127 



highly indaiiifd, nml coufriiiiod rvon.slder.ablo (iniiiititios of olil-fi^ld ,<j;rass, culler] 

 "broom," (o,ialir:!ci!i,G; tliroo distinct sjiccics of (in<lropor/oii,) in an luidip.'cstcd st.'ito a'.id 

 compnotpd into hard wadsi. If thpsc casos woi;* roally distcnipor, the pxaniination 

 showed till' iinmodiato canso of death, but did not mako it clear whether the digestive 

 orfjans were deran^jcnl, or the snbstance entirely indijjestiblo. 



Gloucester, Virtjinia. — The disease known as '' murrain " has prevailed to an alarming 

 extent. On one farm twenty-one out of fehirty cattle died, and on a jilace adjoiuinjj; 

 the loss was two out of twenty-two. lOach of these herds was penned .at night, but 

 they ranged Avithiu the same iuelosure during the day. 



Henri), I'irf/inia.—A disease eftlled " Carolina distemper" prevailed in the soutliwest- 

 ern part of the county last August and 8cptember, carrying oil" mor(> than fifty head. 

 It was fatal to 75 per cent, of the cattle .attacked. 



Chesterfield, Virginia. — A very fatal disease prevailed in the autumn, which resembled 

 mun-ain, but was not certainly named. Loss, at least 10 per cent, of the cattle in the 

 county. 



Harnett, N. C. — Considerable mortality from a disease called, by some, murrain or 

 yellow murrain, for which no remedy has been found. Symptoms, loss of use of limbs, . 

 soon folloAVed by death. 



Stokes, N. C.~A lever called distemper or nuirrain has carried off many cattle — two- 

 thirds of all attacked — although many farmers profess to ])o able to cure it. Costive- 

 iiess and discharge of bloody water usually are symptoms. I have used with success, 

 for many years, as a preventive, a mixture of equal parts lime and salt placed, where 

 the animals h.ad free access to it. 



Kendall, Tex. — During last December twenty-six head of cattle died upon three farms 

 from a disease supposed at the time to be hydrophobia. The symptoms were distended 

 uostrils, wild and glassy appearance in the eye, and frothing at the mouth. 



FaTjctte, Tenn. — Considerable loss from what was called murrain. It commenced 

 during the drought of last fall, and is believed to have been caused by the grass be- 

 coming too dry to digest i)roperly, and a plentiful supply of water not accessible. The 

 consequence, obstruction, followed by death. There have been no cases where farmers 

 hiive been careful to keep their cattle loose in the bov/els; no remedy v/here the 

 (.liseaso once got a lirm hold. 



ilenviUc, Miuii. — Considerable mortality from drinking bad, stagnant water. Amix- 

 ture of six parts salt, two parts sulphur, and one of saltpeter, has been found valuable 



Meeker, Minn. — During some seasons past considerable numbers of cattle have had 

 swellings on the lower jaw, breaking out into thick ropy discharges for several months. 

 Several deaths have occurred. No name nor cure for this disease has been found. 



Hardin, Iowa. — Numerous deaths from "bloody nuirrain " or ''quarter kill." It com- 

 menced in the fall of 1871, and was found almost invariably among the yearlings and 

 calves of the previous spring that had become fat on the prairie range. Our corre- 

 sjiondeut has allowed his cattle the. prairie range with his neighbors, and has never lost 

 a single animal by the disease, while every one of his neighbors, ivliUont exception, has 

 lost a greater or less number. He yards his animals every night, and gives them as 

 much salt as they will consume. This is the only difference in his treatment from that 

 of his neighbors. 



Fawnee, Nchr. — A few deaths of animals from'roaming in the stalk-fields. Symptoms, 

 the animal refuses to eat; stands from half an hour to two hoiu's; becomes blind ; 

 staggers and ialls; death within two hours. The debris in the manifold or first 

 stomach become nearly dry enough to burn. 



Santa Clara, Cal. — Heavy loss from a new disease, thu post-mortem phenomena of 

 which are identical with those given in Gamgoe's report. At least one-fourth of the 

 farmers have lost more or less. One lost all his cattle and horses. Frequently animals 

 fall dead while eating or drinking, showing no special symptoms. 



From Mr. Eoger Conaiit wc liave tlic printed report ol" a committee 

 appointed to invetitiftate the causes of a new disease Avliich lias been 

 prevailing to a considerable extent araong the cattle in the vicinity of 

 Santa Cruz, ISauta Cruz County, California. From this report we learn 

 that the lirst symptoms of the disease is a desire to rub some part of 

 the body, usually the uose, ear, j;iw, leg', or side. Tlie animal uses its 

 feet, or any .convenient object, such as a tree, fence, or, post, to rub 

 against. The itching seems allayed somewiiat by the friction, but soon 

 returns with increased violence, until the hair and skin are (iuite rubbed 

 and torn ott". The parts swell and fill with a serous Huid, as the disease 

 advances. The animal becomes frantic, and dies from eight to twenty- 

 four nours after the first symptoms have shown themselves, apparently 

 from exhaustion. Sometimes they bloat before death. But little de- 



