I followed this experiment up until I had gone 

 through each pond separately, and in every instance 

 where the fish were fed on livers it was followed by 

 disastrous results, and a change to the live food, min- 

 nows and maggots, always affected a cure. The pecu- 

 liar part of this is that all the trout that we have in 

 our ponds have been reared on beef livers, and up to 

 the breaking out of this epidemic they have always 

 been perfectly healthy. A further investigation may 

 reveal the cause, but I must admit .that it is a mystery 

 to me at present. 



On May 6th, in compliance with instructions receiv- 

 ed from the Board, I sent specimens of the diseased 

 fish to Dr. Tarleton H. Bean, U. S. Fish Commision, 

 Washington, D. C, to Mr. Fred. Mather, Supt. Fish 

 Hatchery, Cold Spring Harbor, N. Y. and to Professor 

 Bessey, of the Nebraska State University. The first 

 sent to Dr. Bean were examined by Mr. Herbert A. 

 Gill, Acting U. S. Fish Commissioner. Mr. Gill 

 says that a similar disease appeared among the fish in 

 the ponds at Northville, Mich., last year, and that the 

 disease was cured by giving the ponds a thorough 

 cleaning, drawing off the water, leaving the dirt expos- 

 ed, covering it with lime and salting it. This treat- 

 ment effected a cure and the fish have not been attack- 

 ed since. Mr. Gill writes that in the way of direct 

 treatment he knows of nothing to recommend. Mr. 

 Mather writes that the disease is probably the same 

 that occurred among the fish in the ponds at Cold 

 Spring Harbor in 1890. which lasted for a period of 

 three months, and caused the loss of a great many of 

 their fish. Mr. Mather is of the opinion that the dis- 

 ease was caused by feeding tuberculous beef livers. 

 He said : " I have changed butchers and have had no 

 trouble since." 



Prof. Bessy does not know the cause of the disease. 



