442 EEPOET OF THE BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



of the opinion that it was due to the Southern cattle fever, the germs 

 of which were taken into the animals on the Repp farm, and dis- 

 tributed there by either cattle of that lot or some lot previously 

 pastured there. 



Since closing the above report I have received information which 

 throws suspicion upon the Norris pasture as the place where most of 

 the cattle were infected. Mr. George D. Norris, writing from 

 Unionville under date of October 18, 1888, says: 



I lost 6 animals in all 4 cows, a bull, and a heifer. All died with the same dis- 

 ease except the heifer. She did not open like the others. Her bladder and gall- 

 bladder were different. * * * There have not been any cattle on the meadow 

 since. Horses and sheep have been pasturing there. We hope that it has all passed 

 away. * * Cattle that were pastured next to iny meadow did not catch the 

 disease. I believe, and so do others, that it teas from the other bunch of cattle and 

 not from the bunch that died that my cattle caught the disease, and if I had not run 

 my cattle on the meadow I do not believe that I would have lost any. 



Again, on March 28, the same gentleman wrote: 



Both the cow and steer that William Baker lost were pastured on my meadow. 

 Mr. Etzlur is the only man that lost a cow (native) who bought any out of the 72 

 bunch. The bull was the fifth one to die, and they died one week apart. 

 Mr. Devilbiss, to-day, said that he bought them (the other bunch of cattle) in Balti- 

 more, and they were put in my meadow on June 26. Sixteen head of these were 

 butchered and 10 head were taken back to Baltimore. They were Chero- 



kee cattle, and were full of ticks. 



Mr. Repp, of Rech & Repp, of Union Bridge, reported at the time 

 of my visit to that place that he bought 7 or 8 head of cattle of Mr. 

 Darius Devilbiss, of Unionville, in May or June. The latter says 

 that half of these were natives and the other half were Chicago cat- 

 tle. These were exchanged about June 26. They were pastured on 

 the home farm of Mr. Repp. On referring to a letter of Mr. George 

 D. Norris, recently received, I find that this is probably a portion of 

 a herd that was on his meadow at that time, and by which he thinks 

 his meadows were infected. These were Chicago cattle bought of 

 Charles Ruder, and were a lot of 26 head. 



Should it be true that an earlier herd infected the pasture, then 

 the stage of incubation would be shortened for the herd of 72 ani- 

 mals. The various circumstances surrounding the deaths of native 

 cattle would be slightly but not materially altered. There being two 

 chances of infection, an acceptance of either to the exclusion of the 

 other should be considered conservatively, and in accordance with 

 the light which the known facts throw on the case. The history of 

 the herd and diseased natives after the herd reached the Norris farm 

 is very definite. 



Respectfully submitted. 



COOPER CURTICE, D. V. S. 



