of Southern cattle fever
begun in 1888 developed that the disease. very
similar to malaria in man. caused by q minute
cles Of the blood, and in acute cases destroyed
them so fast that the spleen became clogged with
debris from the blood. the liver filed with bile,
and the red colortng matter of the blood was
passed off with the urine. Intense fever de-
veoped and the animal usually died in from one
to four days after first appearance Of symptoms
Of Illness The death rate usually low in
herds with many young or insusceptible animals;
among old cattle II AS high as so to 90 per
cent. 1t WAS further found that the disease was
acquired soon after the young Of the cattle tick
called seed ticks-attached to the cattle Acuui-
sition Of the ticks found to he governed by
their life history. which is based the science Of
tick eradication and also the rules of quarantine.
The life history is as follows:
Adult ticks carried by cattle fall to the ground
and in about a week each female lays from 1000
to 1000 eggs. each Of them carrying fever germs.
Hatching In about three weeks Of warm weather
but requiring a much longer time In cold weather,
the seed ticks remain the ground or on grasses
hungry and waiting for chance to attach them
selves to n cow or steer. Attaching themselves.
the ticks hunt for places in the hide they can
penetrate and finding them. Immediately begin
TO suck blood and to grow. Two immature stages
Of development precede the adult stage. when the
males fall off the animal and die. and the females
also fall off. but lay their eggs on the ground
before they die.
ArsenIcai Dipping Vat Is Effective Weapon.
The method Of tick eradication found to be
effective and now used almost exclusively Is the
arsencal dipping BATH This method will rid a
county Of ticks in a single season. II has been
shown. For tho method to be effective every COW
and steer in the county must 60 through the bath
once every two weeks during the season.
The ticks clinging to the cattle are killed by
the nrsenical bath. Those that attach themselves
before the next bath are killed in that immersion
before they have time to lay eggs. Those forced
70 1ofn IN
arSencal bath used in dipping cattle for ticks
was developed by federal inspectors in Texas