292 CONTAGIOUS DISEASES OF DOMESTICATED ANIMALS 



called black-leg, aud I can learn of no remedy from local scources. A steer, appar. 

 ently well yesterday, at evening was observed staggering about, at daylight this 

 morning it was down, at? a. ra. it was unable to rise, aud at 8 a. m. it was dead. On 

 cutting the animal open various dark, bloody spots were found under the skin and 

 involving the tissue. The heart was seriously affected. 



An epidemic of black-leg prevailed among cattle in Trego County, 

 Kansas, during the months of November and December last. In the 

 early part of December Mr. Ben. C. Eich, of the above-named county, 

 informed the Department that over one hundred head of cattle had died 

 of the disease in Ogallah Township alone. He had lost eleven animals 

 himself, a neighbor had lost seven, another seven, and still others three 

 or four each. As to the post-mortem appearances of the disease, he says : 



I was to-day called upon by a neighbor to make an examination of three animals 

 which had just died, of which I send you the following imperfect report : 



No. 1. A heifer calf four months old, still fed twice a day on milk and the run oi 

 wheat aud rye. The first symptoms were weakness in hind limbs and small of back, 

 aud a dragging motion of hind legs when attempting to walk. When opened, the 

 blood was found discolored on inside of both hind legs and over the left kidney. The 

 tissue which surrounds the paunch and intestines was also discolored. The small in- 

 testines aud manifold were very tender aud easily torn. There was no bake. The 

 melt was much inflamed and bloody and very tender. Other organs seemed normal. 

 Yellowish froth issued from the mouth. 



No. 2. A cow three years old and giving milk. Appeared well yesterday morning 

 wten milked. Sickness discovered in afternoon, and died during last night. The 

 first symptom wes lameness in righ hind leg, which was much inflamed at stifle joint 

 and very sore to the touch. On opening, found the whole right horn very much in- 

 flamed ; flesh very dark and bloody, and over right kidney the same ; tissues sur- 

 rounding the paunch and small intestines much discolored ; manifold baked ; liver in- 

 flamed, aud so tender that I could tear it easily with my fiuger. About a quart of 

 bloody water was found in the cavity of the body. There was no discoloration on 

 front part of body. All other organs seemed normal. The animal was five months 

 gone with calf. 



No. 3. A fine, large-grade cow, three years old next spring, and six months gone 

 with calf. This cow did not seem stiff" in joints or weak behind previous to death. 

 She ate heartily up to 4 o'clock p. m. yesterday, at which time she was first noticed 

 tabe sick. She died during the night. The lesions were confined to the breast aud 

 between the front legs. These parts were very much inflamed and the flesh dark 

 and bloody. No discoloration was found ou hind parts, back, paunch, or intestines. 

 No bloody water in cavity. The liver seemed all right, but the manifold was baked. 

 The heart was clotted, aud the lungs discolored and congested. 



Mr. A. E. Hall, of Fort Meade, Dak., writes as follows concerning the 

 ravages of black -leg in that locality : 



A disease is prevailing among cattle in this county called black-leg. I examined 

 two animals about twelve hours after death. Upon opening the body the blood 

 seemed almost all gone. What little was left seemed to have settled between the 

 layers of flesh and tissues. The flesh was a little higher colored thau beef. The first 

 animal had a swollen shoulder, and when rubbed with the hand emitted a crackling 

 sound. It was full of air-bubbles immediately under the skin. The last stomach was 

 very dry, almost baked. The small intestines leading to the last stomach were green 

 or the distance of three or four inches. The animals show diflerent symptoms. 

 Some became swollen all over, some in one leg, and some not at all. We have lost about 

 a dozen range calves. But yearlings are not exempt from the disease, and sometimes 

 (jows are attacked. It does not make any difference as to whether the animals are 



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