The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1940-09-27

Ap hA4ONf AAONNNNAg NAAoN NAAN
ban prevails, on the ground that
some Of the southern republics
meat harbors germs OF an unde-
sirable character. The Argentinos
deny this emphatically. They
want the ban lifted
Anyway, awhile ago we bought
an order Of Argentina canned beef
for our navy, not TO be imported
into our country in defiance OF our
sanitary ban, but to be loaded onto
such Of our warships as visited
Buenos Aires and eaten up at sea,
by our sailors.
It was a purchase which In
censed our North American cattle
men. Answering their howls, Pres
ident Roosevelt stated that 1t was
a handy transaction, that the stuff
cost less than II would have cost
here at home and that Argentine
beef is magnificent eating-which
is true, leaving germs out Of con-
sideration.
The essential point is that the
Argentinos say their meats as
germless as anybody's and there's
a good deal Of sentiment, strongly
unindorsed by our stockmen, in
favor Of having that Dan lifted
mainly toward the promotion Of
nice Pan Americanism.
Now, it happens that, not far
back, I lived for six years in Ar
gentina. ran farm there.
All the neighbors told me that
I ought to get some pigs. had
considerable corn, locally known as
maize, which wasn't very saleable.
Pigs, though, love ii, and pork was
In demand at excellent prices.
SO l bought couple Of hundred
of the critters.
The neighbors assured me espe-
cially that there was no such thing
as hog cholera in Argentina New
erless, those pigs shortly fell i'll Of
something. They were in bad
shape. From the nearby town Of
San Nicolas brought veterinary
surgeon to look at 'em.
Well" said this authority.
they've got aftosa, certainly"
"Aftosa" is the Argentine name
for foot-and-mouth disease.
But" continued the vet, "they
also have something else the mat
ter with 'em. II must be 'peste' Of
one sort or another"
I already knew that they had a
peste, but I wanted a more accu-
rate diagnosis. Accordingly, I
jumped on train and chased down
to Puenos Aires to consult the Ru-
raj society, which is Argentina's
last word on every agricultural or
pastoral subject.
Admitted to see the society's
boss scientist, I described my pigs
symptoms.
Why" said the expert, "your
pigs have cholera, unquestionably."
But, my gosh" exclaimed. q
thought there wasn't any hog
cholera in this country"
"Oh, yes" replied the vet. The
government doesn't admit It, be-
cause it doesn't want to discourage
swine culture, but we've got lots
Of IT,"
How about serum. then" In
quired.
I'VE have IT," said the chap, "but
we have TO be very careful about
giving It out. You see, the serum
gives a pig a mild case Of cholera
He gets over It and then he's i'm
mune, but while he's got 1t he can
pass 1t on to other pigs. Hence, un-
less we're discreet, we simply will
be scattering the disease all over.
You do this, then. Send US one of
your sick pigs. Wen examine him
and II we find, as I'm sure we will.
that he's a sure-enough cholera
patient, well give you the serum"
But how am I to get him
here? ?" queried.
Put him in crate" advised the
doc, "and send him by railroad ex-
press"
II don't believe" 1 reasoned,
that the railroad will accept such
a sick pig" I'll do myself this
much justice. I didn't say an ill"
Dig.