498 EEPOKT OF THE BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



lax importance to these, and did not visit any herds except those belonging to Messrs. 

 Hill and Green, The symptoms and post-mortem appearances detailed to me, taken 

 in connection with the season, character of soil, etc., all prove conclusively that 

 death was due to a form of anthrax fever. There were no signs of contagious 

 pleuro-pneumonia, and, in fact, from the history and location of the herds, no pos- 

 sibility of the existence of this disease, I so informed the owners and local mem- 

 bers of the health board. I gave them full instructions as to the treatment neces- 

 sary in case of further trouble, and also as to preventive measures that should be 

 adopted. 



BLACK LEG. 



A number of outbreaks of black leg occurred in widely separated 

 localities during the year 1887. On January 11, Dr. Charles N. 

 Hewitt, Bed Wing, Minn., a member of the State board of health, 

 wrote that a farmer near that place had lost 4 calves during the past 

 three weeks showing the following symptoms and post-mortem ap- 

 pearances: Lameness in one or more legs, speedily followed by ina- 

 bility to rise when down; no fever; some dyspnoea, and death from 

 apparent exhaustion in twenty-four hours. But 4 have had extreme 

 swelling of one limb. Effusion of blood in cellular tissue in limbs 

 swollen. . Lungs sound, except slight congestion and some bronchial- 

 effusion: nothing serious; abdominal viscera sound so far as I was 

 able to discover. 



Hon. John T, Caine, of Utah, incloses to the Department a letter 

 bearing date of Adamsville, Beaver County, Utah, January 31, 1887, 

 stating that he had recently lost 6 head of yearling calves by a dis- 

 ease known as black leg. The symptoms were swelling on side of 

 jaw, right shoulder, and left thigh. The swollen parts felt pulpy, 

 and sounded as though containing blood ; lameness in legs affected ; 

 no appetite. Death occurs in about twelve hours after first symptoms 

 are observed. 



Mr. Thomas Memmott, writing from Scipio, Millard County, Utah, 

 under date of February 15, 1887, says that for the past few weeks 

 young horned animals in that county have suffered and died of a 

 disease known as black leg. 



Mr. G. W. Zents, Tionesta, Forest County, Pa., writing under date 

 of April 16, 1887, states that cattle in that county are suffering with 

 a peculiar and fatal disease, The disease first manifests itself by the 

 animal showing lameness in one leg. The breathing is heavy, and 

 death occurs from four to six hours after lameness is first observed. 

 Just before death the afflicted animals begin to swell or bloat. On 

 removing the skin from the lame leg after death the flesh is found to 

 be black and blood clotted. This blackness extends into the body. 

 If lameness begins in a front leg death occurs sooner than when 'it 

 begins in a hind limb, Ko one seems to know what the disease is. 

 Cattle that appear all right in the evening are found dead in the 

 morning. 



Under date of July 29, 1887, Mr, Louis A, Johnson, of Kochester, 

 Foran County, Ohio, informs the Department that he has lost a 

 number of spring calves by a disease which kills the animals very 

 suddenly. Of the symptoms he says that the animals are taken 

 suddenly sick; will not eat; stand around without any apparent 

 pain, and die in less than a day. There are blood-shot places under 

 tne hide, principally on the legs and under the chops. 



