Mange Epidemic Sweeps Spanaway Prairies
An infectious skin disease among local horses causes concern for farmers and county commissioners.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Horsemen are considerably worried over the spread of mange, or Texas itch, in this vicinity. Since the fact was published yesterday, several cases have come to light. The county commissioners have taken the matter up and will adopt measures to prevent a further spread of the disease. Dr. Scott, a veterinary surgeon, notes that the disease is a scurvy similar to scab in sheep; it is infectious and can be acquired by humans. If taken in the first stages, it is easily cured, but if neglected, horses lose their hair and become covered in scabs from constant irritation. A horse in a pasture can infect an entire drove. McCormick Bros.’ stables reported about twenty horses were affected, but they have succeeded in effecting a cure by clipping the animals. The disease reportedly started from one animal brought from the East Side that is still running at large on the prairie, where an estimated 20 to 30 horses are currently showing signs of infection.
“One horse in a pasture would infect an entire drove.”
The Spanaway prairie, once open range for horses, is now heavily developed, but the tension between managing agricultural pests and the health of local animals remains a fixture of rural life in Pierce County. Mange, while treatable, serves as a historical reminder of how livestock diseases moved across the Pacific Northwest via unregulated transit.
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