30 CONTAGIOUS DISEASES OF DOMESTICATED ANIMALS. 



These farms are nieutionecl as examples of what had occurred at sev- 

 enteen or ei^liteen different places that I learned of within a radius of 

 15 miles from Eftingham. As a matter of great interest connected with 

 this subject, I was informed by a number of people that there had been 

 a greater number of al)ortions among mares, and more cases of difficult 

 parturition during the past winter and spring than was ever known 

 before. 



Other herds were reported on good authority to be affected in the 

 same manner at different points in Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, and Col- 

 orado. 



CLASS, CONDITION, SURROUNDINGS, AND CARE OF THE ANIMALS. 



All the diseased animals on the farms visited by me were stock cattle 

 in medium to thin condition. Those worst affected, in which one or 

 more limbs were separating as a consequence of dry gangrene, had 

 evidently lost much flesh during the progress of the disease. There 

 were no fat cattle on any of these farms. At Mr. O'Toole's it was said 

 by those who visited the place the fattening cattle were attacked as well 

 as the stock cattle and calves. 



On most of the farms there were cattle of all ages — calves, yearlings, 

 two-year-olds, three-year olds, and cows. The calves and yearlings 

 seemed to escape in a greater degree than the older cattle. In the 

 Goodrich herd were 20 calves which occupied a lot through which the 

 other animals were frequently driven to water and into which some of 

 the lame ones were jdaced. This lot was separated by an open fence 

 from that in which were kept the worst diseased animals of the herd, 

 and yet not one of the calves suffered in the least. At Pribbernow's 

 were 54 yearlings running with the other cattle, and from which the 

 worst affected ones were only separated by a rail fence, and all of these 

 escaped. At Keith's were 2 young calves sucking diseased mothers, 

 but themselves in good health. Here also were hogs and a litter of 

 young i)igs running in the same lot with the sick cattle, but tree from 

 any signs of disease. At Kirksville sheep had been running with the 

 cattle and were also healthy. In Illinois, sheep, swine, and goats 

 mingled with the affected herds with perfect safety. 



The winter has undoubtedly been a severe one upon the stock of the 

 Western States, and the cattle were consequently somewhat below the 

 average ccmdition at this season of the year. The appearance of the 

 disease cannot be explained by this fact, however, since thousands of 

 healthy herds were in worse condition than those on the farms in ques- 

 tion. Some of these herds, and noticeably that of Goodrich, were in 

 much better than average condition; they had evidently been well fed 

 and cared for. 



There was nothing in the surroundings of the affected animals which 

 would explain the development of the disease. The feeding lots in 

 most cases were unusually dry and the disease had appeared at a time 



