Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-06-12
FIGHTING CONTAGIOUS
ABORTION IN CATTLE

Boyden Bearce, the State live stock
sanitary commissioner, in a commu
nlcatlon to the farmers and herd
owners of Maine, declares that vet
erlnarians in their general practice
nave found and reported many cases
OF contagious abortion among cattle.
and 1t is realized that there are many
cases in the State that have never
been reported.
Diferent treatments have been
administered by the veterinarians. a
rev reporting good success with the
vaccine treatment, others no sue
cess" says Commissioner Bearce in
his communication.
"Carbolic acid. methylene blue and
other'advertised remedies have bean
used, but in most cases the contagion
has gone through the herd before any
halt has been made. We are in
formed that whenever treatment has
been successful, a change in sanitary
conditions, disinfectants, douches,
cleanliness and better care were the
requirements. Sanitary conditions
and disinfection are much more i'm
portant than drugs and medicine.
knowing well from q financial
standpoint that the disease of conta-
gious and infectious abortion in COWS
and heifers has caused more direct
and indirect loss than all other dis
eases combined. / have devoted, dur
ing my administration, more time to
its study and investigation than to
any other. True an animal seldom
dies with the disease, but when once a
herd becomes infected, it will remain
two or perhaps three years. depriv-
Ing the owner of his profit, and in
many cases it leaves the best cows
fit subjects for the butcher. The
dairyman knowing this, will some
times sell or trade an infected ami
NAL to a fellow dairyman. which is
very wrong, as it causes the DUR
chaser to suffer loss, and helps to
spread the disease.
EARLY in the year 1918, 4 four.
page bulletin on contagious abortion.
compiled by six well-known Maine
veterinarians in accordance with
their best knowledge and experience,
was printed by this department.
Copies of this bulletin are being sent
out through the mails every day on a
mission, the purpose of which is to
inform and assist herd owners.
THE idea of hiring a competent
man to go out among the herds af-
fected with abortion, to teach and
assist the dairymen in carrying out
the principles of disinfection and
sanitation as set forth in the bulletin,
was conceived in this department.
and the work is now being prosecut-
ed with the consent and approval of
the executive department. 1t has
been delayed owing to the great call
for men. and especially veterinari-
ans to war service. making compe-
tent help unavailable, but with the
return 10 conditions more nearly
normal, and skilled men returning
from the service to their accustomed
places. we have been fortunate in sc.
curing DR.. Raymond E. Libby.
specialist on this disease. l believe
this to be the most feasible plan for
the benefit and help Of the dariymen
whose herds are affected with conta-
gious abortion. and bespeak for DR..
Libby your cordial cooperation.
More cattle. better cattle, health
Ter cattle. is the slogan Of this de-
partment.''
As was recently stated in the Ken
nebec Journal. DR.. Raymond E. Lib
by. a specialist on this disease, has
been added to the staff of Commits
sioner Bearce and is now ready to
meet the farmers and dairymen at
their homes and suggest. advise and
put into execution the best method of
Graduating infections and contagious
abortion from their herds.
DR.. Libby II a native of Richmond
ana graduate Of Ontario College at