FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE. 317 



FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE. 

 By the Secretary. 



A brief report on the " Foot and Mouth Disease," or Epi- 

 zootic Aptha, which visited the state in the winter of 1870-71, 

 is here given. 



Attention was first called to this subject by a letter from 

 T. L. Harison, Esq., Secretary of the New York State Ag- 

 ricultural Society, addressed to me as Secretary o.f the Con- 

 necticut State Agricultural Society. Mr. Harison states 

 "that this disease was prevailing extensively in Dutchess Co., 

 N. Y., and had invaded the adjoining towns in Connecticut," 

 and suggested that the proper authorities should take meas- 

 ures to prevent its spread. This letter was immediately trans- 

 mitted to His Excellency J. E. English, who requested me to 

 investigate the subject and report. I found the facts as sta- 

 ted, and that the disease was communicated by two droves 

 brought on the cars to Fouglikeepsie and driven thence across 

 Dutchess County to Kent and New Milford, and that it 

 had appeared in other sections of the state. 



Jan. 12th, three commissioners, E. H. Hyde, T. S. Gold, 

 and H. L. Stewart, were appointed by the Governor, " to fur- 

 nish all needed information to the town authorities in regard 

 to the nature and treatment of the disease and preventing its 

 further progress in the State." 



The Commissioners immediately issued a circular to the 

 town authorities, describing the disease and giving warning of 

 its exceedingly contagious nature. We found on examina- 

 tion that the disease was very likely to break out in cattle com- 

 ing through the cattle yards at Albany, indicating that as the 

 infected point whence the contagion emanated. While in the 

 western and central parts of the state it came directly from 

 Albany and the cattle cars, in the eastern part it was direct- 

 ly traced to Brighton Market. Its short period of incubation, 

 (time from exposure to breaking out) from four to six days, 

 gave especial facilities for tracing its origin and progress, and 

 left no doubt of its being a specific disease of an exceedingly 

 contagious character. Besides those animals which went to 



