144 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



DOURINE 



Dourine or equine syphilis is a transmissible disease of horses 

 convej^ed from animal to animal by copulation. The true cause of the 

 disease is a micro-organism known as trj-panesome equiperdum. 



The disease is supposed to have come originally' from Syria and 

 Asia. It has been spread to nearly all horse breeding countries. 

 The first appearance of the disease recognized in this country was 

 in DeWitt county, Illinois, in 1882. It was found in a stallion im- 

 ported from France. From him it was spread to a number of brood 

 mares and stallions in that section. Kecently the disease was found 

 in some of the Western states and had become quite widely spread 

 before it was recognized. The United States Bureau of Animal In- 

 dustry has the outbreak well under control. There is no cure for 

 the disease and it is handled by quarantine and slaughter of all 

 infected cases. 



The first symptoms usually show on the generative organs. Ked 

 spots, vesicles and ulcers appear. There is a constant desire to 

 urinate and the patient shoAvs an increased sexual desire. Later 

 eruptions appear on the skin and this is followed by paralysis. The 

 disease runs a long course — usually from three months to two or 

 three years. It usually proves fatal. 



If symptoms of this kind should be observed in breeding horses, 

 the condition should be reported promptly so a diagnosis can be 

 made before the disease becomes widely spread. Up to the present 

 time the disease has not been recognized in this State. The danger of 

 infection is greatest in imported stallions and in brood mares from 

 the northwestern part of the United States. 



TUBERCULOSIS 



The report on tuberculosis is intended primarily as a resume of 

 field work; but no doubt some persons will be interested in it and 

 the tuberculin test beyond statistical records. 



During the past twenty years or more, this subject received so 

 much attention and has been given such wide publicity, it would 

 appear that all livestock owners should be well informed. Such 

 however is not the case as we frequently find owners who have little 

 or no knowledge of this disease, and others, who on account of im- 

 proper information, do not realize its economic importance. 



Many persons regard our work in the control of bovine tuberculosis 

 as being specifically directed to the protection of public health, and 

 demand such radical measures as would inflict a serious hardship 

 on the livestock industry. Doubts have been expressed as to the 

 utility of tuberculin testing only a small percentage of the cattle 

 population of the State and permitting the large remainder to fur- 

 nish milk and meat products for human food. 



A conservative estimate has been made of the expense attendant 

 upon a state-wide tuberculin test of dairy cattle and destruction of 

 all reacting animals. The cost has been placed at upwards of five 

 million dollars ; in addition there would be a loss to the owners of 

 about one and one-half million dollars above the amount of indem- 

 nity which could be paid by the State under the present law. This 

 estimate does not include beef cattle and swine, in which classes 

 of animals, tuberculosis is also of serious importance. 



