The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1904-1985, 1927-11-24
Blackleg Found in
County; Measures for
CONT ol of the Disease

noted in the Pickens-FranklinR Richland
section of the county, which should lead
cattlemen to observe precautions that
this highly contagious disease may not
become an epidemic. The outbreak has
been scattering so far, with light loss.
To forewarn the people with needed in
formation, c. ]. Goodell dairy special
ist, was asked to prepare the following
article for publications:
Blackleg causes the loss of valuable
dairy animals from time to time in this
and other sections of the country. Ac-
cording to authorities, the only effective
and reliable means known for protecting
animals against this disease is vaccina-
tion. This has been thoroughly tried
and proved to be effacious Vaccination
twice year of all cattle from four or
five months to two years old is a cheap
insurance against loss from blackleg
in sections where the disease has ex-
listed in past years. A blackleg vaccine
outfit can be bought for about SIPS
and the pellets cost about one dollar
for each bottle of ten. Directions for
the use Of blackleg vaccine accompany
the packages and should be closely fol-
lowed.
The following description of how in
fection is spread is quoted from Far
mers' Bulletin 1855, by John R. Mohler,
Chief of the Bureau of Animal Industry
Of the United States Department of Ag-
riculture.
"When blackleg occurs with more or
less regularity in a pasture, feed lot,
or stable, it is due to the presence of
the blackleg germ either in the ground
of thees places or in materials Coarse
feed, etc. brought there regularly.
Whenever an animal becomes affected
the germs multiply by the million in the
system, and their liberation, through
natural or artificial means, tends to pre-
serve, increase, or spread the infection.
When attempts are made to doctor af-
fected animals by opening the swellings
the infection is scattered with the bloody
discharge. Infection may be spread
over wide areas by dogs, wolves, coy
otes, and buzzards which attack and de-
vour the carcasses of animals that have
died of blackleg.
at is therefore of the utmost impor-
tance that cattle owners in infected dis
tricts realize that an animal affected
Win DldCkleS Ildy pe IHe CduSe VI SUI
sequent losses from the same disease,
perhaps not Immediately, but within a
period of years to follow; and it can
rot be too urgently recommended that
they make every effort to reduce the
danger by taking adequate measures to
destroy as completely as possible this
source of renewed infection"
Carcasses of animals that have died
from blackleg should be burned. This
can be done by digging a trench the
length of the animal about 18 inches
wide and two feet deep, filling with
wood and placing across it green poles
about 4 inches in diameter. The car
cass should be placed on the poles over
the wood and about two quarts of ker-
osene should be applied when the fire
is started.
The symptoms of blackleg are easily
recognized by those familiar with the
disease. The swelling of some part of
the body and the peculiar cracking
sound which accompanies a stroking of
the skin over this part is an impor-
tant and characteristic symptom Ac-
cording to DR.. Mohler, with very few
exceptions the disease terminates ia
tally, death generally occurring in IL
to 36-hours after the first appearance
of the symptoms. A few cases linger
from three to four days, and the dis
ease may occasionally terminate in re-
coVery