158 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Oft. Doc. 



cattle is (lie so-called "corn stalk disease." This has been recognized 

 a number of limes in l'enns\i\aiiia. This disease occurs among cat- 

 tle fed on corn fo(h!ci 1 iiat lias been poorly cui'tMl niid is iiiorc or h'ss 

 danuiged b_v mould. (Mhci- (laniagcd foods m.iy jiroduc<' condition 

 very similar to "corn slaik disease." 



Haemoriliagic sei>ticaemi:i or sjiojicd fever of cattle can be pre- 

 vented from spreading by reslricting the movement of animals afflict- 

 ed with the disease. Such aninuils should be kept near (he place 

 where they are found when the disease is recognized, and if they die 

 their carcasses should be cremated in the same nuuiner as the carcas- 

 ses of animals dying of anthrax. The internal treatment of afflicted 

 animals has not been successful enough to alVord much encourage- 

 ment. The most successful method that has been tried, so far as I 

 know, consists in the intravenous administration of a solution of col- 

 loidal silver. The premises occupied b}' the diseased animals must 

 be very thoroughly disinfected. Lauds that are known to be infected 

 should not be used for cattle for a few years. 



Numerous experiments have been made with the view of obtaining 

 a vaccine against this disease, and these have met with a certain 

 amount of success. Vaccination of cattle against haemorrhagic sep- 

 ticaemia is said to be practiced extensively in i)arts of Russia and it 

 has been ti'ied in Italy. This system of protection has* not been ex- 

 perimented with in the United States, and so there is no information 

 as to its value under the conditions existing here. Attempts will 

 be made to determine the precise distribution of this disease and 

 to place in the hands of persons concerned so much information 

 as is available in regard to tllie means to be employed to prevent it. 



Ahorticm,. — Abortion of cattle has been reportc^d from various 

 sections of the State and appears to be in some places a common 

 scourge of breeding herds. Fortunately, it is less common than 

 was formerly tlie case, and this is due, no doubt, to the fact that it 

 can now be prevented or erjidicated from an infected herd by the 

 use of a]»propriate precautions or treatnu^nt. The means that are 

 proven to be successful as a result of numerous trials and experi- 

 ments are summarized below: 



DIRECTIONS FOR THE TREATMENT OF AN ABORT- 

 ING HERD. 



1. Burn aborted foetuses and membranes. 



This material carries the germs of abortion in abundance and burning 

 or deep burial furnish the only means of getting rid of it in a safe way. 



2. Isolate discharging cows. 



The vaginal discharge from cows that have aborted is very virulent 

 and may furnish the means of infecting other cows. Hence, discharg ng 

 cows should be kept apai-t from the herd. 



