BUREAU OF ANIMAL USTDUSTRY. 117 



TRANSPORTATION OF HIDES, HAY, ETC., FROM AREAS QUARANTINED FOR FOOT- 

 AND-MOUTH DISEASE. 



In the work of eradicating foot-and-mouth disease the Quarantine 

 Division supervised interstate shipments of hides, skins, wool, hair, 

 horns, hoofs, hay, straw and similar fodder, manure, litter, and bags 

 or similar containers which had been used for stock feed, with a 

 view to preventing the possible spread of the disease through the 

 medium of such articles. Absolute prohibition of the movement of 

 these commodities from quarantined areas would have seriously in- 

 terfered with many industries. Accordingly, provision was made 

 for their movement under certain clearly defined restrictions, which, 

 while placing the least possible burden upon shippers, appeared to 

 afford the necessary protection. Wherever possible, inspectors were 

 detailed to supervise the disinfection of materials for which such 

 treatment was required as a prerequisite to shipment. 



THE PATHOLOGICAL DIVISION. 



The work of the Pathological Division, which comprises the scien- 

 tific investigation of animal diseases, was under the direction of Dr. 

 A. R. Ward, chief, during the fiscal year. 



The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the fall of 1914 claimed 

 the services of a large number of the scientific force of this division 

 for several months. 



DOURINE INVESTIGATIONS. 



The complement-fixation test has continued to be extensively em- 

 ployed for the diagnosis of dourine, 52,896 samples of blood having 

 been received and diagnosed by this method, of which 1,515, or 2.7 

 per cent, gave positive reactions. This shows a marked decrease 

 from the preceding year, when 2,550 out of 51,293 samples, or 4.9 

 per cent, reacted positively. Comparatively few positive reactions 

 have been obtained with samples received from sections of the coun- 

 try covered during the preceding year where dourine was found to 

 be very prevalent, a feature which even more convincingly than the 

 reduced percentage illustrates the possibilities of the test as a means 

 of ultimately eradicating this affection. 



Various changes have been made in the technique of the test and 

 new apparatus has been devised that facilitates the work to some 

 extent, as a result of which but little delay has been necessary in 

 diagnosing the specimens of blood sera, even though they were re- 

 ceived on some days in enormous numbers. 



GLANDERS. 



The complement-fixation test was applied to serum from the blood 

 of 1,306 horses suspected of being affected with glanders, of which 

 196, or 15 per cent, gave positive reactions. 



CEREBROSPINAL MENINGITIS OR FORAGE POISONING. 



Cerebrospinal meningitis or forage poisoning occurred in the 

 Central Western States during the fall and winter months and occa- 

 sioned the death of many horses. Milder outbreaks of the disease 

 occurred in New Jersey and Maryland in the early fall. 



