The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1921-08-18
WHAT ANTHRAX IS
AND HOW IT WORKS
CONTINUED from Page onel

such cases have been discovered in
bands when rounded up for vaccina
ton Most of the cattle appear to con-
tract the internal form of the disease
| by infection taken through their d.
gestive tract in water or infected feed
They show little or no marked dis
turbance In health other than depres-
sion manifested by an abnormal de
sire to lie down. Soon this mere de
preston develops into intense physi
cal weakness. stimulating local or gen
eral palsy. after which the animal Is
unable to rise to its feet and die
without much struggle. When sucl
cases are detected in the first stage
of depression and incipient genera
weakness liberal dosages of anti-an-
! thrax surum will save their lives but
when the disease has seriously In.
vaded the vital organs recovery il not
| TO be looked for.
THE area now involved extends
iiobi bto0d W W oOihC ~ nllltS WEST
of Battle Mountain and Is confined at
| present to the lands on each side OF
the Humboldt river. No cases have so
far been reported above or below
these two points. but 1t is essential
that a sharp lookout be kept for fur
Their extension of the trouble. This
matter Is very urgent, for by the
| agency OF flies, the natural ranging OF
exposed animals and the flow of the
river 1t is only natural that additional
/ territory may soon be involved. The
ranches not yet affected are being ap
praised of their danger and being
urged to have their animals immun.
lied (vaccinated) before he disease
makes its appearance among their
stock. Horses. cattle. sheep and
swine can and have been successfully
protected against anthrax by ,acclna-
tion. The only hope of controlling the
situation is to yaccinate the stock
in the path of the spreading infection
for when thus immunized they will
not contract the disease when ex-
posed, and thus the focus OF an out
break can be hemmed in by a wide
belt of country On which vaccinated
animals act as a barrier in the same
way as incombustible matter may be
used to arrest the spread of fire.
Losses Heavy In Places
While the losses form the disease
have been quite heavy on some
ranches. largely through temporizing,
the total loss is not yet anything like
what II might be. There is no need
for paralyzing alarm on the part of
owners. but there Is urgent need for
them to appreciate the seriousness of
the situation and take steps In CO.
operation with the state veterinary
authorities to promptly vaccinate and
especially to thoroughly cremate dis
eased carcasses, which are the chief
sources from which additional infec-
ton Is spread upon the land in the
water and by flies.
THE governor. being appraised by
the state quarantine officer. DR.. Ed
ward Records. OF the facts as gath
cred and reported by the field agents.
has. under the statutes OF the state.
proclaimed a quarantine district in
respect to anthrax among horses, cat
tie. sheep and swine. This district
roughly extends for rs to IS miles on
each side of the Humboldt river from
the eastern boundary OF Eureka
county to Golconda. in the eastern
portion Of Humboldt county
mo satisfactory explanation for the
present outbreak has yet been arrived
at In spite of the many inquiries as to
previous history of any such disease
in the present area 1t is known TO
science that the germs of anthrax In
the spore form may exist In the soil
for many years after becoming i'm
P.A.ssSN al thC SOii injected dead
animals. The probability is that in
some time past (recently or remote)
the disease was introduced in the
natural or commercial movement of
cattle incident to which few or
many animals died without a cause
being definitely determined. In some
such way it is easy to conjecture that
foci of soil infection were established.
The spring Of 1921 has been season
of unusually high water on the Hum
boldt-high water prevailed from
March is to June 15-with inunda-
ton of pastures, enormous soil dis
turbances and. as the waters receded.
the creation of an exceptional num-
Der Of sloughs. Such telluric condi-
tions are favorable to the dissemina-
ton and propagation of soil germs.
Therefore II seems reasonable to as-