SOME FACTS REGARDING PLEURO-PNEUMONIA.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1221, 27 April 1880, Page 2

SOME FACTS REGARDING PLE URO-PNEUMONIA.

An esteemed correspondent, and a gentleman of considerable experience iv this and the Southern Island, sends us the following facts and suggestions on a subject which at present, unfortunately, concerns the Waikato more than almost anyother: — Pleuro -pneumonia, it may be said, finds its moat ready victims amongst the most artificially fed and most artificially bred cattle, hence dairy oows stimulated to milk production by brewers' and distillers' refuse and other slope food usually are most fatally affected, and tenderly nurtured pure-bred herds generally suffer much more than coaraer bred and hardier cattle. In Scotland pleuro is often spread by farmers buying calves from city dairymen to raise upon their farms, either by giving two calves to one cow, or by skimmed milk, linseed, gruel, ifcc. Sometimes droves of cattle carry the infection by passing along md grazing on the waysides. The writer remembers that a drove of Irish cattle so passing infected with murrain a large number of bis father's rattle aud sheep, and pleuro is oven more infectious. In Scotland pleuro is most virulent in its att.ieks when the cattle aro yarded or stall-fed during winter, 4 s * syuu. v? ths

disease is detected farmers sell off their fat cattle and strive to get the remainder al^o fut as soon as possible. The infected beast is removed to the hospital buildings, and if poor is at ouce killed, skinned and buried, for from several costly experiments it was found that they were all but incurable. If fat, some farmers have succeeded in cm ing perhaps onp in a hundred, but the usual way, if the disease is detected at the very first indication, as it is almost invaiiably, is to sell to a hutcher for about one -third its value for dogs' and cats' meat. It is believed, however, that much of that finds its way into the shops of cheap butchers in London, whose prejudiced customers prefer it to the exc9llent tinnod meat sent from the Australian colonies. The symptoms of the disease are first observable in the beast not feeding as usual, the muzzle lacks its usual moisture, the urine has an aromatic smell ; second, a short, sharp cough, slavering at the mouth, the hair loses its silky appearance, and if the attendant's ear is applied to the side behind the shoulder he will hear the air trjing to force its way and wheezing 1 through the air passages of the lungs. The writer's experience of pleuro in New Zealand in that, if on a run with food and water abundant and the cattle not knocked about or huddled together, very many cattle will not take the disease •■it all, and a large proportion of those that do take it will recover ; but under opposite treatment end circumstances the rasultn may be very disastrous. In Otago about sixteen years ago, the late Mr John Jones imported to Cherry Farm several hundred fat cattle at a veiy high pr cc, €20 each, he found two or three affected with pleuro, and to avoid injuring lm neighbors, c at once, with characteristic magnanimity, caused all the cattle on the place to be slaughtered, and, if my memory serves me right, the loss amounted to about tIOOO, and the Provincial Government showed how they could appreciate such generous conduct by voting Mr Jones about a fourth of hib loss. But this did not stamp ont the dibeise, for it was brought, int'> Southland. The Provincial Council passed diseased ordinances and proclamations, but the bullocks did not read them, or if they did tin y did not care to understand them any better than mos,t of the M P.C. who made them, and working and other bullocks returned from the Nokom li ru^h, Southland, to Otago, while Mr Mc- • *ldshan had a heavy loss by the de ith or slaughter of imported cattle affected with j>leuro, which was depasturing on his run at Flag Swamp, and so the disease became general notwithstanding the efforts and erudition of the Provincial Politicians of Otago. The writer and his friends lost a few, but not many more than they sometimes lost by tutu. They inoculated over GOO, and whether it was due to this or the disease having run its course the writer does not remember their losing many, if any, after, and certainly none " lo>t their tails. " The vet. who operated was Mr John Douglas, of Dunedin. The disease t-eems to be both highly infectious and contagious, "and there is danger in persons who have operated in opening diseased' cattle carrying it to clean herds. The bUunpwg out process as practised in "Waikato, of crowding mobs of cattle together and driving them till they cough as the ordeal trial, is just as rational as continually yarding scabby flocks of sheep, and thinking to stamp out the scab by killing every sheep th.it seems to be plucked. In a small lot no doubt the cure would be effected, if the carcase was securely buried, but the matter is serious in large herds, and in the writer's opinion there shoull, in a really affected farm or run, be a secure hospital paddock where no cattle could come nearer than half a mile, and in this all cattle that showed suspicious appearances or singling away Irom the herd should at once be placed. It should have abundant feed aud water, and if ueeo*j-» to it would not tend to spread the disease by the suspects passing to it the same ho-pitil paddock might serve for more than one herd, farm, or run. The energy and public spirit showed by Mr Rintham, and the action taken by the S.A. Cattle Board are commendable and inspire confidence. No sales by auction or otherwise by -which cattle would be shifted should be permitted. No cattle should be allowed to graze or be driven upon public roads or on any iufecled laud not exclusively held or occupied by the owner of the cattle. But the intentions of the Board, however excellent, may be frustrated by a lack of vigour and impartial riarour in severely inflicting every possible penalty on any who by carelossne&s, se ! ns ; ness or disregarding the law may be the means ol spreading the disease.