LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 



SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith the Fourth and Fifth 

 Annual Reports of the Bureau of Animal Industry, covering the 

 work of the years 1887 and 1888, which have been combined for pub- 

 lication in one volume. An account is given therein of the opera- 

 tions of the Bureau for the suppression of the contagious pleuro- 

 pneumonia of cattle, of the investigations of various diseases of our 

 domestic animals in different parts of the United States, and of in- 

 formation obtained bearing upon the present condition of the animal 

 industry of the country. 



The period included in these reports embraces all of the work for 

 the eradication of pleuro-pneumonia which has been done since au- 

 thority was given for applying such measures as are essential for the 

 success of the work. Thus, during the first six months of the out- 

 break at Chicago, 111., there was no authority to purchase and slaugh- 

 ter exposed animals, and an insufficient sum was available for the 

 destruction of those actually diseased. The appropriation act for 

 the 'year 18S7-'88 gave additional authority, however, and from the 

 time it went into effect the work has gone on successfully. 



Before the close of the year 1887 this dangerous disease had been 

 eradicated from Illinois, and as soon as this was accomplished the 

 affected districts in the eastern section of the United States were placed 

 in quarantine and a rigid supervision of the cattle traffic was estab- 

 lished. Although, as compared with the results of similar work in 

 other countries, the time has been -short to demonstrate the effects 

 of the system here adopted, the progress has nevertheless been such 

 as to give the greatest encouragement. The Western States, and 

 all of the interior districts of the Eastern States, have been freed 

 from the contagion. The disease no longer exists in Virginia or 

 Pennsylvania. In Maryland it is confined to Baltimore; in New 

 Jersey it is confined to Hudson County; in New York it is confined 

 to New York City and to Brooklyn and its suburbs. In all of these 

 places infected herds are slaughtered as soon as discovered, and the 

 premises where they have been are thoroughly disinfected. No other 

 States are infected. 



The enforcement of proper regulations to prevent the dissemina- 

 tion of the contagion, together with these energetic measures for its 

 suppression, have rapidly narrowed the infected areas and have 



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