56 



THE CIIOLERi^, THE CATTLE PLAGUE. THE HOG CHOLERA, 

 THE TRICHINIS, THE ANIMAL SMALL-POX. 



The time is now near at hand when emigration from Europe will, in all prob- 

 ability, bring the cholera into the United States. It has been prevailing in 

 some of the West India islands during the winter, and the warmer weather will 

 Lave a tendency to increase it there, and through visitors to the north it may 

 reach our country.* When we reflect upon the great number of lives lost during 

 its previous visits, especially in the farming districts, from simple ignorance of 

 the character of the disease, inducing both a self-treatment the reverse of what 

 ^t should have been, and a disregard of premonitory symptoms, when only the 

 disease might have been controlled, a proper regard for the well-being of tha 

 class which this department represents, demands that their attention should be 

 timely drawn to the character of this fatal epidemic, so that, if it should come, 

 they may be prepared. Such preparation is especially necessary with the 

 firmer, for he cannot have that immediate medical attendance demanded by 

 the rapid progress of the disease. 



Wifh the cholera we gi'oup the other diseases named in the heading of this 

 article, for although most of them spare the farmer himself, yet they are fatal 

 to bis stock, and belong to the same order of diseases, namely, those that are 

 propagated by animal poisons. Our government, it is true, has taken steps to 

 protect the country from one of them, but although the officer whose duty it is 

 to enforce the protecting laws of Congress exhibits most commendable watch- 

 fulness and promptness in action, yet in such a country as ours, bordering so 

 many miles upon another, which has not yet adopted the measures of protection 

 it should have, the people must aid the officers of government. We are not to 

 permit, as was allowed in Great Britain, an interested class of cattle dealers to 

 mislead the public, so that they might continue a foreign and domestic trade in 

 cattle that spread the plague into almost every neighborhood. In a British 

 journal of agriculture we have reported the ways of its introduction into many 

 English and Scotch counties, and they are all traceable to the selling and 

 driving cattle to and from the public markets. The hog cholera has, in this 

 •way, been scattered, time and again, over the western States, and should the 

 cattle plague ever obtain an entrance into the country, we know that the power 

 of the government will prove useless if not seconded by the most energetic 

 co-operation of the people. 



To urge them to continued watchfulness is our duty. And this can be done 

 in one way only, by impressing on their minds the fatality which will follow 

 remissness on their part. 



We therefore give such information of these diseases as will serve to draw 

 public attention to them, and such protection as circumstances may render 

 necessary. 



* Since this article was put in type, we notice that New York has created a board of health 

 for New York city, and the military authority has ordered a quarantine of twenty-five days 

 on all vessels coming: to New Orleans from these islands. 



