South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-01-15
AGRICULTURE and STOCK-RALSLNG
CAUSE
OF HEAVY LOSS IN
HERDS OF CATTLE
Agricultural Department Ex
plains Plague Spreading
Over Europe.

WASHINGTON. D. c.. Jan. IL
Readers Of recent news articles re-
porting the destruction Of cattle in
European countries by cattle plague
are making inquiry OF the United
States department Of agriculture re-
garding the nature Of this disease.
For the information Of stockmen
in this country. the department has
issued the following statement:
1t IS not strange that cattle plague.
known IN veterinary literature as
rinderpest should be unfamiliar 70
American livestock owners as. for
tunately IL never has appeared in
the United States.
As the name signifies, il is
veritab.e cattle plague. Prior 10 the
great world war, IL had been driven
back from Europe. but today IL ia
ravaging the herds Of several OF the
European countries which were in
vOlved in the recent war In this re-
spect history is repeating itself, for
extension OF the disease into Europe
from Asia in previous years has
been associated with the great wars;
cattle accompanying troops having
acted as disseminatOrs Of the infeC-
ton. Thus, if for no other reason,
w may credit the reports that the
bOlshevik army by driving diseased
cattle ahead Of their forces has
spread rinderpest among the cattle
OF Poland to such an extent that Il
| threatens almost complete destruc-
ton Of Polish herds.
Fever First Symptom.
The symptom of rnderpest are
not very characteristic. Certain ap-
pearances which are observed in one
epizoatic-which, in veterinary med
icine, means the same as epidemic"
as applied to diseases Of man-may
| be absent in another. Among the
| first signs, however, ia a very high
/ fever. Repeated chills may be OBJ
| served. The animal manifests great
| debility. The head drOOps and rests
] on some object for support. The
| hair stands on end and the muzzle
Is dry. In dairy cows the secretion
4 of milk diminishes very rapidly.
| The back ia arched, and the four
legs are brought together under the
| body. As the disease progresses. the
| mucous membranes become redden-
! ed: diarrhea soon sets in, and the
discharges become fetid. viscid. and
| streaked with blood. Coughing is a
| common symptom and ulcers, or So
| called erOsiOns. may appear in the
mouth followed by sloughing. There
may also be slouEhing OF the skin
in various portions Of the body In
I severe cases. which are the most
common in the susceptible cattle OF
western Europe. death ensues four
to seven days after the first appear
ance of the disease and is preceded
by great emaciation and debility.
Barred From United States.
What are the possibilities of rim
derpest being introduced into the
United States? While the disease
may be spread by the raw products
OF affected animals. I'm most in
stances IL is disseminated by infected
animals, in the ordinary traffic with
cattle. Cattle are highly susceptible
to the disease. Sheep. goats. deer,
and camels are also susceptible.
| None of these animals can be i'm
| ported into the United States from
! countries across seas without "A per
nit from the secretary Of agricul-
ture, and permits are not issued for
! impOrtations from countries in
which rinderpest exists. This elm
mates the chief source Of danger.
i Under regulations issued jointly
by the department Of agriculture and
the treasury department, importa-
ton into the United States OF any
animal by-products taken or re-
moved from animals affected with
anthrax. fOot-and-nouth disease, on
rinderpest is prohibited. Hides OF
meat cattle, calf-skinS. buffalo
hides. sheepskins goatskins.
deerskins offered for entry into the
United States must be subject 20 dis
infection in an approved manner
unless it can be shown that rinde-.
pest does not exist i'm the locality
where the shipment originated. Thus
every possible effort il being made
10 protect the live stock OF the
United States from cattle plague OF
the old world