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WASHINGTON:

1882.

THE DISSEMINATION

HOW -TO CON TROQb Et

GOVERNMENT PRINTING Oi CE.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
SPECIAL REPORT —No. 80.

Me) TEXAS FEVER OF CATTLE,

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_ |.$. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
i SPECIAL REPORT—No. 50.

THH DISSEMINATION

TEXAS FEVER OF CATTLE

now TO CONTROL ET.

WASHINGTON:
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.
1882. ¥

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SPLENIC OR TEXAS CATTLE FEVER.

During the past two months Texas fever of cattle has prevailed in
many localities in.the Northern States, and, as is generally the case,
has proved very fatal. The department has received many letters and
telegrams from farmers and stock raisers asking for assistance and ad-
vice, and itt some cases, where the disease was prevailing to a great ex-
tent and in a most destructive form, promptly responded by dispatching
a competent veterinarian to the locality of the outbreak. Dr. Hunt, of
the State board of health of New Jersey, was directed to proceed to
Berks County, Pennsylvania, and investigate the cause of an outbreak
of a very fatal disease among cattle in North Heidelberg Township, of
that county. Some thirty head of cattle had died before his arrival
there, and but two mildly affected ones remained. These cases he did
not regard as typical, and as he was unable to secure an affected animal
for post-mortem examination, he could not determine the exact nature
of the malady. As the disease seems to have originated in the locality,
and has since disappeared, the presumption is that it was not splenic
fever.

In the latter part of July, Mr. R. C. Saunders, of Evington, Campbell
County, Virginia, visited the department, and stated that Texas cattle
fever was prevailing in a most malignant and fatal form in that county,
and, on behalf of himself and neighbors, asked that a veterinarian be
dispatched to the locality of the outbreak. Dr. Salmon, who was then
engaged in an investigation of this disease in North Carolina, was
ordered, by telegraph, to at once proceed to the above-named locality
and report to Mr. Saunders, and afford whatever relief was in his power.

A meeting of the citizens of the county was held immediately upon
his arrival there, and measures were at once instituted for the preven-
tion of the further spread of the malady. From information furnished
by the stock raisers who attended this meeting, it was learned that cat-
tle valued at $15,000 had already been lost by the disease.

On August 7, Dr. James E. Reeves, of Wheeling, secretary State
board of health of West Virginia, wrote the department that ‘‘an ex-
ceedingly fatal, specific, communicable fever of cattle has appeared in
the county of Brooke, and the State board of health has been appealed
to for assistance. The disease made its appearance about the 20th of
last month among native cattle, soon after the herding among them of
several lots shipped directly from Alabama. The symptoms point un-
mistakably to splenic fever.”

4 SPLENIC OR TEXAS CATTLE FEVER.

Mr. James Mairs, of Steubenville, Ohio, both telegraphed and wrote
the Department, on August the 15th, stating that he had lost sixteen
head of cattle by Texas fever, that the disease was still raging on his
and adjoining farms, and asked the department to send a veterinary
surgeon to give advice for the suppression and further spread of the
malady. Dr. William. B. E. Miller, the veterinary inspector of the De-
partment at Camden, N. J., was directed by telegram to proceed to the
locality of the outbreak, and give such assistance and advice as he
might deem necessary. His detailed report of this outbreak, as also
that which occurred in Brooke County, West Virginia, will be found
below.

Mr. F. D. Curtis, agent of the department at Charlton, N. Y., on the
26th ultimo wrote as follows:

Texas cattle fever has appeared at Cortland and Weedsport, N. Y. A number of
cattle have died. The infected farms have been quarantined. The disease came from
Texas cattle pastured on these farms. Native cattle afterwards allowed to run on
these fields contracted the disease.

Mr. John Choate, Auburn, N. Y., sheriff of Cayuga County, on Au-
gust 30 wrote the department that Texas cattle fever had made its ap-
pearance in that county, and that many of the finest animals in that
section were dying of the disease.

On the 4th instant, Mr. O. C. Curier, Bridgewater, Dak., telegraphed
the Commissioner as follows: ;

Texas cattle fever has broken out in our best herds. Infected by Southern cattle
brought into locality.

Below will be found a detailed report of the outbreak in Ohio and
West Virginia, forwarded by Dr. Miller, who made the examination,
and a timely paper from the pen of Dr. D. E. Salmon.

THE OUTBREAK IN OHIO AND WEST VIRGINIA.

Hon. Gro. B. LORING,
Commissioner of Agriculture :

Sir: In comphance with instructions from your department I at once
proceeded to Steubenville, Ohio, arriving there on the evening of the 17th
instant. On inquiry 1 found the farm of Mr. James Mearsto be situated
near Richmond, an inland town 12 miles distant. Early on the morning
of the 18th I drove to his farm. I found Mr. Mears at home, and from
him obtained the following information: About a month prior to this
time he purchased twenty-six Cherokee and Missouri steers at the stock-
yards at Saint Louis, Mo. He shipped them to Steubenville, Ohio, via.
Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Saint Louis Railroad, and drove them to
his farm near Richmond, Ohio, along the public highway. He could
give no positive history of their travel prior to the time of purchase,
only so far as the statement of the party from whom he bought them
could be taken for the facts, which was that he brought them from South-
western Missouri.

About a week or ten days after their arrival at the farm he went to -

SPLENIC OR TEXAS CATTLE FEVER. 5

the pasture-field to give them some salt, and found one of them dead.
He thought but little of that occurrence, as he often had one or two
cattle in a lot of newly-purchased stock to die before they had thoroughly
recovered from the effects of long shipment, and supposed this to be a
similar case. A few days after he had occasion to cross the pasture
again, and was surprised at finding four animals dead and several others
sick. He then became alarmed, and called in a local cow doctor, who,
after opening and examining one of the animals that died while he was
upon the premises, informed Mr. Mears that he thought it to be ‘“* Texas
Fever,” as the symptoms of those then sick and the post-mortem appear-
ances of the dead were very similar to what he had recently seen de-
seribed (in a work on the ‘diseases of cattle) when suffering or dying
from that disease. He was not positive, however, as he had never be-
fore seen a case of it, and advised Mr. Mears to correspond with your de-
partment at Washington, and have the matter investigated. He also
consulted his neighbors and some of the local authorities concerning the
outbreak, and they coincided with the doctor, and thought it the proper
plan to ascertain to a certainty just what the disease was, and then
they would know how to proceed i in thematter. Mr. Mears acted accord-
ingly.

From the time of discovery of the first dead animal, thirteen had died
in the herd of twenty-six. Another herd, pasturing in a field a half mile
distant (but immediately adjoining the public road, along which the in-
fected herd had been driven), had become infected and three of them
had died, making sixteeninall. Irepaired to the pasture-field in which
were the thirteen animals left of the original twenty-six. I found twelve
of them together, one of which, apparently, was suffering from the effects
of the disease. In another part of the pasture was an animal appar-
ently in the last stages of the malady, while the other eleven were ap-
parently unaffected or entirely recovered. Mr. Mears pointed out eight
of the animals that had been sick, as he thought, but at this time they
showed no other external indications of illness than a hollow appear-
ance at the flanks, together with a loss of flesh. The animal first men-
tioned as suffering from the effects of the disease was still very weak,
and walked with a staggering gait; he was much emaciated, was un
willing to move about, ‘and while apparently convalescing, was still a
very sick animal. The one found by itself was evidently suffering in-
tense pain, as his groans could be heard quite a long distance from where
he was found. His pulse at time of visitation was about 90°, respiration
50, temperature 107°. He was lying on his left side in the bottom of a
shallow stream of water, and could not be forced to move, and Mr. Mears
just here informed me that several of the animals had died in this stream
in the same position, thus showing a tendency to seek a wet or watery
place when nearing the fatal termination of the disease, either for seclu-
sion or to quench their excessive thirst. Mr. Mears stated that as soon
as one of the animals became very sick he would isolate himself from
the others, and would stand and gaze vacantly into space, as though
perfectly unmindful of passing events, but would start and run when-
ever approached by a person, and endeavor to hide himself again, and
would continue in that way until near the fatal stage of the disease,
when he would lie down, and from that time would refuse to move or to
care for any person or thing. He also stated that a few of the animals
appeared to be wild when first infected, and would act as if they would
attack any person who would approach them. One or two of them were
so severely handled that they suffered apparently from convulsions.

On visiting herd No. 2 in another pasture-field, I found twelve fine,

6 SPLENIC OR TEXAS CATTLE FEVER.

fat steers which had been purchased and brougnt to the farm in the
same plan and manner as herd No. 1, about a month before the pur-
chase of the infected herd (or No. 1). As before stated, three of this
herd (originally composed of fifteen head) had died. I found two sick,
one of these evidently in the very first stages of the disease. Being
desirous of making post-mortem examinations of animals in the first
stages, as well as of those that had died of the disease, I asked for and
obtained permission to slaughter this animal. Before doing so, how-
ever, I secured the animal for ante-mortem examination.

To all appearances, to an inexperienced person, this animal might have
passed for one perfectly well, particularly so if they had attempted an
examination without having first secured the patient. On taking the
pulse I found it to be about 80, respiration about 45, but somewhat ac-
celerated by our efforts to secure the patient. The respirations in this
case were not labored, but short and rapid. The visible membranes
were injected and reddened, mouth hot and dry. The urine was voided
during examination, and was almost coffee-colored, and the act of uri-
nation was attended with apparent pain. An attempt was also made
to detecate, but was attended with but little success, at first the feces
being scanty and hard. A second attempt, however (made while the
thermometer was inserted in the rectum), was more successful, and the
discharge was softer in consistency. The temperature was 1063° F. I
then slaughtered the animal, bleeding him precisely as I would if he
was being slaughtered for food. His fore leg and shoulder were re-
moved, after which the ribs were carefully taken off, one by one, from
their attachments at the spinal column; the abdominal muscles were
carefully removed, and the entire abdominal and thoracic viscera ex-
posed without displacement, thus giving a full view of the entire con-
tents on one side. The first object to attract attention was the spleen,
which was very much enlarged and thickened. ‘The serous membrane
of this, as well as the other organs, was highly colored; blood-stained
spots could be seen, and ecchymosis pervaded all over the organ. On
attempting to remove the spleen it was found to be so softened that it
would searcely hold together, and was torn in several places before it
was successfully removed. The pericardium contained within its walls
considerable effusion partially mixed with blood. The omasum was
considerably impacted, its contents being dry and hard. ‘The liver was
somewhat enlarged and its capsule torn in one or two places. It was
straw-colored, and very different from one in perfect health. The gall-
bladder was very much distended, and being filled with bile, which in
color resembled port wine or dark molasses, and was about the consist-
ency of tar. When poured out on a board the contents were so thick .
that they would scarcely run. The urinary bladder was entirely empty,
owing to the fact that the animal voided his urine just a few minutes
before death. The bladder, when cut open and turned inside out,
showed considerable inflammation. The lining membrane was injected,
thickened, and irritated, and several large blood-stained spots appeared
upon it. The kidneys were enlarged and showed in their medullary
portion considerable inflammation. In one—the left—there was about
a tablespoonful of pus confined in and around the medullary and pel-
vic portion, and the kidney itself at this point had begun to take on a
process of decay. The stomach and other portions of the whole intes-
tinal tract showed no other than a normal condition, except the impac-
tion of the omasum referred to above.

The lungs were apparently in a normal condition, except a very small
portion of one of the inferior lobes of the left, which had undergone a

SPLENIC OR TEXAS CATTLE FEVER. yi

condition of hepatization. There was quite a quantity of serum floating
in the thoracic cavity, which, together with the little affection of the
lung, might indicate that this animal had been suffering from a slight
attack of pneumonia at the time of incubation of present disease. There
was also some inflammation of the bronchia, and the larger tubes con-
tained quite a quantity of mucous deposit; the tongue and lining mem-
branes of the buccal cavity were slightly reddened in appearance, but
were otherwise in a healthy condition. The carcass was then buried
and we left the pasture.

On the morning of the 19th I again visited Mr. Mears’ farm pasture;
found the animal referred to as being very sick yesterday dead, it hayv-
ing died about two hours before. I immediately prepared for a post
mortem of the carcass. On exposing the internal viscera, as in the preced-
ing case, the first object to excite curiosity was the spleen, which, in
this instance, was almost black, and on touching the capsule it broke
open, and the contents were found to be semi-solid, in fact almost liquid,
and escaped and ran over the walls of the stomach when I made an
effort to remove the spleen. The organ itself was more than three times
its usual size. The gall-bladder was filled with viscid bile, black as tar,
and semi-solid. The urinary bladder was filled to its utmost capacity ;
the contents were thick and very dark-colored, almost black. The
lining membrane of the organ was very much irritated, thickened, and
hardened. The kidneys were very much enlarged, softened in the
medullary and pelvic portions, and were filled with viscid pus. The liver
was enlarged and softened, and was almost corn-colored in appearance.
The heart was normal in size, and the ventricles were filled with serum.
Much serum was also found floating in the thoracic and abdominal
cavities. The blood that escaped from the vessels when cut apart was
thin and watery in appearance, and the vessels themselves did not
appear to contain the usual quantity of blood. The lungs were con-
siderably enlarged, the air cells and the larger bronchi being filled
with mucous deposit. The stomachs were distended, the omasum being
filled and impacted until it was so hard that it could scarcely be cut
with a knife. Inflammatory products were poured out along the whole
intestinal tract; the rectum was filled with dry, hard feces, and the
mucous membrane of all the organs was inflamed and irritated. Decom-
position was rapidly going onin all parts of the animal, and the stench
arising therefrom was very offensive.

I now took occasion to point out to the farmers and stock raisers,
many of whom were present during my examinations of the two animals,
the danger of the spread of this disease to adjoining farms from the care-
less manner in which the carcasses of those first dying had been allowed
to lie just where they had died, unburied or unburned. The dogs had
eaten of their carcasses, and had dragged portions through adjoining
fields and pastures until, through the complaint of some of the neighbors,
the carcasses had been covered with dirt or burned, having been exposed,
however, from one to two weeks prior to that event. I also cautioned
all those interested against driving stock along the public road over
which these cattle had been driven, and which runs directly through
Mr. Mears’ farm and along his pasture fields. I also advised the imme-
diate quarantine of the infected premises, and the transfer, sale, or in-
terchange of cattle in the immediate vicinity, or from the premises, for
at least ninety days.

_ Having concluded my examination, I had the carcass buried and dis-
posed of as in the former case, and returned again to Steubenville. I
then learned, through a local daily paper, of the existence of a disease

8 SPLENIC OR TEXAS CATTLE FEVER.

among the cattle in Brooke County, West Virginia, which was thought
to be “ Texas Fever,” and [thought best to visit that State while so near
by, and ascertain the truth of the matter. Accordingly, I drove from
Steubenville to Wellsburgh, W. Va.,on Sunday morning, August 20,
and ealled upon W. K. Curtis, M. D., a prominent physician “of that
town, and also the president of the county board of health of Brooke
County. From Dr. Curtis [obtained the following information : During
the early part of the summer J. H. Curtis and son, “the father and brother
of the doctor, purchased two or three car loads of young cattle at dif-
ferent times in the State of Alabama and brought them to their farm,
near Bethany, Brooke County, West Virginia, where they disposed of
them to other farmers of that section who saw fit to purchase. The
last car load was brought north about the middle or latter part of the
month of June, and immediately disposed of. In a short time a choice
milch cow belonging to Mr. J. KE. Curtis became sick, and ina few days
died. Shehad been kept by herself, but run upon the pasture land oe-
cupied by the Alabama cattle while they were in Mr. Curtis’s possession.
About the same time several of the parties who had purchased cattle of
Mr. Curtis had sickness among their animals, and in a few days several
deaths had occurred.

The citizens thus became alarmed, and Dr. Curtis, as president of the
county board of health, was summoned to look into the matter. He
at once pronounced the disease ‘Texas Fever,” and decided that Al-
abama cattle brought into that section by his father and brother were
the source of infection, and immediate steps were taken to prevent the
farther spread of the disease if possible, by alarming the public and
urging them to cease the trafficin cattle. Dr. Curtis, together with the
other members of the county board of health, all of whom are prac.
ticing physicians, made post mortem examinations on several of the ani-
mals that died or were slaughtered for the purpose, and their description
of the appearance of the animals compares so favorably with what I
found in the second animal, at Mr. Mears’ place in Ohio, that I deem it
unnecessary to report it here. I was positive of the nature of the dis-
ease existing there, even before I had seen a case of it. Accompanied
by Dr. Curtis I then drove to Bethany, a distance of eight miles, and
visited several farms where they had the disease. Fortunately most of
those that had it kept but very few cattle, or their losses would have
been greater. My examination of the cases seen confirmed the opinion
of Dr. Curtisand my own suspicions, as without hesitation I pronounced
it “Texas or Splenic Fever.” I continued my investigations on the
morning of the 21st of August, and the result of the whole may be
summed up as follows:

J. EK. Curtis, Bethany, Brooke County, West Virginia, one cow died
after first attack.

Moscow Davis, Bethany, Brooke County, West Virginia, had three
cows infected; two have recovered, one still sick. Temperature at.
time of visitation on the evening of August 20, 1073.

Hugh Mitchell, Bethany, Brooke County, bad two cows sick, one of
which’ died ; other still very sick. Temperature August 20, 107°, res-
piration 44, ’ pulse 86. Revisited this animal August 21, in the early
morning, and she died while I was there.

James P. Rogers, Bethany, Brooke County, has about 30 cattle, all
of which have ‘been exposed. Has had five sick, four of which have
died.

John Atkinson, Bethany, Brooke County, had one cow which was

SPLENIC OR TEXAS CATTLE FEVER. 9

kept entirely by herself, but came in contact with Mr. Rogers’ cattle,
when she took disease and died.

Mr. McCray, Bethany, Brooke County, has had four sick; all have
died.

Samuel Atkinson, Potomac, Brooke County, one cow sick, which died.

Mr. Buckhannon, Bethany, Brooke County, lost one animal; thought
it was from snake bite; al think he had splenic fever. He has
about fifty head of cattle. Some of them are Alabama cattle, purchased
from the first lots brought up from that State. All are perfectly well.

James Smith, West Liberty, Ohio County, West Virginia, brought
some cattle from Wetzel County, West Virginia, to his farm about four
months since. Some time after he lost a cow; doctor told him that she
died of laurel poisoning. There is no laurel anywhere in that section.
He has since lost seven others. He has had fourteen sick in all; some
are still sick.

John McIntyre, Ww ellsburgh, W. Va., has had four sick, and lost all.

On Monday afternoon, the 21st instant, I met the county board of
health and the county commissioners at Wellsburgh, and informed them
of the nature and extent of the disease then existing in that section
and the adjoining county, and also in the State of Ohio in the county
immediately across the river, and gave them all the information I possi-
bly could concerning the best method to adopt in order to prevent the
spread of the disease, and to ultimately eradicate it.

The commissioners, acting under my advice, immediately quarantined
the county, and took measures to prevent the interchange of cattle in
the infected localities for at least ninety days to come, to carefully
guard infected herds, disinfect infected localities, and to use every
available means to secure the desired object.

As a result of my investigations, both in Ohio and Bay Virginia, I
append the following summary :

DISEASE “ Splenic or Texas Fever.”

SourcE. Brought into Ohio by the purchase of and importation of
cattle from Southwestern Missouri, commonly known in the West as.
Cherokee cattle.

Number of cattle infected or exposed to date of visitation...-.......-....--..----- 41
otauemumbersick tOvdasterOL yISltMUON. duces sae one ssocee om ccna se eeoe sc ccicece sence 31
otainwumiberm ot deaths. sees - - sg 5 Soe ee einse tins Sea ese eas ees eee eee ace “18
ROTA GLAS eS Clke-s 5 Sas stone ida oe cise ee we ae 2 aol ne eee cleat. Sees So eve cams 3
RG ialsniimipererecoyeled sa semesecee ete ecine esc ere cee ecole eine ee Soe ene ce 10

OU les eer ponine wala cole we SES woop ea Sane R OoM cece so etac sccts See Mawem te cionse Ol

Brought into West Virginia by the purchase and importation of cattle
from the State of Alabama.

Total number of animals infected or exposed to date of visitation as far as known. 57

MOTAlentmMpeESlC keto Gale Ole viSlbablOMens s45. so. 5 oc co eee oer tin eee elsinis Saisie masa ot
ROD AEM GTEOteel GaSe eee eet aie te a ats an tom ecein cecil aye ante cies Se eiers = aeerae 22
4ioupulsorrianl ose dlt Rice As Aes RE Fe aa ee Se ae Se eee ese 8
Notalemmmubererecovieredioee sc. fees ssa caas meets a Jom coe teen ee se eeee maa aeee 7

You will thus see that upon combining the number sick in both States,
we have a total of 68, 40 of which had died, or about 66 per cent., not
including the chances of other deaths from those still sick. Of the
total number exposed in both States as far as known, 98 had incubated.
the disease at time of visitation. I observed another fact in connection
with this disease that is worthy of notice just here, and that was, that
nearly all of the animals that had escaped it were more or less mixed
with the genuine Texas stock, thus showing that it is more fatal to

10 SPLENIC OR TEXAS GATTLE FEVER.

native cattle, while the genuine Texas animal would seem to possess
an immunity against the disease.

I am also satisfied that it is both contagious and infectious, as it was
positively proven in the several instances wherein the animal infected
did not come in actual contact with any diseased animal at all, but re-
ceived the germs of disease from atmospherical or other sources.

There is great danger, therefore, of the spread of this disease all over
the country by the shipment of cattle from the South and West to the
Eastern States, either for slaughter or stock purposes. I have been in-
formed that it is prevailing to quite an extent in some portions of New
York State, and during the last month it has made its appearance in
New Jersey, and I believe the disease now existing in Berks County,
Pennsyivania (which the Pennsylvania authorities claim is “ anthraz,”
and not contagious, but entirely due to local causes), from the descrip-
tions given in all the locai papers, is the same.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, &c.,
WM. B. BE. MILLER, Do Ves:

CAMDEN, N. J., August 22, 1882.

THE DISSEMINATION OF TEXAS FEVER, AND HOW TO
CONTROL IT.

Hon. Gs&o. B. LORING,
Commissioner of Agriculture:

Str: In accordance with your directions, I respectfully submit the
following considerations in regard to the dissemination and prevention
of splenic or Texas cattle fever, which have been suggested by Dr. Mil-
ler’s report of outbreaks in Ohio and West Virginia.

In the first place, 1 would call attention to the fact that this is a dis-
ease with which the veterinary profession is not very familiar. The
outbreaks, though frequent, have generally occurred in the Southern,
Southwestern, or Western States, i in localities where, until very recently,
there have been no veterinarians; and when these have happened at
the North, the course of the disease has been so rapid that the profes-
sional man has had little opportunity to study its peculiarities before it
had exhausted itself by the death of all the susceptible animals exposed
to it. As a consequence, members of the profession at large have not
those clear ideas in regard to its origin, its dissemination, and the best
means of suppressing it which we should expect had they been for a
longer time in contact with it. And for this reason, while the veteri-
narian who has had little experience with it may recognize it at once
by the symptoms and post mortem appearances, we cannot expect him
to be as reliable a guide for the measures to be adopted in controlling the
plague as would be the case had he watched and studied it for years.

The quarantine of sick animals and infected grounds is so generally
applicable to infectious diseases as a class, and has been our chief re-
liance for so long, that it is not surprising to find it advocated for an
affection like Texas fever, which has the same general characters, even
though there are peculiarities in regard to it which may render this
measure, as generally applied, inexpedient or plainly objectionable. We
must not forget, however, that the owners of sick cattle and infected
grounds have certain rights as well as the public at large, and that
while it is our duty to assist the public in protecting itself by advocat,

SPLENIC OR TEXAS CATTLE FEVER. 1

ing such regulations as are necessary for accomplishing this end, it is
equally our duty to be certain that the regulations proposed are neces-
sary, and that they do not bear unduly upon the already suffering par-
ties, or restrict the business of the community further than is absolutely
essential.

To make it plain, therefore, what steps should be taken by the local
authorities in the case of such outbreaks of Texas fever as have recently
occurred in Ohio, West Virginia, New York, and other States, where
there is no permanent infection with the germs of this disease, it is
necessary to enter into some details concerning the spread of this in-
fection.

HOW IS TEXAS FEVER DISSEMINATED?

Those who have had much experience with Texas fever, who have
watched the outbreaks in the Northern States, who have followed its
ravages along the border line of the permanently infected district, and
have studied it in its native haunts, are practically unanimous in their
conclusion that the Southern cattle may only be separated from suscep-
tible ones by a board fence, or that they may even occupy the same
stable for an indefinite time, without causing the least appearance of
disease. There is equal unanimity in the conclusion that if these sus-
ceptible natives are placed upon grounds, even though these be roads,
yards, or commons to which the Southern cattle have had access within
two, four, or six months, they are liable to contract the disease in its
most virulent form. On the other hand, it is believed that the sick na-
tives have never conveyed the disease to other susceptible animals
either directly by contact or indirectly through the atmosphere or by
infecting the pastures on which theyrun. Having frequently seen sick
animals in the same lots with susceptible well ones, and having injected
considerable quantities of the blood of recently dead animals beneath
the skin of susceptible cattle without any transmission of the disease,
I am perfectly convinced that this opinion is correct, and that the sick
native animals are in no sense a source of the infection.

In regard to the danger of the disease being spread from the dead
carcass we cannot be so certain. My investigations indicate that the
germs of the disease exist in the spleen and liver, and it would not be
unreasonable to suppose that these organs carried about by dogs or
other animals might in certain cases be the means of infecting other
pastures. We do not know, however, that this has ever occurred.

The real danger, then, exists in the pastures or other grounds over
which Southern cattle, whether sick or well, have traveled, while the
sick natives are harmless.

The Southern cattle which convey the infection do not, as a rule, con-
tract the disease, but this rule is not without exceptions. The germs
of the disease are within their bodies, probably in their digestive organs,
possibly, also, in the liver and spleen, and though when in a vigorous con-
dition they are insusceptible to the influence of these germs, when ex-
hausted by the hardships of travel they frequently succumb to them.
There is, consequently, a distinction to be drawn between the sick na-
tive animals and those from the South which have sickened; the former
do not infect pastures, the latter in all probability do infect them.

We must not expect to find these facts accepted by all who observe
this disease, however; on the contrary, they are frequently contested,
and nowhere more emphatically than along the border line of the per-
manently infected district, where the disease is most common,and where
it is most important that they should be understood. The experienced
sanitarian will not be surprised at this; he knows that the same is truw

1 SPLENIC OR TEXAS CATTLE FEVER.

with all communicable diseases, and that it is precisely where these are
most common that there is the greatest doubt as to the manner of their
origin and dissemination. Every unbiased man is ready to admit, for
instance, that pleuro-pneumonia never occurs in this country unless it
is contracted from a previously sick animal, because the disease was
never known here before it was imported from Europe, and because it
never occurs now beyond the area obviously infected except by contagion.
And yet, when we consult the people of the infected districts, we find
that many are emphatic in their assertions that the disease occurs spon-
taneously as the result of certain conditions of the atmosphere or food,
and that it does not arise in all cases from contagion. The reason is
very plain. Thecontagion is so generally disseminated that it is impossi-
ble to trace a large number of the cases to their origin, and they are,
consequently, accepted as spontaneous. If we go to France, we find a
still more general acceptance of the opinion that this disease arises spon-
taneously, “and this is even shared by many members of the veterinary
pr ofession. But as the disease is becoming more circumscribed, and as
greater efforts are being made to trace the origin of the outbreaks, the
profession, at least, is oradually becoming convinced that it only arises
by contagion from ‘pre- existing cases.

Along ‘the border line for miles beyond the district permanently in-
fected with Texas fever, every road and common is infected in early
spring by thecontinuous movement of cattle, and it is not surprising that
many outbreaks of the disease can never be traced to their source. So,
too, in many cases where Southern cattle are carried farther north, an
unsuspected road or common is infected, and it long remains an unsolved
mystery how the native cattle contracted the disease. Again, people
frequently forget that foreign cattle were on their roads and pastures,
it may be three to five months before the outbreak of the disease; they
are almost as likely to forget that their own cattle have been on certain
roads or pastures within three to six weeks; they even forget that they
have purchased cattle lately enough to cause the infection, and in all
these cases they will assert most positively that their cattle have had no
opportunity to contract the plague in the ordinary way, and that, con-
sequently, it has been carried through the air or has originated spon-
taneously. A careful investigation, however, generally discovers the
infected grounds and the cattle which have caused them, and then every
one is surprised that that had not been thought of before.

I mention these facts to show the necessity of the greatest caution in
accepting explanations of outbreaks as valid which apparently contra-
dict the great mass of facts bearing on this or any other contagious dis-
ease. ;

Turning now to the outbreak in Ohio investigated by Dr. Miller, we
find that both lots of cattle were purchased in the Saint Louis stock-yards,
and that, at least, one lot was represented to have been purchased in
Southwestern Missouri. Lot No. 1 may have been infected when pur-
chased in Saint Louis, or, what is equally probable, it may have been a
mixed lot of animals—one or more coming from an infected district, while
the others were from farther north and susceptible to the disease. They
could not have all been from an infected district, for in that case there
would have been no deaths except during the first week after their ar-
rival, when exhausted by the journey. If none were from the infected
district, and the infection was contracted from grounds on which they
had been yarded during the journey, then the pasture on which they
died would not have been infected. There seems to be no data what-
ever for deciding this point.

SPLENIC OR TEXAS CATTLE FEVER. ie

In regard to the second lot, the impression conveyed by the report is
that they were infected by driving lot No. 1 along the road adjoining
their pasture. Considering that the infection has never been positively
known to have crossed a fence, I think a more satisfactory explanation
is possible under the circumstances. This lot, like the other, being pur-
chased in the Saint Louis stock-yard, was very likely composed of some
animals from an infected district, and others which were from uninfected
localities and consequently susceptible. Indeed, if all had been suscep-
tible we should have eee that a larger proportion would have con-
tracted the disease. The fact that they did not sicken until after the
first cases occurred in the other lot does not bear against this view,
since it is a matter of common observation that the disease frequently
does not occur until a certain season of the year, no matter how long the
pasture has been infected. Thus, cattle taken upon infected pastures
in early spring do not as a rule show any symptoms of the disease until
August, while those put upon the same pasture in July very often sicken
as soon. So that, if each lot had contained one or more animals capable
of infecting the pastures, it is not surprising that the disease occurred
ubout the same time in both cases, though one had been upon its past-
ure a month longer than the other.

West Virginia the Southern cattle seem to have been divided
among a number of farmers, and consequently, there must have been
abundant opportunity for the infection of roads, commons, and pastures.
While, therefore, the owners of some of the diseased native cattle may
have believed that these had not been upon infected grounds, it is alto-
gether probable that, as has happened in so many other cases, either
the owner was not cognizant of all the wanderings of his cattle for the
preceding three or four weeks, or that grounds which were not suspected
had been contaminated by the foreign animals.

I conclude, therefore, that there is not sufficient evidence in either of
these cases to show that Texas fever is disseminated in any other way
than by means of the infected roads, yards, or pastures; and I insist
more particularly upon this point because it furnishes the chief indica-
tions for the measures to be adopted in suppressing such outbreaks.

WHAT MEASURES SHOULD BE ADOPTED BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES FOR
SUPPRESSING TEXAS FEVER.

When such outbreaks occur as have recently become so frequent in
the Northern States, by the introduction of Southern cattle, it at once
becomes a matter for serious consideration with the local authorities to
decide what regulations should be enforced to protect the neighboring
cattle from infection. The extreme virulence of the disease, and the
suddenness with which large herds are almost exterminated, makes it
seem imperative that some very stringent measures should be adopted
at once. The alarm is as unexpected as though a fire had broken out,
and the emergency is so unprepared for that not unfrequently the ill-
considered regulations enforced result in more real loss to the community
than would be caused by the disease itself.

From a consideration of the facts which I have gone over, however,
it is very evident that it is unreasonable and unjust to compel the owner
of the Southern cattle to do more than keep these animals securely fenced
upon the infected pasture until after a killing frost, and to bury beyond
the reach of dogs any that may die. Where the infected pasture adjoins
aroad or neighbor’s field, on which there are susceptible animals, it
might be advisable, for ‘complete security, to build a second fence

14 SPLENIC OR TEXAS CATTLE FEVER.

which would keep the dangerous cattle from coming within a rod of such
road or field. But to go upon a man’s premises and kill his animals,
sick or well, and compel him to pay an exorbitant price for the slaughter
and burying, as may be done in outbreaks of this disease by the laws of
some States, is an outrage for which there is no justification in the char-
acters of the affection.

The Southern cattle may infect pastures and roads, but there is not a
particle of satisfactory evidence that they can disseminate the disease
in any other way; and after the first really severe frost such grounds
are no longer dangerous. If, therefore, these cattle are quarantined
upon the infected pasture where they cannot come within a rod of other
animals they can do no more harm. The sick native animals do not
propagate the disease either directly or by means of pastures; they are
consequently harmless, and it is questionable if the authorities should
interfere with them, farther than to prevent their sale for food while
diseased.

Finally, it must be a very extensive outbreak which will justify re-
strictions upon the ordinary traffic in the native cattle of any township
or county. Ifa farmer has one infected field, that certainly is no suffi-
cient reason why he should not be allowed to market animals which have
not been upon that field since it was infected; and it is even less rea-
son for quarantining his neighbors. It is true that the roads may be
infected and that cattle driven over them may be liable to contract the
disease, but this is by no means certain, and if the owner chooses to
take the risk he evidently has the right to do so, since he alone will suf-
fer. Ifa road is known to be infected a notice should be posted, in the
interest of the public, at the nearest cross-road in each direction, warn-
ing people of the danger of driving cattle over it; but the owner ‘of sus-
ceptible cattle is in no danger while he keeps them from the grounds
upon which those from the. South have traveled, and he, consequently,
needs no such unusual measures for his protection as is implied in a
general quarantine of all bovine animals.

It is plain, however, that the proper remedy is beyond all local regu-
lations; that it should prevent the infection of roads, commons, and
pastures, by prohibiting the introduction of cattle from the district per-
manently infected with Texas fever. This is a matter of infinite import-
ance to the country at large, but it is also one that has been and will
be attended with unusual difficulties and that will require the greatest
wisdom ande xperience to perfect its many details. It is doubtful if it
can ever be accomplished by the States individually, and it would seem
that some way must soon be devised by which the national government

can draw a line from the Atlantic to the Rocky Mountains, across which
all movement of cattle can be definitely controlled. If we are at present
in the absurd predicament that the States are unable to enforce effective
legislation because this is interfering with the prerogatives of the nation,
and that the latter can do nothing ‘because this would be violating the
rights of the States, there certainly ¢ can be no good reason, in this prac-
tical age and with our present standard of intelligence, why we should
not be ‘able to extricate ourselves whenever we are satisfied that this is
essential to our interests.

In cases where native cattle are upon infected pastures the owner

can do something towards checking the progress of the disease among
his stock by removing them at once to an uncontaminated field.

Respectfully submitted.

D. HE. SALMON, D. Vow.

ASHEVILLE, N. C., Sept. 15, 1882.

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