Oklahoma Farmer (Guthrie, Okla.), Vol. 17, No. 31, Ed. 1 Wednesday, December 16, 1908 Page: 1 of 16
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MONEY SPENT IN ADVERTISING IN THE OKLAHOMA FARMER MAKES QUICK RETURNS TO ADVERTISERS
I
Look after Your Cattle.
One diseased Animal may affect the entire herd
1 9 0 8.
50 Cents per Year
DECEMBER 16,
G U T I! R I E, 0 K L A II 0 M A,
XVII. No. 31
TI IE
FOOT and MOU i H
DISI-ASL
Dr. J. W. Connaway
Vett;ina.Ian No. Experiment Station
\
■nr
THE FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE
(By Dr. J. W. Connaway, Veterinari-
n Missour Exj' riirifciit Station.)
"Foot and inoiith disease'' is re-
garded as the most cont malady
11.t affects the domesticated a ilrnals.
Tliis does not mean that it is he
most fatal. Indeed the morttli'y- is
light, rarely exceeding one or
percent of the number attacked, pro-
vided the suit animals receive at.
tention in the matt- r of food " and
water, the death r to is high. The
mortality in the l?rrange her,1s of
Russia is reported to have been 70
per cent in some outbreaks. As the
grazing districts of the United States
of tile west and southwest present
similar conditions, a like heavy mor-
tality would result were this disease
to gain admission to them. The
range cattle are required to "rustle''
for their living, trave ins mi'es daily
to secure food and water. With this
disease upon them, they would die of
starvation on account , of their in-
ability to travel far in search of
grass or inability to crop t when
found.
Notwithstanding" the low deAth
rate under good conditions, the fin-
ancial losses from ot'ivr causes are
very great, in fact mucn larger than
from any other contasrlous diseine
It is this fact that niak'.i this nala-
dy so unwelcome. The contagion
spreads with the greatest facility
from place to place and usually at-,
tacks from a fourth to a half of the
herds of the invaded dis'-vz ir. tpite
of local quarantine measures. And
when a stab'e becomes infected no
susceptible animal thtfi'i'H escapes the
disease. If this was an "immuniz-
ing" disease, that is, if one attack
* would prevent further attacks, ths
matter would not be serious; but the
history of European outbreaks shows
that "an animal may hav| three or
four attacks in a few months' period.'
Puts Dairymen Out of Business.
It practically puts the, dairyman o it
of business. No one buys his milk
during the several weeks that his
herd is passing through the disease
and many of his best cows are ren-
dered useless from "caking of the ud-
der;" and others are greatly injured
To this is added the dread that tne
maladv will visit his herd again In a
few months. The cattle feeder who
has spent much time and money in
producing several car loads of "Mar-
ket toppers" sees his profits fade
away before this disease. Moreover
the cattle industry as a whole suff-
ers loss from the restrictions of trade
due to the rigid quarantines that are
necessary to surpress the malady.
How it is Transmitted.
The specific cause of foot and
mouth disease exists in some form in
the liquid contained in the blisters
that occur In the mouth, and on
other parts of the affected animal.
The saliva that flows so profusely
over the blistered tongue, pilate and
lips Is well impregnated wi ll the vi-
rus and is the principal means iff
contagion to neighboring animals, be-
ing carried through contaminated
food and water.
The virus is no doubt a'so carried
from anima' to animal on the hands
feet and clothing of the attendants
and from farm to farm by the same
means. Manure and litter from an
infected barn is also a source of con-
taerio'5. Dogs and cat" in' their night
prowls about the neighborhood may
easily carry the virus on,their feet
or coats and cause outbreaks in
herds that are. thought to be well
guarded. M i'k from infected cows
is also contaminated and conveys
the virus to the calves ana pigs and
sometimes to the persons who drink
it.
The litter in railroad cars that
be the first symptoi. /bserved. A
well marked chill has oeen noted in
many cases in the initial stage of the
disease. The mucous membrane of
the mouth often appears reddened
and the flow *of saliva is increased,
though at the beginning this is not
excessive. .The temperature remains
elevate«d for two or three days or un-
til the blisters appear. The eruption
of tilsters occurs in the following lo-
cations: on the mucous membranes of
the lips, (more frequently I think,
on the upper lip than on the lower),
on the mucous membrane of the
cheeks; the hard palate;, the dcfhtal
pad of the upper jaw at the points of
pressure of the teeth of ut« lower
jaw; the top and margins of the
tongue, most frequently near the
tip, but sometimes at the middle anl
back parts. The muzz'e of th"S nose
and mucous membrane of the nos-
r
An Oklahoma Two-Ykar-Oi.d—No Disease Here
have, carried infected cattle may
give rise to an outbreak many miles
from the primary seat of the dis-
ease.
The period that intervenes between
the- time of exposure of a suscepti-
ble animal to the virus and the ap-
pearance of the first symptoms, varies
from twelve hours to five or six days.
In the greater number of cases the
first symptoms shows on the third or
fourth day after exposure to the dis-
ease.
Symptoms of the Malady
The first symptoms that appear
after exposure to. the contagion are.
dullness, loss of appetite, and more
or less fever, as shown by dry parch-
ed appearance of the muzzle, and hot
condition of ears and skin. The ther-
mometer may show a temperature of
104 to 105 degrees P. In milk cows
a diminution of the flow of bilk may
trils are sometimes the seat of erup-
tions.
The eruptions about the feet are
found at the junction of "the hair with
hoof, most marked near the heels. The
blisters are also found in the cleft of
the foot. The front feet as a rule
are more severely affected than the
hind feet. Blisters also appear on
the teats of the milk cows, result-
ing from inoculation by the hands of
the milker or by the tongue of the
cow in licking the parti. In very
mild cases the teats and fest may be
so slightly affected as to attract no
attention, or a lameness may be the
only symptom observed. The bllstara
vary In size from that of a "millet
seed to a half dollar,'- or larger. The
lyarger blisters often result from the
confluence of several small ones. I
have seen several cases in wLich the
upper surface of the in'.erlov thfrd of
the tongue was entirely covered by
one large blister. By pressure on the
vesicle with the fingers, a distinct
fluctuation of the liquid contents
could be felt. There is but little
change in the color of the epidermis
covering the blister on the horny sur-
face of the tongue, but the presence
of the blister Is detected by the
slight elevation of surface and by
fluctuation to touch. The epidermis
covering the blister on the other
parts, varies slightly in co'or from the
surrounding tissue, sufficiently to "t-
tract attention; it is sometimes morn
yellow, and at other times paler. The
blisters in the mouth are soon rup-
tured by the friction of hay or other
roughage and by the movement of
the tongue and jaws.
At the seat of these ruptured vesic-
les in the mouth raw angry wounds ap
pear which are depressed from the
general surface and for a time are
very painful and prevent the animal
from masticating food. As a result
of this and the systemic disturbances
the patient falls off in flesh.
Mouth Sores First to Heal.
During the development of the ves-
icles, saliva.tion becomes excessive;
foaming masses of saliva, resembling
soap suds, drop continuously from the
mouth. A peculiar smacking of the
mouth is heard. This is one of the
constant characteristic symptoms of
"the disease. Usually the denuded
patches occuring on the mucous
surface of the mouth parts heal in a
few days, and the seat of the vesi-
cle is detected only by a depression of
the parts below the surrounding sur-
face, and by a s'lgh,t difference in the
appearance of the renewed epitheli-
um.
Tht blisters that occur on tht feet
and teats rupture more rendilv and
heal more slowly than those of the
mouth, on account of the greater ex-
posure. The soreness of the teats
causes the animal to resist the ef-
forts of the dairyman to ernrvty the
Udder regulaarly of the milk. There is
usually a 'diminished quantity, but its
retention in the udder often gives
rise to a serious inflamation of this
organ and may result in a fatal gan-
grene.
The soreness of the feet causes the
animal to lift them one after another
at frequent intervals. There is a
disinclination to move about. When
the soreness is severe the animal
walks as if "foundered," and refuses
to remain standing for any consider-
able length of time.
In calves fed on milk from cows
affected with foot and mouth disease
symptoms of severe grastrlc and in-
testinal Irritation appears. Death re-
sults in many of these cases. I had
an opportunity to note the lack of re-
® slstance on t&e part of young animaiS
during the 1892-3 outbreak. A few
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3.
Nearly one-half the value of all products from the farms consists of the animals sold and
slaughtered and of animal products. This amounts to nearly $3,000,000,000
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Greer, Frank H. Oklahoma Farmer (Guthrie, Okla.), Vol. 17, No. 31, Ed. 1 Wednesday, December 16, 1908, newspaper, December 16, 1908; Guthrie, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc88217/m1/1/?q=%22aerial%22: accessed June 12, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.