No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 337 



first to be discovered. It is caused by a small organism that belongs 

 to the vegetable kingdom and it is so small that it can be seen only 

 with the microscope, its life histoiy now is well kno^n. How it is 

 transmitted to animals and from them is no longer a mystery. When 

 a district becomes infected with this organism it nmy remain and 

 is a source of danger for years. 



Among the diseases, the causes of which have been discovered since 

 that of anthrax, might be mentioned tuberculosis, glanders, hog 

 cholera, tetanus or lock jaw, black leg, lumpy jaw in cattle, strangles 

 or colt distemper in horses, fowl cholera, nodular disease in sheep, 

 Texas fever, contagious abortion in cattle, etc. These diseases can- 

 not spring up spontaneously. The specific organisms that produces 

 them is invariably the cause- In most cases no curative measures 

 have been d'scovered for these diseases and we are nearly as helpless 

 in treating animals so afflicted as we were before Veterinary Schools 

 were organized. We should not be discouraged, however, for much 

 valuable information has been obtained in reference to them. When 

 any such disease occurs we now have means for making a positive 

 diagnosis. This is especially important. One of our states spent 

 thousands of dollars a few years since fighting an outbreak of foot- 

 and-mouth disease and later found that the disease was caused by 

 eating smut on grain and was of very little importance. 



Aside from our ability to diagnose or recognize the above named 

 diseases, many other points of importance have been determined in 

 reference to them. In some cases vaccination may be used to prevent 

 them. We also know how to destroy the germs outside of the animal 

 body or how to prevent such disease from spreading from infected 

 areas to animals and man. 



Among these diseases against w^hich a satisfactory vaccination has 

 been discovered might be mentioned tetanus or lock jaw, anthrax, 

 blackleg, hog cholera, Texas fever and rabies or hydrophobia. 

 It is hoped that similar measures of prevention may soon be dis- 

 covered for other incurable diseases. 



A large number of the above named diseases is more or less pre- 

 valent in our own State. Among them might be mentioned tuber- 

 culosis, hog cholera, contagious abortion, rabies, mange in horses, 

 glanders, blackleg and anthrax. Any or all such diseases might be 

 better controlled and some of them exterminated if the knowledge 

 available in reference to them was disseminated among those in- 

 terested. The sensible, practical solution for the extermination of all 

 such diseases may not be entirely settled; but the State Livestock 

 Sanitary Board stands ready to assist those who apply for assistance 

 and it is earnestly hoped that effectual service may be rendered in 

 all such cases. 



The fact that tuberculosis can be eliminated from dairy herds has 

 been demonstrated beyond a doubt. You may consider the present 

 method extravagant, yet there is a question whether it may not be 

 advisable to adopt the apparent extravagant measure and rid your 

 herds of this pest. 



The measures for controlling glanders, contagious dysentery in 

 young animals, blackleg, contagious abortion and mange are less ex- 

 pensive and more easily applied. By rigidly enforcing the principles 

 of our present knowledge the losses from such diseases should be very 

 small. 



22—6—1911 



