BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 37 



districts for a preventive against the disease. Anthrax vaccination 

 has been adopted to some extent in certain districts, but in a more 

 or less desultory manner, and the fact that it has not become more 

 ])opular is probably due to the questionable efficiency of these vaccines. 

 In order to test the relative value of both an active and a passive vac- 

 cine, various experiments have been conducted in the laboratory with 

 attenuated bacilli cultures prepared after the method of Pasteur, and 

 also with the serum of previously immunized animals following Sobern- 

 heini's and Sclavo's experiments. The comparativel}" small amount 

 of vaccinal product obtained by the latter methods, the uncertain 

 results which followed when virulent cultures were inoculated into 

 animals that had been treated with the serum, and the necessity for 

 meeting a large demand, should anthrax vaccine be distributed, have 

 shown conclusively that Pasteur's method is preferable, even though 

 it is necessary to handle the organism of anthrax by this method. 

 These experiments have not been concluded, but it is believed that 

 it will be possible without any great expense to meet the demand for 

 this ijreventive treatment of anthrax by the beginning of the next 

 anthrax season. 



Owing to the susceptibility of man to this disease and the extreme 

 care with which anj^ active vaccine, the organism of which is virulent 

 for man, must be handled, it would seem desirable to cooperate with 

 the exiieriment station veterinarians, State and assistant veterina- 

 rians, or other State sanitary officers rather than to distribute the vac- 

 cine directly to the stock owner. 



PATHOLOGICAL EXHIBIT. 



Considerable time was devoted to the preparation, installation, and 

 supervision of an exhibit at the Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo, 

 N. Y., and the South Carolina Interstate and West Indian Exposition, 

 at Charleston, S. C, representing the line of work of this laboratory 

 and its practical application, especially to meat inspection and the 

 preparation of blackleg vaccine. 



DIAGNOSIS OF SPECIMENS AND ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES. 



The amount of time that is required for this manner of woi-k has been 

 very great, and, while it does not appear to any great advantage in a 

 report of this nature, it has many beneficial results in disseminating 

 important knowledge, and is greatly appreciated bj" those directly 

 interested. During the j)ast year there were 40,880 pieces of mail 

 sent out by the division with reference to the distribution of blackleg 

 vaccine. 



ZOOLOGICAL DIVISION. 

 PUBLICATION OF THE CARD CATALOGUE. 



Owing to repeated requests from various sources, and also to the 

 risk of fire in the laboratory building, it was decided to undertake the 

 publication of our card catalogue, which has been so long in prepa- 

 ration and which is invaluable. This has involved a great amount of 

 work in verifying references which were copied from various authors 

 and in making the abbreviations and style uniform. The "A" authors 

 have already been issued, the "B" authors are in press, and the 

 remaining authors are about ready for publication. 



