144 



in a number of aborting cows, widely distributed over 

 the State, a bacillus almost, if not identical, with bacillus 

 coli in form and culture characteristics. This, also, 

 caused more or less catarrh when injecting into the 

 vagina of healthy cows. Law further states that this 

 particular microbe could not be found in the vaginal 

 discharge of cows in herds free from infectious abortion. 



Kilborne and Th. Smith studied a bacillus of the coli 

 group, infesting the vagina of aborting mares. Supurat- 

 ing catarrh resulted from vaginal injections in mares 

 and cows. 



At this Station we have isolated from vaginal dis- 

 charge and from ulcers on the vaginal mucous membrane 

 of t^^•o heifers which have never been bred, but which are 

 supposed to be infected with the abortion microbe, a 

 bacillus Avhich is indistinguishable from the bacillus 

 coli morphologically and closely resembles Ches- 

 ter's l)aeillus in culture characteristics. Inoculation into 

 the mucous membrane of the vulva of an old cow, not 

 pregnant, was followed by the formation of a small ulcer 

 and a discharge. 



The cow came in heat in a few days, but the symp- 

 toms were more pronounced than in ordinary oestrum. 



Planted into the prepuce of a rabbit a small ulcer 

 formed with undulating borders surrounding a slightly 

 depressed granular surface. 



The heifers in question, one an Angus and the other 

 a Shorthorn, came to the hospital last February with a 

 discharge from the vagina. 



The Angus had been to the State fair in November 

 previous, being shipped to and from the fair by rail. 

 No disease of the kind had ever been obser\^ed in the 

 herd prior to this outbreak, and it is supposed that 

 the disease was contracted while at the fair or from the 

 stock cars in which the animals were shipped. 



There is a bare possibility that the germs might have 

 been brought unintenionallv to the Station on the 



