658 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



requires two years for complete recovery to take place has been in 

 isolated instances of chronic infection bearers, a condition met with 

 in practically all infectious diseases. 



We have now in America an experiment under way in the at- 

 tempt to save the individuals exhibited at the National Dairy Show 

 which will give us some first-hand knowledge, no doubt, just 

 whether the quarantine method coupled with inoculation tests be- 

 fore releasement or absolute slaughter, is imperative in the certain 

 control of foot and mouth disease. 



The evidence of history is that where the infection is found early 

 the use of the slaughter system coupled with rigid inspection has kept 

 America remarkably free from the disease and at a moderate cost 

 when the volume of our livestock business is taken into account. On 

 the other hand some authorities are contending that we can control 

 this disease by quarantine, disinfection and a rigid patrol of infected 

 territory if coupled with stringent rules for the importation of ani- 

 mals and their by-products, as feeds and fodders which might carry 

 the infection. 



After several years' experience in various capacities dealing with 

 the administration of livestock sanitary laws and attempts to assist 

 owners and the public in general to lessen our livestock losses from 

 infectious disease, the author doubts if with the support and organiza- 

 tion given at present this plan could be made effective In any but 

 isolated cases, by our existing sanitary boards. To succeed it would 

 need larger funds, more effective action and the moral support of a 

 better educated public opinion than we find existing at present towards 

 the control of contagious diseases in general. 



To properly draw a conclusion of the best procedure for the future, 

 remember that the slaughter method has in the past eradicated the 

 disease and kept the country free of it for several years at a time. It 

 has accomplished its purpose. On the other hand once the disease is 

 here herds are involved which represent many dollars of value and 

 many years of labor. When remorseless slaughter of infected and ex- 

 posed animals is practiced it is but human for owners to remonstrate 

 and mayhap to attempt evasion. They sometimes may hide its ex- 

 istence and thus defer action which might have lessened its spread. 

 In other words, too drastic action can easily engender antagonism for 

 the system of eradication when hearty cooperation should be culti- 

 vated instead. Advocates of the slaughter method will contend that 

 it immediately disposes of the center of infection and thus with the 

 further production of the germ. Under this system, however, cases are 

 sometimes not found till at their height and often at a time when in a 

 few days they would all be on the way to recovery. 



In extreme cold weather the lesions are sometimes healed in many 

 of the individuals before sufficient excavation can be done to accom- 

 modate the entire herd when slaughtered. In a week more the in- 

 fection of that herd would be subsiding. The premises would not be 

 more infected by rigid quarantine and strict isolation coupled with 

 thorough and repeated disinfection. The cost would be less than by 



