BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



355 



reactors is quite low in all cases and is only comparatively high with 

 the cows supplying milk to the city of Cincinnati. 



Results of iuhercuHn tests of dairy cattle in Indiana and Ohio. 



ERADICATION OF DOURINE. 



Durinc: the past fiscal year the bureau has continued cooperative 

 work with the State of Iowa in eradicating dourine (maladie du 

 coit), which Avas discovered in the early summer of 1911 in a circum- 

 scribed area of that State. 



During the year IG affected horses were slaughtered under bureau 

 supervision and the owners granted indemnit3^ the total expense inci- 

 dental to the purchase and destruction of the same being $1,365. 

 Frequent inspections have been made in the above-mentioned area by 

 bureau inspectors, and at the close of the fiscal year 100 stallions and 

 mares showing no indications of disease were being held in quaran- 

 tine by the Iowa State authorities on account of exposure to the 

 infection. 



THE PATHOLOGICAL DIVISION. 



The work of the Pathological Division, of which Dr. John R. 

 Mohler is the chief, has continued to consist principally of the scien- 

 tific investigation of animal diseases. Among those affections which 

 have received the greatest consideration may be mentioned the fol- 

 lowing : 



INFECTIOUS ABORTION. 



In reviewing the veterinary field covered during the past year the 

 particular event which indicates marked progress in the study of ani- 

 mal diseases is the work on infectious abortion that is being con- 

 ducted in this and other countries. 



From tlie viewpoint of economic importance infectious abortion of 

 cattle ranks second only to tuberculosis, and in certain sections of the 

 country even supersedes the latter in the monetary loss it occasions. 

 Aside from the loss of the calf the loss occasioned by the reduction in 

 milk supply, together with the failure to conceive for several months 

 or forever after the abortion and tlie frequency of retained placenta, 

 has made this disease the bane of dairymen and stock raisers. 



The exact financial loss can not be even approximately estimated, 

 but from the fact tliat the disease exists in all sections of the country, 

 in botli dairy and range cattle, as is evidenced by the reports from 

 various State officials and from the inquiries received at the bureau 

 regarding this disease, it can be safely stated that the direct loss 



