BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 117 



Farmers' Bulletin 530, "Important Poultry Diseases," was revised 

 and new subjects added. Considerable poultry material was re- 

 ceived for diagnosis, and information and advice were given to 

 correspondents. 



AUTOPSIES ON WILD ANIMALS 



During the year 108 specimens of wild animals from the National 

 Zoological Park were received for post-mortem examination. The 

 one reptile examined was affected with a severe parasitism of both 

 the digestive canal and the lungs. Of 70 birds, 31 were affected with 

 enteritis, 6 with gastroenteritis, 1 with impaction of the crop, 1 with 

 peritonitis, 1 with pericarditis, 1 with gout, 3 with anemia (cachexia), 

 1 with hemorrhage, 1 with tumor, 5 with tuberculosis, 4 with asper- 

 gillosis, 4 with septicemia, and 11 were undertermined. Of 37 mam- 

 mals, 1 was affected with enteritis, 14 with gastroenteritis, 1 with 

 pneumoenteritis, 1 with peritonitis, 7 with pneumonia, 1 with anemia 

 (cachexia), 1 with hemorrhage, 5 with tuberculosis, 1 with pyemia, 

 3 with septicemia, 1 killed as unfit for exhibition, and 1 was undeter- 

 mined. 



An outbreak of an acute inflammatory affection of the upper air 

 passages and lungs in a group of bears kept in adjoining cages was 

 shown by bacteriologic study of the internal organs of two animals 

 that succumbed to the disease to be due to infection with a virulent 

 strain of an organism of the colon type. 



BRANCH LABORATORIES. 



Branch pathological laboratories have been maintained for several 

 years at Chicago, 111., and Omaha, Nebr. During the past year they 

 made many laboratory investigations for the purpose of assisting the 

 veterinary inspectors in the meat-inspection service to make proper 

 disposal of the carcasses coming under their observation that showed 

 pathological changes. 



During the year a new branch was established at Denver, Colo., 

 mainly for the study and prevention of infectious diseases among 

 domestic animals of the western portion of the United States. 



PLANT POISONING OF STOCK. 



The work in the investigation of poisonous plants has been con- 

 ducted on the same general lines as in preceding years. While the 

 extended experimental work is carried on in the field, this is supple- 

 mented by the pharmacological, pathological, and chemical work 

 done in the laboratories in Washington. Tlie cooperation of the 

 Forest Service and of the Bureau of Plant Industry has been con- 

 tinued and adds material assistance to the completeness of the work. 

 Further improvements have been made at the well-equipped summer 

 field station in the Fish Lake National Forest, near Salina, Utah, 

 provided by the Forest Service. The addition of a chemist to the 

 investigative force has made it possible to do much more complete 

 experimental work. 



The study of poisoning by oak leaves which has been carried on 

 for three years is nearly completed and the results confirm the popular 

 opinion of the losses from this cause. They show under what condi- 

 tion these losses occur and indicate how they may be prevented. A 

 preliminary paper on tliis subject was pu]>lished (Leaflet A. I. 32) and 

 a more extended paper prepared for publication. 



