388 Bureau of Farmers' Institutes. 



Is abortion iu cows a disease? If so, wiiat is the remedy? 



Dr. Jordan. — This question cannot be fully answered. Dr. 

 Law of Cornell says he '' gives it up.'' Good sanitary conditions, 

 proper care, and a close watch upon the herd is advised. 



A farmer present said that his herd., particularly the heifers, 

 were most badly afflicted with the epidemic. 



Mr. Cook. — I have no remedy; I wish I had. Several years ago 

 thirty-six cows out of fifty in our herd, aborted. The second, year 

 the trouble came again, but in less number. Since then but four 

 cases have occurred. When we have a case in our herd of 100 

 cows, we immediately quarantine the cow. Sympathetic cases 

 have occurred in our herd, so that it is of the utmost importance 

 that such cows should be isolated at once. 



Captain Murphy. — I once had a heifer kick me on the knee; I 

 gave her several cuts with the whip because I was angry; a few 

 hours later, the heifer aborted. I was the cause of it. At an- 

 other time one of my men was driving some cows to a fair; a rail- 

 road train came along and frightened them so that they ran down 

 the railroad bank. A few hours later some of them aborted. I 

 believe the disease is a nervous one, as it always occurs in our 

 best cows. 



Is there any cure for roup in hens, if so, what is it? 



Mr. Van Dreser. — The cure is prevention. We have a large 

 flock of hens, but when I was at home there was not a case of roup 

 among them. If the houses are kept dry and no drafts of cold 

 air pass through, it will not appear. Dampness causes it and 

 dampness means death. If you find a hen sick with roup, the best 

 way IS to take her head off and bury her. Ground floors are 

 damp; while rats will gnaw through board floors, so we use 

 cement, but they are kept covered with straw; and straw should 

 be kept on a board floor, so that the grain ration may be sprinkled 

 in it for the hens to scratch, to give them exercise. 



Dr. Smead. — Roup is caused by dampness, but there are three 

 classes of it among hens. One is an influenza, one diphtheria, the 

 other what is known as roup. To avoid these diseases, we should 



