122 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



the number of herds reported ou farms. Another discrepancy per- 

 haps is due to the fact that some herd owners had diseased animals 

 on two or more farms. Our Board counted these as one infected 

 herd while tlie Bureau reported each as a separate herd. No statis- 

 tics have been complied which would show the vast number of animals 

 examined in this way. 



The largest number of infected herds was found in Lancaster county 

 in which 192 herds were destroyed. Berks county stood next to 

 Lancaster with 125 herds destroyed. The disease extended from 

 Philadelphia to Erie. Very little of the State escaped the original 

 infection. It was necessary in all cases to examine not only the 

 stock in the infected herd but all herds within three miles of every 

 infected herd. In most cases these herds were examined five times 

 or more before the territory was released from quarantine. No rec- 

 ord was kept of the vast number of herds examined in this way. The 

 Federal Government and the State had over one hundred men engaged 

 in this work, and in no instance was tliere a suspcion that the dis- 

 ease had been spread by any of these agents. This speaks well for the 

 careful work done and the thoroughness with which the disinfection 

 of the clothing was carried out, and should give herd owners more 

 confidence in the future that the disease will not be spread by men 

 who understand the precautionary measures that are necessary. 



Pennsylvania experienced considerable difficulty in controlling 

 the spread of the disease from creameries. Since 1913 we have had 

 a law which made it compulsory for creameries to pasteurize all 

 skimmed milk returned as feed for calves and swine. If this precau- 

 tion had been more generally observed much loss from foot-and- 

 mouth disease would have been prevented. It was necessary in a few 

 cases to close creameries entirely to stop the spread of infection. 

 The disease was spread to a certain extent by owners themselves 

 and by people going from farm to farm for various reasons as vis- 

 itors, exchange of labor, livestock buyers, men buying hides and those 

 dealing in dead anim.als and various kinds of farm produce. In the 

 beginning of the outbreak the disease was carried to a few herds by 

 the local veterinarians who were not on their guard, had not equipped 

 themselves with a rubber outfit which cou''d be properly disinfected 

 before and after examining cattle, and in their daily practice. How- 

 ever, as soon as they realized that we were dealing with a serious 

 outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, they observed all necessary pre- 

 cautions. 



On account of the publicity given the disease by the agricultural 

 and daily papers, as well as by circulars from the departments, stock 

 owners and all other parties interested in livestock soon became 

 familiar with the disease and how to prevent its spread. This had a 

 very beneficial influence on controlling it. In the beginning of the 

 outbreak some difficulty was experienced in destroying herds and 

 disinfecting premises promptly, for the reason that so many herds 

 were affected witli the disease at the same time and it was not pos- 

 sible for the agents to attend to tliem in all cases as soon as should 

 have been done. During the fall of this year, there was an extensive 

 drought in Pennsylvania. This interfered greatly in digging trenches 

 for the burial of slauglitered animals. In some cases it was neces- 

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