Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 June 1887 — PLEURO-PNEUMONIA. [ARTICLE]

PLEURO-PNEUMONIA.

The Co-operation of Railroad Companies Asked by Comminsioner Colman. [Washington special.! The Department of Agriculture has followed up its pleuro-pneumonia quarantine with a circular asking the railroad companies to co-operate. The circular, which is addressed “to the managers of all railroad and transportation companies in the United States,” says: The insidious character of this disease, its easy andlmperceptible propagation by contact with animals having the germs of disease and giving no outward symptoms of its presence, the contraction of the plague from infected cars, the spreading of the germs by means of manure carried in uncleansed cars from place to place, will make it a matter of grave concern, and render it necessary that stringent measures should be adopted to protect the cattle interests of the country from this great evil, I have, therefore, to suggest and to request that all transportation companies shall establish on their respective lines a rule, and see that it is rigidly enforced, that all cars that have carried live stock shall be thoroughly cleansed on the discharging of their freight, and not allowed to leave the freight or stock yards before this is done, Also that the said cars shall be carefully disinfected in the following manner: L Remove all litter and manure. 2. Wash the oar with water thoroughly and until clean. 3. Saturate the walls and floors with a solution made by dissolving four ounces of chloride of lime to each gallon of water. Stock-yards and pens should be cleansed and disinfected at least once a week. Transportation companies having connections with infected districts should require parties offering cattle for shipment to present at point of loading affidavits of the owner and two disinterested persons stating that the cattle to be shipped have been known to affiants for at least six months next preceding, and that said cattle have not been in any of said districts and have not come in contact with any cattle from said districts. Said affidavits should be attached to and accompany the way-bill to point of destination. As several extensive outbreaks of pleuro-pneu-monia have recently been traced to cattle that had been shipped from infected districts by rail, the necessity of these precautions can not be overestimated, and if enforced they would be a material safeguard against the spread of this disease. Railroad companies can be of the greatest assistance to the Bureau of Animal Industry in its work of extirpating pleuro-pneumonia if they co-operate wish it and assist in maintaining the rules and regulations prescribed by me April 15, 1887, and the quarantine since made. I hope this support and assistance will be cordially given.