132 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. DoC. 



1. In Sei)tember several cattle died suddenly on three different 

 farms whicli were located in the moimtaius at an altitude of 11)00 

 to 2,000 feet. These animals were grazing' in the woods near the 

 farm. The clinical syiuptoms were severe anemia, sub-normal tem- 

 perature, emaciation, and well marked hemoglobinemia. The autopsy 

 demonstrated the characteristic lesions of hematolysis, hemoglobi- 

 nuria, icterus, anemia, gastrointestinal catarrh, and degeneration 

 of the parenchymatous organs. The bacteriological examination and 

 the animal inoculation proved that no blood parasites could have 

 caused the severe anemia. Several of the rabbits died after a dis- 

 tinct incubation time, but a bacteriological examination proved that 

 no organized bodies could have caused the death. The conditions of 

 this outbreak led to the conclusion that we are dealing with the effect 

 of a blood poison, and that possibly mushrooms of the type of '*ama- 

 nita phalloides" with its toxic alkaloids had caused the deaths. 

 Several requests were made to get these fungi but none were re- 

 ceived. This observation is therefore incomplete, and only circum- 

 stantial evidence gives us the right to conclude that death may have 

 been caused by mushrooms. 



2, In the neighborhood of Norristown and North Wales several 

 animals died during the month of November with the symjjtoms of 

 salivation, sub-normal temperature, tonic and tetanic spasms, severe 

 nervous depression, constipation, etc. In several instances a post 

 mortem was performed, but with the exception of a gastro-intestinal 

 inflammation no alterations of a distinct character could be found. 

 The examination for rabies was negative. An inquiry showed that 

 in all the stables in which the disease occurred the bran fed has 

 been purchased from the same source. It was also found that this 

 feed had been purchased in each case between the 2Sth and 30th of 

 October. The first cases of death were reported the 14th of November. 

 It appeared that animals in the same stable were susceptible in 

 varying degrees. Out of twenty-one animals in one stable only six 

 became sick, in another stable of nine, six became sick and succumbed 

 to the intoxication. A diagnosis of feed poisoning was made, and 

 a feeding experiment was started at the laboratory. The same bran 

 which had been purchased by one of the farmers was fed experiment- 

 ally to three animals for over four weeks, and one died after five 

 days with same symptoms and post mortem lesions as was found 

 in the original cases. 



B. ROUTINE WORK 

 SPECIMENS RECEIVED FOR EXAMINATION 



During the year seven hundred and sixteen shipments containing 

 a total of over nine hundred different specimens were received for 

 diagnosis. A small number of the specimens received were so de- 

 composed that an examination was impossible. In most cases they 

 reached the laboiatory in good condition. 



RABIES 



Four hundred and twenty-seven heads were received during the 

 year. These were from horses, cattle, sheep, hogs, mules, goats, cats 

 and dogs. One human brain was brought from one of the city hos- 

 pitals to the laboratory for diagnosis. A large percentage of these 

 cases were positive for rabies. 



