105 



"observation proved the disease to be contagious," and that change of 

 range tends to restoration to health. 



In Chirk Conuty, Arkansas, several cattle were lost by being pastured 

 in a field where a drove of Texas cattle had been. Xo disease was 

 noticed in the drove. 



The report from Independence County, while showing exemption from 

 splenic fever daring the past year, refers to the fearful ravages in 1868, 

 by which the native cattle were nearly exterminated. Laws prohibiting 

 the passage of Texas cattle have since kept the disease from the county. 



A few cases occurred in Butler, Crawford, Montgomery, and I^eosho, 

 in Kansas, and a larger number in Johnson. 



In Linn, Missouri, ninety-five died from feeding on the track of a drove 

 of Texas cattle. In St. Louis a few cases occurred where Texas cattle 

 had been pastured. A drover in Cole County, who supplied the State 

 penitentiary with beef, drove some Texas cattle from the railroad depot 

 to his pastures a few miles from town. On the way some of the town 

 cattle became mixed with the drove and were driven rapidly to the 

 pasture, where they were separated and set free from the Texas herd. 

 A few days after this occurrence those town cows commenced showing 

 symptoms of Texas fever, and twelve head of them died. The disease 

 was not communicated from these natives to others grazing with them. 

 The drover in question promptly paid the losses without litigation. 

 Another case occurred among the herd of Dr. McWorkman. It was 

 introduced on his place by some Texas steers bought by him for fatten- 

 ing, and caused severe loss. Fifty cases, all fatal, originated from 

 Texan cattle herded and pastured m Pettis County last August. Our 

 correspondent in Vernon makes the following statement : 



Two droves inociolated the uative cattle. They came iuto the county in June. 

 One was owned by a citizen, and remained about five weeks; the other was driven 

 through by strangers. Both chiimed that their cattle were wintered in the State, but 

 did not show proof of the fact. The drove first mentioned was herded near Nevada, 

 the county seat. As soon as the fever broke out among the native cattle they were 

 shipped, yet the fever continued to spread, through the ueighl orhood in which 

 they were herded, until frost, killing 2-25 head, valued at §9,000, being at or 

 about 80 per cent, of those exposed. The second drove, in attempting to pass 

 through, were stopped near Montevallo, a town eighteen miles east of Nevada, for a 

 day and part of a night. In about four weeks the fever appeared. The loss here was 

 230 head, mostly oxen and milch cows, valued at $11,700. Ninety-two per cent, of the 

 cattle exposed died. The excessive drought made the fever more fatal than usual, few 

 or none recovering. The following facts in relation to this fever are well known here ; 

 we have been familiar with the fever for seventeen years : 



First symptom, several days before any other appearance of sickness, is a dry cough, 

 particularly when not feeding. 



Second. More flies collect on them ; at this time the breath will have lost its sweet- 

 ness. 



Third. Ears slightly droop ; ej-es look dull. 



Fourth. Nose dry; appetite iioor ; languor; congh ceases. 



Fifth. Fever commences; ears hang; api>etite gone; reel in walking in hind j)arts ; 

 do not follow the herd. 



Sixth. Eyes sink ; a feverish, slaughter-house smell ; generally on feet, but seldom 

 move. 



Seventh. Hair appears dead, as on a dry hide ; death with few struggles. 



Some ])a?s bloody water ; feces of brown color, but j»lentifnl. In others no change 

 from health can be discovered, excepting the brown color of the feces ; while others 

 are costive. In these the feces are very dark, small, and dry. 



In Putnam, Illinois, eighteen steers (three years old) died within three 

 days in a pasture which had been occupied by Texas cattle the previous 

 winter. In Bureau County, into which a considerable number of Texas 

 cattle were driven last summer, 125 to 150 fatal cases are reported. 



Our correspondent for Jasper County, Iowa, reports a loss of 3 per 

 cent, of their cattle from " Spanish fever." 



