76 ANNUAL REPORT. OF THE. Off. Doc, 



lew cattle on a single farm. As it is believed that the organism of 

 this disease may reside in the soil and that infeclion may come from 

 that source, it has been required that rarcasscs of animals dead of 

 hemorrhagic septicaemia shall be cremated or deeply buried. In other 

 words, that they shall be handled in the same manner as anthrax • 

 carcasses and for similar reasons. 



Calf Cholera: This disease is very common in some dairy herds. 

 There are many large herds in the State in which, during the past 

 year, it has not been possible to raise more than ten per cent, of the 

 calves. The infectious principle of this disease enters the body of 

 the calf immediately before or immediately after birth, or during the 

 act of birth. Some investigations denote that the channel of entrance 

 is the freshly severed umbilical cord. Other observations denote that 

 the infectious material enters by w^ay of the digestive tract. Prob- 

 ably both channels are available and either, or both, may serve under 

 certain conditions. The disease has been traced to a bacillus belong- 

 ing to the colon bacillus group. Where calf cholera prevails, this 

 germ is present in greater or less quantity about the premises occu- 

 pied by the herd. It is, therefore, available for the infection of the 

 calf at the moment of its birth; or, the genital passages of the cow 

 may be contaminated and infection may occur before birth. The 

 best prevention comes from the thorough disinfection of the prem- 

 ises and of the surface of the cattle, from the removal of the cow 

 to uncontaminated premises at least two weeks before the birth of 

 her calf. The thorough cleansing of the feet, skin and the hair of 

 the cow before she is taken to the uncontaminated quarters is of 

 the utmost importance, for without this the removal of the cow will 

 be of no use. The industrious and progressive Danes, under the 

 leadership of Professor Jensen, have also made investigations with 

 relation to this disease which appear to show that it may be possible 

 to immunize calves against calf cholera by the use of an appropriate 

 antitoxin. This is another subject that requires careful investiga- 

 tion at the hands of American veterinarians. 



Mange of Horses: On account of the rather extensive prevalence 

 of mange among horses in some of the western states, there have 

 been a number of outbreaks in Pennsylvania caused by the importa- 

 tion of horses from the west, and by the contact of Pennsylvania 

 horses with such diseased horses. The disease has, in a few in- 

 stances, gained considerable headway and it has been necessary to 

 quarantine whole stables of horses until they have been treated and 

 cured, at least to such an extent that they may not be capable of 

 spreading disease. The principle outbreaks of mange during the past 

 year have been in counties of Allegheny, Berks, Chester, Dauphin, 

 Philadelphia and Washington. 



This disease runs a rather slow course and does not cause death 

 excepting in the most aggravated cases. If the diseased animals are 

 neglected, they finally become covered with a mass of scabs and 

 sores, the irritation of the skin deprives them of all opportunity to 

 rest, their nutrition becomes disturbed and, ultimately, they may die 

 from exhaustion. This has occurred in a number of horses in one 

 stable where the animals were improperly treated and neglected. 

 There is, however, no excuse for such a condition, because mange 

 responds readily to appropriate treatment, and under proper condi- 

 tions it can be cured within a few weeks. This disease causes the 



