EEPOKT OF THE BUEEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 497 



Mr. Charles 1ST. Eley, of Smith's Point, Chambers County, Tex., 

 writing under date of June 6, 1887, gives the following account of 

 an outbreak of charbon among horses and cattle in that locality: 



There is prevailing at present in this county a fearful mortality among cattle, 

 horses, and sheep. Mr. James T. White has lost in the last two weeks 600 head of 

 cattle; James Jackson 17 head of horses and 300 head of cattle. Other stock-men 

 have lost largely. I have lost 2 milch cows and have one horse sick now. The dis- 

 ease is commonly called charbon, but the symptoms are variable. Some have high 

 fever and are stiff in their joints. In horses it is first observed as a small swelling 

 on the side or stomach. Very few recover. Treatment does not seem to do much 

 good, for about as many get well without as with it. The better the blood of the 

 stock the more fatal the disease seems. 



Quite an extensive outbreak of a disease supposed to be anthrax 

 was reported as prevailing among cattle on the farm, of Mr. Hastings, 

 located about 3 miles from JN"orthborough, Mass., on the line of the 

 Old Colony Railway. Dr. W. H. Rose, a veterinary inspector of the 

 Bureau, was directed to make an investigation as to the nature and 

 cause of the disease and report the results to the Department. In his 

 report, bearing date of April 19 last, he says: 



About four weeks ago Mr. William Hastings purchased 16 cows from a man 

 named Wheeler. The latter purchased them from William Scullans, a cow dealer 

 of Brighton. Since they came into Mr. Hastings's possession they have all been af- 

 fected with diarrhea, but with the exception of 2 animals they have all made a fair 

 recovery. Ten days ago 1 of the 3 died. To-day I killed a second one. On dis- 

 section the mucous membrane of the entire intestinal tract showed intense inflamma- 

 tion. I found the same appearances in the bladder. The spleen and liver were 

 very soft. The serous coverings of the intestines were also intensely inflamed and 

 congested. The blood was almost a walnut color, and soon coagulated when it came 

 in contact with the air. It then soon became lighter in color. Prior to death a 

 crackling sound could be heard along the dorsal and lumbar regions when the skin 

 was rubbed with the hand. I found a small piece of the lower and posterior por- 

 tion of the left lung hepatized. The hepatized portion was only about 4 inches across 

 each way and 2 inches thick. In making a section I found the lining one-eighth 

 inch in diameter and uniform in width throughout the greater part of the hepati- 

 zation, with bright red lobular spaces. A clear colored serum was visible over the 

 fresh-made section. I pronounced the disease anthrax, and regarded the lung 

 lesions as due to septic poisoning. I learned that the hay fed to these animals was 

 cut from meadow lands submerged in water. A dam had to be cut in order to let 

 off the surface water before the grass could be mowed. The land lies between 

 hills, is very low, and never dry except in seasons of extreme drought. Under the 

 floor in which the cattle were confined I found a manure pit filled to a depth of 3 feet 

 with a semi-liquid manure. These cattle were brought originally from New York. 



In August, 1887, the Department was requested to send a veteri- 

 nary inspector to Ellen ville, Ulster County, N. Y., for the purpose 

 of determining the nature of a disease prevailing among cattle in 

 that county. Dr. C. B. Michener was directed to make the investi- 

 gation, the results of which are given in the following report : 



I returned late last night from Ellen ville, N. Y., where I had gone by your instruc- 

 tions to investigate an outbreak of disease among cattle. The animals that have 

 been attacked belonged to Messrs. George Hill and Seth Green, who reside about 14 

 to 16 miles from Ellenville. The pastures upon which these cattle grazed were high, 

 but quite soft and marshy. They are entirely removed from any line of traffic. No 

 cattle are purchased from outside, as the farmers raise all their stock. There have 

 been no deaths for the past two or three weeks. I carefully examined the remaining 

 herds, but could find no evidence of disease. Upon inquiry I learned that, as a rule, 

 the fattest and best young animals were the ones generally attacked. These died in 

 from twenty-four hours to three or four days. Mr. George Hill lost 5 head 2 cows 

 and 3 yearlings. Mr. Seth Green lost 2 young animals. I learned of single cases of 

 death as occurring in herds at various surrounding points, but attached no particu- 



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