REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY* 449 



and that going to Capistrano; also by O'Neil's trail from San Gor- 

 gonia to Rancho Santa Margarita, and that the cattle infected these 

 trails and the individual ranches, and by that means caused the death 

 of so many native cattle in San Diego County. The only objection 

 I can see to these conclusions is, can permanent infection exist, as 

 Mr. Mercer was inclined to think during pur inspection in the Salina 

 Valley of Monterey County ? To prove this would require further and 

 special examination of the various ranches in California at a time when 

 the disease is at its height. 



In Los Angeles City, Dr. Whittlesey, V. S., drew my attention to 

 the fact that some cows had died within the city limits from what 

 he supposed was Southern fever. The cows belonged to Mr. W. W. 

 Cate, who said that his cows died from red- water and were treated for 

 the disease by an empiric without any of them recovering. The ani- 

 mals were in the habit of grazing in the river bottoms, along which 

 river bed Scanton Bros. , owners of the Orleans market, were in the 

 habit of driving their cattle in order to reach their slaughter-house, 

 10 miles from the city. In this way Dr. Whittlesey considered that 

 Mr. Cate's cattle were infected. 



Leaving Los Angeles I went to Hanf ord at the request of the State 

 board of health. On arrival I met J. A. Davidson, M. D., who in- 

 formed me that at the request of the board of supervisors he went out 

 and examined some 316 head of cattle brought from the Salina Valley 

 and pastured on' alfalfa. After being there three weeks they com- 

 menced to die. He quarantined them. Mr. Motheral informed me 

 that the cattle, in coming to Hanf ord, passed through Polly Helbrun's 

 ranch, where cattle have been dying in great numbers. The mortality 

 ceased soon after their arrival. Mr. Motheral, who used to farm in 

 Mississippi and Florida, said he had had experience with Southern 

 fever, considered the symptoms and post-mortem lesions of these cat- 

 tle those of Southern fever, and laid particular emphasis on the fact 

 that after the frost came they ceased dying. 



Mr. J. E. Tilt on, who lives 4| miles from Hanf ord, informed me 

 that he had lost 19 head this year, and 16 head last year. He usually 

 carried about 40 head of cattle. This year they began to die about 

 the 1st of September. In August some cattle came in from the Coast 

 Range of mountains. He cut some of the dead cattle open, and found 

 the omasum hard and dry. The spleen was three times its normal 

 size, and was black. Some of the animals before death voided bloody 

 urine. Some died quickly while others lingered for days. The fat- 

 test died first. I went to Mr. Sandf ord's ranch, 4 miles from Hanf ord, 

 who informed me that he sold his hay to Polly Helbrun & Co. , to feed 

 to cattle on his ranch. They brought in about 1,400 head of cattle, 

 and two or three days after arrival they commenced to die. About 

 450 died on the Polly Helbrun ranch before they left. I made two 

 post-mortems here. The first was a cow that got down and was killed 

 the same dayl arrived. I found the following lesions : Spleen slightly 

 enlarged, but the pulp was normal. The liver was enlarged and of 

 brick-red color, and the gall-bladder immensely distended and full 

 of dark-green, inspissated bile. The kidneys I found congested. The 

 stomach and intestines were in a normal condition, as were also the 

 heart, great vessels, and the blood. The- Fungs were both affected with 

 broncho-pneumonia, being variegated, brown and red lobuli alter- 

 nately. I split open the bronchial tubes, and found them full of the 

 Strongylus micrurus, causing parasitic bronchitis. Microscopical 

 examination failed to reveal anything. Numerous other animals 

 12057 A I -29 



