REPORT OF STATE VETERINARIAN. 35 



can be made in this work until all of the sheep are gotten up off tlie 

 range. This work can best be done between the first Of January and 

 the 15th of April. It will be necessary, in order to handle the out- 

 break of scabies in Laclede county properly, to employ a competent 

 man to go there and remain until all of the sheep have been quaran- 

 tined and dipped. 



TICK FEVER. 



Arrangements have been made with tlie Federal government where- 

 by the Bureau of Animal Industry furnishes men to guard the southern 

 border of the State against the introduction of fever ticks during the 

 closed season, and attend to the inspection during the inspection season. 

 Our policy has been to attend strictly to the eradication of the fever 

 ticks at points within the State. There is not enough of this work to 

 justify the board in keeping a man permanently employed for this work 

 alone. The important part of this work falls during the month of 

 Jviy, and if a competent man were on the ground during July he could 

 doubtless find and quarantine all of the infected cattle and pastures 

 in the State. The subsequent examination and releasing of quarantines 

 would require an occasional return to the infected areas by a deputy. 

 It seems that it would be much more economical to put a competent 

 man on the ground during the month of July and leave the subsequent 

 part of the work to be done by deputies, from whom only a few visits 

 would be required. Any man who is selected to look after the fever 

 infection should be a well qualified veterinarian who not only under- 

 stands tick fever, but who has a thorough knowledge of the nature of 

 other contagious diseases. We cannot hope to get the best results from 

 the employment of laymen for doing control work of any kind. 



THE TUBERCULIN TEST. 



As was explained to the Board at the last annual meeting, the most 

 important line of work falling upon the State veterinary service at the 

 present time is the proper control of tuberculosis among cattle. As 

 was also explained at that meeting that the August bulletin of 1905 

 would be devoted to the subject of the tuberculin test. This bulletin, 

 while not treating in detail of tuberculosis, gives a brief review of the 

 symptoms of the disease and explains the difficulty in discovering its 

 presence in any herd by any ordinary examination such as could be 

 made by a stockman. It also explains in detail the use that can be 

 made of the tuberculin test, and gives the method of applying it. In 

 the bulletin is announced to the breeders of registered beef cattle and 



