BLACKLEG 137 



Thus far no effective remedy has been discovered. 

 Certain drugs seem to have been beneficial in a few 

 cases, but a thorough trial has proved them valueless. 

 Some recommend making long incisions in the swellings 

 and allowing the fluid to escape and then washing the 

 parts several times daily with an antiseptic solution. 

 This treatment has not proved effective, and affords an 

 excellent opportunity for the spread of the disease to 

 other animals, as this fluid is full of the germs. Pre- 

 ventive rather than curative measures should be em- 

 ployed. The disease seems to be more common on wet, 

 swampy pastures than on those that are more dry. 

 When the disease appears in a herd, all healthy animals 

 should be removed from the pasture and the affected 

 ones allowed to remain. The disease is not directly com- 

 municable from one animal to another, but the fluid 

 which may escape from the affected parts of diseased 

 animals will pollute fodder, forage, etc. The bodies of 

 dead animals should be burned to prevent the dissemin- 

 ation of the germs by dogs, crows, buzzards, and other 

 scavengers. The burning should be done where the 

 animal dies, as dragging or hauling from one place to 

 another only serves to spread the disease germs. The 

 body should not be opened, as this permits the escape 

 of the germs. The pasture and other infected areas 

 should be freed from the germs by allowing the grass to 

 grow up and when dry burn it off and cultivate the land 

 for one season. 



The best method of prevention is by means of vac- 

 cination with virus which has been prepared from the 

 meat of the affected parts of diseased animals. This 

 vaccine is now prepared and sent out by the Bureau of 

 Animal Industry and various State Agricultural Experi- 

 ment Stations. As the methods of administering differ 

 with the sample, and full directions accompany all that 

 is sent out, there is no need of going into details of the 

 method of application. 



