CONTAGIOUS DISEASES OF DOMESTICATED ANIMALS. 295 



Yesterday we slaugbterccl one of tlie cows to see if we could not find the cause of 

 the disease. We found the heart and lungs very large and tilled with tubercles. The 

 omentum felt like a hard, round cord, and was filled with tubercles, in fact seemed to be 

 one tuberculous mass. We found the liver, spleen, stomach, and intestines all healthy. 

 In cutting into the tubercles they presented more of a sarcomatous appearance than 

 of true tuberculosis. Thinking the specimens might be of interest to your veterina- 

 rian, I have boxed up theluugs and omentum arrd forwarded to your Department, and 

 would be glad to hear the result of the examination. These cattle were all bred upon 

 the farm. I have bred their ancestors on dam side for more than thirty years. They 

 were superior dairy cattle, of fine constitutions and remarkably healthj. I never 

 knew one of them ta be sick before. They were of diflfereut strains — the sire of the 

 cows was a Mazurka bull by Royal Oxford, of the steer a Miss Kirby cow by the 

 Khenish bull Joe Johnston. If this is true tuberculosis, how did it originate ? 



A flay or two later (February 1) Dr. Rice writes as follows concerning 

 tbe second cow : 



We killed the other cow to-day, and found such a growth of fungoid matter that I 

 hasten to send specimens, believing they will aid your veterinarian to form a more 

 correct diagnosis of the cases. From all I can learn about the steer, he presented 

 similar growths. They are remarkable, and owing to the previous healthfulness of 

 the animals, and that of their ancestors on all sides, I am able to form no opinion in 

 the premises. You will find myriads of small fungi growing from the larger ones — 

 some much resembling mushroom growths. The lung presented very much the con- 

 dition of the one we forwarded yesterday. We to-day send liver entire, its preter- 

 natural adhesions to midrilf and pectoral coat of stomach by fungous growth; a sec- 

 tion of rib and brisket, showing growth of fungi to the inside membrane of the ribs ; 

 sections of lung, peritoneal covering of bowels, omentum, &c. ; also a piece of stom- 

 ach with growth growing from its outside coat. All of the interior of the ribs were 

 covered with growths such as specimens represent, and many with dark bodies hang- 

 ing attached by long, narrow necks to the membrane between the ribs, resembling 

 hydatids, but the bodies were hard and iiesliy. 



There has never been any cough with either animal, only a gradual decline with 

 the symi)toms given in my first letter, except that the one we killed to-day was taken 

 a day or two ago with a in'ofuse, watery diarrhea, which was weakening her down 

 rapidly. 



The specimens arrived in good condition, and, after examination by 

 tlie veterinarian, Dr. Rice was informed that tbe disease with which 

 his cattle were suffering was undoubtedly tuberculosis. He was coun- 

 seled to destroy all remaining animals showing signs of the malady, 

 and advised to thoroughly disinfect his stables, which should not be 

 again occupied for a year. 



Impaction of the manifold. — Mr. P. H. Powers, of Wicklifie, Chirke 

 County, Virginia, statistical correspondent, recently lost some cattle by 

 a disease unknown in that locality. Under date of February 18 last, he 

 wrote the Department as follows : 



I have lost, within the past ten days, two three-year-old steers, aflfected similarly 

 and so acutely that I deem it proper to report the cases to the Department. When 

 first observed, which was about 6 o'clock a. m., each of these steers seemed suftering 

 with violent itching about the head, particularly along the jaw and around the eyes. 

 So violent was this that they would run to the fence or posts of the barn and rub until 

 the whole side of tLie head was made raw and bloody. Accomjianying this itching 

 •was a spasmodic twitching or jerking of the head sideways and upward, occurring 

 • constantly, and at intervals of about a minute. There was some foam about the 



