14 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE OS. Doc. 



and in the marketing of meat that is fit for food. The State Live- 

 stock Sanitary Board is on the eve of a State-wide movement for 

 clean slaughter houses and meat markets, and in the next report 

 the results of this movement will be apparent. 



The following number of animals, carcasses and organs examined, 

 together with meat products, during the two years, indicates the wide 

 scope in the work of the Board: 



Number of animals examined, 18,217 



Number of carcasses examined, 69,497 



Number of organs examined, 86,666 



Meat and meat products examined, 2,103,254 pounds. 



A detailed report of transmissible diseases of animals appears under 

 that head. This is the most important work of the Board, and close 

 attention was given to the ordinar-}^ diseases that may be transmitted 

 from animal to animal. However, the most transmissible disease 

 of all ruminants and cloven-footed animals is the foot-and-mouth dis- 

 ease, from which, as an epidemic, the State suffered great losses dur- 

 ing the latter part of 1914 and the first part of 1915. The first case 

 was found in the State on October 29, 1914, and the last case dis- 

 covered was on April 25, 1915. However, there was a general quar- 

 antine on some portion of the State extending 265 days. The infec- 

 tion occurred on 788 farms. The total amount of money used to 

 suppress the scourge, and exterminate the disease was $668,441.66. 

 This, however, represented but a small part of the losses that this 

 disease caused the people of Pennsylvania. In fact it is not possible 

 to estimate, even approximate in dollars and cents the amount of 

 loss to those engaged in raising or handling livestock, farm products, 

 etc., through the loss of business caused by restrictions, embargoes, 

 etc. 



According to the summary of Aphthous Fever in 1914 and 1915, 

 the epidemic affected 34 counties of the State, causing the loss of 788 

 herds, representing 15,120 cattle, 11,035 swine and 375 sheep. 



Hog Cholera, one of the transmissible diseases of livestock, ex- 

 isted in 52 of the 67 counties of the State, though not in virulent 

 form, scarcely affecting two per cent, of the whole number of hogs 

 raised in this State, which were in the neighborhood of 1,150,000 in 

 1915. The number of hogs examined in 1914 and 1915 were 31,980, 

 of which number 8,529 showed symptoms of the disease. The num- 

 ber of animals vaccinated in the two years were 24,545. The deaths 

 resulting from Hog Cholera previous to vaccination were 6,004 and 

 after vaccination, 5,131. The almost complete control the State Live- 

 stock Board have of this disease should be an inducement for the farm- 

 ers of the State to engage in swine husbandry which shows such good 

 results as a money-maker. 



The rabies situation in the State is reported to be much improved. 

 The very prompt action of the Board in rigidly quarantining local- 

 ities where the disease was found reduced very materially the num- 

 ber of cases of rabies. From the statement submitted it is learned 

 that the number of cases re])orted in the two years were 492, number 

 of animals quarantined. 3,312, localities quarantined, 33, number of 

 animals killed, 2,339 and the number of persons bitten by rabid dogs, 

 341. 



