BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 119 



A noteworthy feature in connection with the immunization value 

 of this method is the curative value of the serum. This has been 

 repeatedly tested on animals affected with anthrax in these various 

 outbreaks, and astonishing results were obtained. Animals with a 

 temperature of from 105° to 107° F. recovered after the injection of 

 the serum in doses of from 50 to 150 c. c. 



Further experiments are being conducted with a view to concen- 

 trating the serum and preparing it and the vaccine in convenient 

 form and at the same time preventing deterioration and contamina- 

 tion, also with a view to establishing the variations of the agglutina- 

 tion and precipitation values of the serum in the course of the 

 hyperimmunization of horses. Complement fixation is also being 

 employed in connection with these experiments. 



INFECTIOUS ABORTION OF CATTLE. 



Four hundred and thirty-eight samples of serum from cattle were 

 tested for infectious abortion by the application of the agglutination 

 test, and 222 of these were also tested by means of the complement- 

 fixation method, with essentially the same results in practically all 

 cases. Much of this duplicate testing has been done in cooperation 

 with the New York State experiment station, incidental to research 

 in connection with the disease. 



An ever-increasing number of inquries concerning abortion in 

 range cattle have been received, indicating the spread of the disease 

 to the beef breeds. Much literature has been distributed in response 

 to letters of inquiry. 



Considerable research has been made in the abattoirs of New York 

 and New Jersey in relation to the prevalence of granular venereal 

 disease or infectious vaginitis of cattle by means of which it was 

 found that vene-real nodules or granules are just as common in the 

 genital organs of the male as of the female. These lesions were 

 also found in the genital organs of sheep and goats of both sexes. 



IMMATURE AND HAIRLESS PIGS AND " BIGNECK " IN CALVES. 



Immature and hairless pigs and "bigneck" in calves have been 

 increasingly prevalent in the States of the Northwest. The diseases 

 are found in the bottom lands of the chief river systems, more espe- 

 cially the Columbia, Missouri, and Yellowstone. Officials of the 

 Montana experiment station report that over 500,000 pigs have been 

 lost during the past year within their State alone. They state that 

 this condition constitutes the greatest menace to the live-stock inter- 

 ests of the State, and furnishes the most serious problem which the 

 State agricultural department has to meet. They have urgently 

 requested the cooperation of the bureau in overcoming the outbreak. 



Nineteen samples of serum from sows farrowing hairless pigs have 

 been tested for contagious abortion with negative results, except in 

 one case, which is being investigated further. A hairless pig received 

 from Montana was cut up and fed to a pregnant sow about one month 

 before she was due to farrow. The sow gave birth to six healthy 

 pigs. Other pigs were sent, but arrived during hot weather and 

 decomposition prevented their utilization. 



