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Brucellosis and tuberculosis control program files, 1937-1953.
Amount:
10.50 cubic ft.
Medium Included:
Organization/Arrangement:
Arranged by year, then alphabetical by subject.
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Biographical/Historical:
The State Live Stock Sanitary Board was created in 1923 (Ch. 9201, Laws) to regulate Florida's livestock industry. With seven to nine members chosen by the governor, the board regulated the import and export of meat and livestock, inspected meat sellers, and controlled animal diseases such as cattle tick fever, hog cholera, and tuberculosis. The board also appointed a state veterinarian to oversee day to day operations. The first state veterinarian was J.V. Knapp. His successor was C.L. Campbell, who served from 1952-1961. In 1953, the Board's name was changed to the Florida Livestock Board. That Board was abolished in January 1961 and its duties transferred to the Dept. Of Agriculture's Division of Animal Industry (Ch. 59-54; CH. 61-59, Laws). The Brucellosis control program was a joint effort between the State Livestock Board and the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture's Animal Disease Eradication division. Brucellosis--commonly known as Bang's disease--is a bacterial infection that disrupts cattle reproductive systems. It can cause low milk production, miscarriages, and sterility. Once a cow is infected, there is no cure. The State Livestock Board used blood tests to diagnose cattle, and give vaccines to the unaffected animals. Any cattle testing positive for Brucellosis (called "reactors") were slaughtered, and the ranchers paid $25 per head as compensation. By the Board's estimates, anywhere between 1 to 25% of Florida's cattle were infected. Some goats and pigs were also infected.
A similar diagnosis and treatment was used for tuberculosis (TB), a highly contagious bacterial infection that can infect all warm-blooded vertebrates, including humans. It can be spread through both cow's milk and the air. More cattle were affected by TB than all other diseases combined in the U.S. in the early twentieth century. In 1917, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture began a nation-wide eradication program to wipe out TB, cooperating with state agencies such as the Florida State Live Stock Sanitary Board.
Summary:
This series consists of records of the state veterinarian that document the State Livestock Sanitary Board's efforts to eradicate brucellosis and tuberculosis from Florida livestock between 1937 to 1953. Records include correspondence, governmental forms, memoranda, sumamries, and yearly reports. The records are not complete. Missing are the years 1938-1939, 1943, 1946-1949, 1951-1952.
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Folder listing available.
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Electronic Records Access:
Subject Access Fields:
Knapp, Jean Vincent, 1889-1952.
Florida. State Livestock Sanitary Board. United States. Dept. of Agriculture.
Brucellosis. Animal industry Florida Agriculture Florida Cattle Florida Veterinarians Florida Ranches Florida Tuberculosis.
Reports. aat
for detailed listing.