Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 172, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 July 1915 — U- S. SAVES GREAT SUM METHOD USED [ARTICLE]

U- S. SAVES GREAT SUM METHOD USED

Figures Compiled by Dr. Kannal Show That Extermination is Better Than Treatment.

At this time the United States seems to be entirely free from the foot and mouth disease which wrought such large losses and great inconvenience in the stock business the past year. The eradication of the disease is due to the rigid methods employed by the department of agriculture and the aides from the various states, who, often in the face of much local opposition, went ahead and performed what .they saw was a clear duty and the only sure means of exterminating the foot and mouth disease.

Dr. H. J. Kannal, who as an agent of the government and state worked energetically and intelligently, has recently compiled some interesting figures to show that the method employed in the United States was the only certain one for the protection of the stock owner and also saves him an abundance of money. These statistics are a comparison showing the cost to Indiana stockmen in relation to the cost in foreign countries where the disease is treated instead of eradicated by the slaughter of the infected stock.

The total value of animals destroyed during the year was $178,552.75. The total value of property destroyed was $1,689.06; the total cost of burial was $4,315.93, and the total cost of disinfection was $2,603.52. This made a total loss of $187,161.26. The total value of cattle in Indiana is $59,924,000; of sheep $6,016,000, and of swine $42,920,000, making a total of $108,860,000. The cost per SI,OOO for the slaughter of infected stock and the burial and disinfection and the destroying of infected pens, etc., was only $1.70. In England, where the disease is treated, the annual stock loss from the foot and mouth disease is 20 per cent and if this loss resulted in Indiana there would have been a loss last year of $21,772,000 instead of only $187,161.26. The loss accurately figured was .0017 of one hundred per cent instead of .20 of one hundred per cent. England fares better than most of the foreign countries as in Denmark and Holland the annual loss is 25 per cent and in Germany and France it is 30 per cent. In those countries when the foot and mouth disease breaks out the cases are quarantined and allowed to either die or recover, but the radical measures adopted here are not followed and as a result year after year there is a monstrous loss. Dr. Kannal figured that this method of treament would result to the comparative losses in Indiana alone: England comparison .. $21,772,000.00 Denmark comparison .. 27,215,000.00 Holland comparison .. 27,215,000.00 Germany comparison—32,6sß,ooo.oo France comparison ... 32,658,000.00 Actual loss 187,161.26 When the cost of last year purchases reasonable assurance that there will be no further outbreak of the disease for many years the full wisdom of the means employed will be conceded by all.