CONTAGIOUS DISEASES OF DOMESTICATED ANIMALS. 25 



ham. 111., examined the cattle and the food and assnred myself that the 

 disease there was identical with that in Kansas and Missouri, and that 

 it was in every case traceable to the ergot which existed in great abund- 

 ance in the hay. 



SITUATION OF THE AFFECTED HERDS AND BRIEF HISTORY OF THE 



DISEASE. 



The cattle disease in Kansas which recently attracted so much atten- 

 tion from its supposed identity with the contagious foot-and-mouth dis- 

 ease of Europe, was first noticed in the herd of Daniel Keith about the 

 23d or 24th of December, 1883. Mr, Keith's farm is located 4 miles 

 northwest of Neosho Falls. The first to sicken were some yearlings, 

 which were noticed in the morning standing " humped up," with droop- 

 ing heads and jerking the hind feet in a peculiar manner. These would 

 walk but little and would soon lie down. Within two or three days 

 they were inclined to lie continually. The feet were examined and found 

 free from mud ; the interdigilal space was described as red, swollen, 

 and sensitive, the toes spread apart. The feet began to swell at the 

 coronet, or as high as the fetlock; a line of separation was established, 

 and pus appeared within two or three days from the first symptoms. 

 The mouths were not examined, but the animals were supposed to be 

 eating all right. 



On or about December 10, Mr. Keith had purchased 63 head of year- 

 lings of Mr. Davis, all of which had been gathered within a radius of 10 

 miles. Two cows and 6 yearlings were bought of Alexander Linn, 1 

 niile down the river from Neosho F'alls. This lot of yearlings were said 

 to have sickened within a few days after their arrival on the Keith farm ; 

 it is believed that some were sick within three days and that all were 

 suffering within a week, and during this time they had been fed on 

 shelled corn and mowed oats. There appears to be some doubt as to 

 how severely they were affected, whether they were all attacked on the 

 same day, and the exact number of days they were on the farm before 

 showing any symptoms. While it was asserted that they ate no hay it 

 was admitted that there was probably some hay in the racks. Eight 

 other animals were purcliased about the same time of neighbors living 

 within 2 or 3 miles. 



By January 1 he had between 20 and 30 head sick, a number of 

 new cases being observed each day. JNIarch Dr. Trumbower tbuii<l a 

 red yeailing steer with a very hot mouth, mucus membranes much 

 reddened, a vesicle the size of a dime on the soft pahite, and two smaller 

 ones on the tongue. There was also a small ulcer on the mucous mem- 

 brane of the rectum ; the temperature was 104.4° F. ; the animal was 

 lying down, and when for(;ed to rise it moved very stifHy, but there was 

 no swelling of the feet. The following day the vesicles were found 

 ruptured, in their place was a deep, red cavity which bled when touched. 

 Temperature still 104.4o. March 20 this animal appeared well. 



