198 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Kansas City Meeting of the American Veterinary Medical Association. — The 

 forty-fonrth annual meeting of this association was held in the New Casino in 

 Kansas City. September 10-13. ir»07. The attendance was larger than at any 

 previous annual meeting and the interest shown by members and visitors was 

 particularly gratifjing. Among the special features was a visit to the Armour 

 packing plant for the purpose of inspecting the methods of slaughtering and of 

 curing and preserving meats, and for studying the unusually large and com- 

 plete collection of pathological specimens taken during the regular routine of 

 meat inspection by the agents of the Bureau of Animal Industiy. On the last 

 day of the meeting a clinic was held at the Kansas City Veterinary College, 

 where a variety of surgical operations was performed. 



As in previous years the various State secretaries made reports on the condi- 

 tion of veterinary practice in their respective districts and on the most preva- i, 

 lent outbreaks of animal diseases occurring during the year. A paper by A- 

 Liautard directed attention to some of the difficulties at present encountered by 

 the recent gi-aduates of veterinary colleges. The necessity for uniformity in 

 the requirements for matriculation, gi-aduation. and curricula because of differ- 

 ences in the requirements of State examining boards was pointed out and it 

 was urged that the veterinary schools should cooperate in establishing a stand- 

 ard of veterinary education. In a discussion of the pai^er Doctor Melvin justi- 

 fied the present Civil Service examinations and the six months' probation period 

 in the appointment of inspectors. 



D. A. Hughes discussed the place of veterinary medicine in State education. 

 It was agreed that good veterinary courses should be established in all agri- 

 cultural colleges. The importance of animal industry at the present time justi- 

 fies the idea of providing proper instruction in each State for such students as 

 may wish to become veterinarians. No veterinary school can be properly equip- 

 ped and maintained without endowment, and this should preferably come from 

 the State. 



The present status of veterinary education in Europe was discussed at length 

 by P. A. Fish, on the basis of observations made during a recent trip to some of 

 the important European schools, particular attention being given to facilities 

 and eciuipment of the veterinary schools of England. Scotland, Holland, Ger- 

 many, Switzerland, and France. 



A. H. Baker presented an acc-ount of intestinal obstniction in the horse. 

 Acute cases rapidly prove fatal ; subacute cases slowly recover or prove fatal 

 in about two days. Acute ca.ses may be due to an intestinal calculus, volvulus 

 or intussusception. Subacute cases are caused by the formation of hair-balls, 

 bots. parasitic worms, or tumors. Among the drugs which were found most suc- 

 c-essful in treating these cases mention was made of linseed oil. eserin. Cannahiis 

 tndicn. chloral hydrate, atropin. etc. Neither opium nor aloes should be used. 



The effect of tuberculin upon milk production was discussed by S. H. Gil- 

 liland. who presented data of .5C»0 nonreacting cows, the temperatures of which 

 were taken following injection for four periods of twentj-four hours each. 

 Although according to the averages of the four periods 58.6 per cent of the 

 c-ows lost steadily, the loss was slight and may well have been due to other 

 causes. Trials with 48 reacting c-ows showed, from .85.4 per cent, an average 

 loss of 2i pounds of milk daily, as compared with healthy cows. J. F. Winches- 

 ter presentefl a historical acc-ount of the campaign since 1886 against tubercu- 

 losis in Massachusetts. 



W. ,1. Taylor presented the results of a study of the agglutination test in 

 glanders. At first the preparation of the test fluid gave much difhculty, Ijut it 

 was soon found that the agglutinating ix>wer may be preserved for a long time. 

 The serum will keep from three weeks to three months if the blood clot is re- 



