Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1925-01-03
EMBARGO ON
POULTRY STILL
BARS SHIPMENT
Government Appropriates Millions
Of Dollars To Fight European
Fowl Pest
TURKEYS, GEESE, AND
DUCKS NOT AFFECTED

Embargoes on live chickens are still
in force. Local dealers have received
instructions from city buyers to hold
shipments. A letter received by B.
r. Sturgis states that no live birds are
allowed to pass thru New Jersey, al
though N. Davis & Sons succeeded in
getting a small shipment into New
York, just how it is not clear. Fowls
getting into that city all come from
upstate.
The local buyers are still purchas-
ing and either holding for orders OF
dressing for shipment as there is no
embargo on dead birds
The U. S. is taking steps to fight
the fowl disease, which is a European
invasion. $4,000 has been provided
for investigation, and already the
wheels of the Government have be-
gun to turn.
This is the first time in history that
European fowl pests has appeared in
this country. 1t was first discovered
in Italy in 1878, and since that time
has spread north, west and east. 1t
is now prevalent in Germany, France,
Belgium, Austria and Hungary. 1t
first was discovered in this country on
some of the big Eastern poultry mar
kets and was called to the attention
of the Government by DR.. V. A.
Moore, of Cornell University. His
diagnosis Of the disease was confirm
ed by Federal experts.
DR.. J. R. Mohler, chief of the Fed
eral Bureau of Animal Industry, has
sent 1870 letters of instruction to the
bureau inspectors in all parts of the
country, giving details of methods
and measures to be adopted in eradi-
eating the plague wherever found in
preventing it's possible spread. In this
control work use will be made of all
such flexible forces of the Govern
ment as inspection, tuberculosis eradi-
cation and others.
AS this disease never has appeared
in the United States before there is
no available literature on the subject.
In recent statement, DR.. Mohler de-
scribes the disease as follows: cit is
very acute infectious disease af-
| fecting particularly chickens, turkeys
and geese. Blackbirds, sparrows, owls.
hawks and other birds also contract
the disease, while water fowl and
pigeons are resistent, Mammals, in
cluding the human, are not suscepti-
BILE. The infective agent is present in
the blood and various tissues of the
bird. 1t is SO very small that it pas
ses thru the finest pores of filter and
no microscope is powerful enough to
detect it.
''The disease is characterized by its
extremely infectious nature, rapidly
progressing course aad high mortali-
ty. The infected fowl loses it's appe-
tite, has an irregular walk, and be-
comes very droopy. The feathers are
ruffled, and there is considerable
prostration, with swelling and dark
ening Of the comb and wattles. The
bird lives as rule, from two to five
days. 1t apparently may be in good
condition in the morning and be found
dead in the evening as result of
having the disease in very acute
FORM"
There is no remedy for the disease
from medical standpoint, according
! to Dr. Mohler. The aim should be to
prevent the spread of the infection.
Sick fowls should be killed immediate
ly and the carcasses burned or buried
deeply. The healthy fowls should be
moved to new quarters and carefully
watched for signs of the disease.
Houses and runs should be thor
oughly cleaned at frequent intervals,
DR.. Mohler says, and disinfected with
5 er cent. carbolic acid solution.
The drinking water may be made an
tiseptic by adding one-third teaspoon
full of permanganate of potash to each
gallon, procedure which serves to
prevent the spread of the disease thru
water and which also is a convenient
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