146 Twenty-Second Annual, Report of the 



Rensselaer county was somewhat difficult to combat because of 

 weather conditions. 



Early in March, 1915, the disease appeared in a large herd in 

 Onondaga county. This proved to be one of the most serious cen- 

 ters of infection in the State, exposing as it did a very important 

 breeding district where great numbers of pure-bred cattle were in 

 danger. From the original seat of infection the disease spread to 

 many of the surrounding towns, and before its complete eradica- 

 tion the destruction of a large number of animals was necessary. 

 The accompanying statistics indicate the extent of the infection in 

 that district. The last animals were disposed of in Onondaga 

 county late in April, and it was believed that the disease was under 

 control. 



For nearly three months no cases developed within the State, 

 and confidence that it had been entirely eradicated grew as time 

 went on. However, on July 29, 1915, suspicious conditions were 

 reported from Hornell, Steuben county, which were immediately 

 verified. The infection in that district, however, proved unim- 

 portant, being limited to two townships and confined to two 

 premises. It may be of interest to note that in the last case, in 

 Troupsburg, Steuben county, a distance of about twenty-five miles 

 from Hornell, the source of infection seemed to be fairlv clear but 

 unusual. Eight days previous to the appearance of the disease, 

 the owner of his herd visited the city of Hornell, driving his auto 

 along a street which had been overflowed by the rising of the 

 Canisteo creek, along the water course of which hogs suffering 

 from foot-and-mouth disease had been yarded and kept. On the 

 return of the owner to his home at Troupsburg, one of his cows 

 licked the tire of the machine and eight days later showed symp- 

 toms of foot-and-mouth disease. That cow was the first animal 

 in that herd to develop such symptoms, and there was no other 

 source of infection that could be determined. 



Attention is called to the outline map showing the localities in- 

 fected. It will be noted that the disease extended in a more or less 

 definite line across the State, appearing to follow the main high- 

 ways of traffic, which points to infection being carried, not only 

 by animals, but by means of common carriers. 



New York State should consider herself fortunate that the dis- 



