30 MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



MALIGNANT CATARRH. 



The majority of outbreaks have occurred in lots of cattle where it 

 appeared to have been introduced by cattle brought from the various stock 

 yards. In some instances, however, it started among lots of cattle ap- 

 parently in a spontaneous manner. It is a disease not very well under- 

 stood and is difficult to control. While it appears among cattle in a spon- 

 taneous manner, it usually affects all of the young cattle in the lot and 

 some of the older ones and thus far appears to be contagious. The symp- 

 toms are barely noticeable to the ordinary observer up to a few days be- 

 fore the death of the affected animals takes place. The first noticeable 

 symptom is a catarrhal discharge from the nose and eyes. This is usu- 

 ally thought to be "pink eye," from which the animal apparently recovers. 

 The catarrhal conditions gradually spread to the air passages and cause 

 ? short, dry cough. The temperature is often found to run as high as io6 

 degrees. The digestive organs appear to become seriously involved only 

 during the last stages. The appetite remains good during the course of 

 the disease, but the digestion is impaired and the food, consumed by the 

 affected animal, appears to have no nourishing effect. When extremely 

 weakened from the ravages of the disease for from three days to ten or 

 twelve weeks, the affected animal usually ends up with dysentery and dies 

 from exhaustion and inanition. 



There were a large number of sheep shipped into the State during 

 the past fall. As would naturally be expected, some of them were af- 

 fected with scab. The number of outbreaks, however, has not been alarm- 

 ing and I anticipate no trouble in controlling the disease. 



During the winter of 1901 and 1902 the supply of hogs in this State 

 ran down very low. During the summer of 1902 an abundant crop of corn 

 was raised and the demand for hogs to which to feed it was almost un- 

 limited. There was quite a traffic in stock hogs and by this and other 

 means hog cholera has gained quite a foothokl in the State. During the 

 three years previous to October ist, 1902, there was hardly any hog 

 cholera to be found in the State. Hogs died here and there in small num- 

 bers of different diseases, most of which were of minor importance. Since 

 October ist, 1902, the hog cholera, diagnosed as such by expert meat in- 

 spectors in the various packing houses, has made its appearance in many 

 different localities in the State. Unless these outbreaks are controlled 

 promptly and the most radical means used right away, for its suppression, 

 the farmers of the State are liable to suffer enormous losses during the 

 summer of 1903. 



