San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-18

MALADY CAN
Be HANDLED
u. S. Keeps Down Disease
by Maintaining Unceas-
ing Vigilance.
CATTLE ARE WATCHED
Guard Against Admission
Of Cattle From Infected
Territories.

Washington, ID. C., March IL
The United States is one of the few
great livestock producing countries
which has demonstrated its ability
TO cope with the dreaded foot-and-
mouth disease. The well-nigh i'm
munity which this country enjoys.
however. is maintained only at the
expense of unceasing vigilance and the
utmost cooperation between federal
authorities and those of the several
states.
This diSense. one of the most in
fictitious and serious affecting animals
with cloven hOofs. is produced by n
minute germ and when once developed
spreads with great rapidity. There
is no known cure for il and the prac-
ticc followed is to stamp it out in
the most ruthless manner. All ami
mails having symptoms of the disease
are killed at once and the carcasseS
burned and others, which may have
been exposed. are subjected to the
most rigid quarantine. In most in
stances the sheds where the animals
have been housed are burned but il
this is not practicable they are
thoroughly disinfccted and all animals
placed therein later are kept under
observation.
Losses Are Divided.
The losses resulting when this dis
case strikes herd Of cattle are
divided into three parts. The federal
government has an appropriation from
,,shi III NF ltp snt Ia 10 N
one-third their value and like
course is pursued by the state gov
eminent. The owner must bear one
third of the loss himself.
The European countries have no
such system of combating the dis
ease among their cattle and from time
to time their herds are decimatcd by
an outbreak of this Scourgc. Eng
land has but recently gotten one such
outbreak under control. The result
is that the only places on The other
side OF the Atlantic from which cattle
may be shipped TO the United States
are Scotland and the islands of Jer-
sey and Guernsey.
With view of protecting the herds
in this country the Bureau OF Animal
Industry. Department of Agriculture.
not only have veterinarians stationed
at all ports of entry but they have
experienced men listed in all cattle
raising communities. Within an hour
after news OF an outbreak reaches
Washington orders will be sent out
to the regular and reserve officers OF
this diseGse-defense army and the
work of stamping it out begins at
once.
The fact that foot-and mouth dis
ease is prevalent throughout South
and Central America neccssitates the
utmost precautions in the admission
Of cattle from Mexico. 1t is pointed
out by DIR. John r. Mohler. chief of
the bureau. that while the disease has
not been reported in the republic
south Of the Rio Grande it is known
TO exist in Guatemala and while not
admitted by the authorities of Hon
duras Guatemala insists that the in
fcction which caused heavy losses
there recently came from her neigh
Dor. Jamaica is another place where
the disease exists in cpiz0otic form
and not only are cattle from there not
admitted but the same course is pur-
sued with reference to hides and skins
shipped from Kingston.
In Il circular recently issued DIR.
Mohler requests that not only federal
and state officers but everyone in
terested in the livestock industry re-
port at once any suspicious case. 1t
will be investigated without delay
and by prompt action the disease can
be stamped out and the losses kept
down.