Here we present, with the kind permission of the author, an Abstract of a Dissertation by Dr. Friederike Mayen entitled "The history of disease control in cattle in Argentina with particular reference to foot and mouth disease and Otto Waldmann's role in its control". This dissertation was submitted in 1995 to the Free University of Berlin under the original German title "Die Geschichte der Tierseuchenbekämpfung beim Rind in Argentinien mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der MKS und der Rolle Otto Waldmanns in deren Bekämpfung".

The subject is of particular interest to us Hobohms because it also refers to Dr. Karl Otto Hobohm, several of whose descendants have contributed to this website. His grandson Daniel Hobohm has set up a family page, and his sons Erhard and Martin, as well as his grandsons Robert and Karl have left numerous messages in the Treffpunkt Hobohm guestbook.

Abstract

Up to the year 1903 there were no legal means of controlling animals' epidemic diseases in Argentina. Cattle Breeders were afraid of exports to Europe being at risk due to the occurrence of foot- and mouth disease in the province of Buenos Aires in the years1865/66, 1870 and 1900.

The first law concerning livestock diseases was passed in 1903. Cases of foot- and mouth disease, however, were not considerably decreased. Again and again campaigns and programmes suffered from lack of continuity, originating in frequent changes of government together with economic crisis. In consequence existing programmes were cancelled. The vastness of the country with its intensive movement and transport of livestock as well as many small regional livestock markets made the spreading of the epidemic easy and impeded practical measures of fighting the disease.

In 1990, rabies caused a death toll of 1.200 animals, i.e. there is no significance for the breeding of working animals. Efforts are taken to vaccinate as many dogs as possible. Brucellosis is still a problem. There is no system of control, abortions are neither discovered nor reported. Vaccinating female calves aged 4-8 month is compulsory, cattle owners are responsible for it being carried out. In 1990, 3,150,633 calves were vaccinated. The situation of the occurrence of tuberculosis is similar. There is only a voluntary programme of control, which guarantees breeders a bonus in case his stock is free of tuberculosis. No register is kept to document the cases of positively reacting animals which are to be culled. The infestation of echinococcosis of Argentinian cattle does not mean a great danger for man due to improved meat hygienic examinations as well as public instructional work. Of all animals confiscated in Argentinian slaughter houses 60 % were seized because of hydatid cysts. Mange mites and ticks are those ectoparasitosis which are fought. Mange controlling is compulsory throughout the country. Due to climatic conditions ticks exist only in the northern district. Therefore foot and mouth disease was and still is the most important animals' epidemic in Argentina.

In 1948 President Juan D. Peron made a contract with Otto Waldmann and his assistants Hans-Christian Nagel, Karl-Otto Hobohm, Horst-Georg Petemmann and Karl Federer - apart from the latter all of them employees of the Friedrich Löffler Virus Research Institute on the isle of Riems - to Argentina. Their task was to develop a plan to fight foot and mouth disease. The team stayed in Argentina until the end of the year 1953 and initiated:

1. an intensive discussion;

2. the first virus-specific epidemiological map of the country by means of serological methods;

3. the improvement of the quality of the vaccine by demanding stricter quality control measures.

Yet they did not succeed in controlling the course of the epidemic decisively, because they didn't respect the Argentinian conditions.

In contemporary plans to fight foot and mouth disease regional particularities concerning their epidemiological situation are included for the first time. Moreover, breeders are encouraged to actively participate. Both factors are considered important. The number of foot and mouth disease cases could be reduced from 2.000 per 10.000 animals in the early sixties to 60 per 10.000 animals at present.