BUEEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY, 257 



Exportations of cattle from Honduras to Cuba were made from 

 , 1882 to within recent years. This trade has now been totally sus- 

 pended, due to the complete restocking of Cuba. A small trade in 

 Honduranean cattle is being carried on with Salvador, Guatemala, and 

 British Honduras, and it is estimated that should there be a sufficient 

 outlet for cattle 30,000 head of steers could be annually exported. 



The presence and prevalence throughout Honduras of the cattle 

 tick, carrying with it the specific organism of southern or splenetic 

 fever, will prevent the importation of cattle from that country into 

 the United States, as such importation is prohibited by section 6 of 

 the act of Congress approved August 30, 1890. 



THE PATHOLOGICAL DIVISION. 



The Pathological Division, of which Dr. John R. Mohler is the 

 chief, has continued the scientific investigation of animal diseases 

 and other lines of work as heretofore. 



LIP-AND-LEG ULCERATION OF SHEEP. 



The extensive prevalence of necrobacillosis in sheep under both 

 range and feed-lot conditions has afforded this laboratorj^ excellent 

 opportunities for making interesting observations relative to the 

 causative agent and the transmissibility of the disease. In almost 

 all cases where microscopic lesions suggested necrobacillosis the pres- 

 ence of the necrophorus bacillus was demonstrated either by stained 

 smears or by rabbit inoculations. In some instances it was necessary to 

 resort to other methods. The fact that the malignant form of this 

 disease may arise from the mild form was demonstrated by experi- 

 ments carried out in the following wav: From the wartv, inactive 

 form of the disease, as often found in lambs, a pure culture of the 

 necrosis bacilli was obtained from lesions of an inoculated rabbit. 

 This pure culture was inoculated into a second rabbit, and the ne- 

 crotic muscle from this rabbit when rubbed upon the scarified nose 

 and lips of a wether, ewe, and buck lamb resulted in the production 

 of typical aggravated forms of necrobacillosis. The malad}^ was 

 easily transmitted to healthy sheep by the inoculation of scabs from 

 ulcers of the lips of sheep. Smears and cultures made from the 

 lesions produced by experimental inoculations showed necrosis ba- 

 cilli present in large numbers. 



During the past winter inspectors at various slaughtering estab- 

 lishments forwarded for diagnosis cattle livers exhibiting circum- 

 scribed yellowish-gray necrotic areas. Smears from such necrotic 

 centers showed them to contain practically a pure culture of the 

 necrosis bacillus. Portions of these beef livers were inoculated upon 

 the lips of sheep and produced characteristic necrotic ulcers. Smears 

 from these necrotic ulcers were teeming with characteristic necroph- 

 orus bacilli, thus establishing the experimental transmissibility of 

 this organism from one species of animal to another. 



SWAilP FEVER OF HORSES. 



The investigation of swamp fever or infectious anemia of horses 

 has been continued. A paper dealing with this disease was published 

 in the Twent3^-fifth Annual Report of the Bureau and also as Circular 



73477"— AGE 1910 17 



