Scientific American, Volume 40, No. 13, March 29, 1879: A Weekly Journal of Practical Information, Art, Science,; Mechanics, Chemistry, and Manufactures — John Shaqi
Scientific American, Volume 40, No. 13, March 29, 1879: A Weekly Journal of Practical Information, Art, Science,; Mechanics, Chemistry, and ManufacturesVarious
Science
Scientific American, Volume 40, No. 13, March 29, 1879: A Weekly Journal of Practical Information, Art, Science,; Mechanics, Chemistry, and Manufactures
Various
Science -- Periodicals; Technology -- Periodicals
The Professor says: "Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, and England,
have been treating the victims of this plague for nearly half a
century, but the result has only been the increase of disease and
death. Our own infected States have been treating it for a third of a
century, and to-day it exists over a wider area than ever before.
Contrast this with the results in Massachusetts and Connecticut, where
the disease has been repeatedly crushed out at small expense, and
there can be no doubt as to which is the wisest course. As all the
plagues are alike in the propagation of the poison in the bodies of
the sick, I may be allowed to adduce the experience of two adjacent
counties in Scotland when invaded by the rinderpest. Aberdeen raised a
fund of L2,000, and though she suffered several successive
invasions, she speedily crushed out the poison wherever it appeared by
slaughtering the sick beasts and disinfecting the premises. The result
was that little more than half the fund was wanted to reimburse the
owners for their losses, and the splendid herds of the county were
preserved. Forfar, on the other hand, set herself to cure the plague,
with the result of a universal infection, the loss of many thousands
of cattle, and the ruin of hundreds of farmers. Finally the malady was
crushed out in the entire island by the method adopted by Aberdeen and
other well advised counties at the outset."
And again, "Cattle have been inoculated by the tens of thousands in
Belgium and Holland, and of all Europe these are the countries now
most extensively infected. France, Prussia, Italy, Austria, and
England have each practiced it on a large scale, and each remains a
home of the plague. Australia has followed the practice, and is now
and must continue an infected country. Our own infected States have
inoculated, and the disease has survived and spread in spite of it,
and even by its aid. Whatever country has definitively exterminated
the plague (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Holstein, Mecklenburg,
Switzerland, Massachusetts, and Connecticut), that country has
prohibited inoculation and all other methods that prevail on the
principle of preserving the sick, and has relied on the slaughter of
the infected and the thorough disinfection of their surroundings. So
will it be with us. If any State adopts or allows any of these
temporizing measures, that State will only repeat the experience of
the past alike in the Old World and the New, will perpetuate the
disease in the country, will entail great losses on its citizens, will
keep up the need for constant watchfulness and great expense by the
adjoining States for their own protection, and will indefinitely
postpone the resumption of the foreign live stock trade, which, a few
months ago, promised to be one of the most valuable branches of our
international commerce."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account