PREFACE. 



About the middle of Jiiue, 18G8, a disease broke out at Cairo, Illinois, 

 at a point where large numbers of Texas cattle had been landed. It 

 was thought to resemble the disease of the old Spanish cattle on the 

 Gulf coast, and was thence called "Spanish fever" and "Texas cattle 

 disease." This spread into Southern Illinois and other districts in con- 

 nection with the grand depot at Cairo. 



My attention was called to the serious natiu^e of this disease when 

 visiting the fair of the State Agricultural Society at Springfield, Illinois, 

 whereupon I secured the services of Professor Gamgee, of London, 

 England, who was at the time in this country, to make a full investiga- 

 tion, under the following instructions: 



lu view of the alarming and continued ravages of the cattle disease in Illinois, known 

 poi^ularly as the " Spanish fever," and assumed to be communicated by cattle recently 

 from Texas, I hereby authorize you to make investigations into its cause and character, 

 and to ascertain and rei)ort, if possible, a practicable remedy or means of prevention. 



In accordance with this letter, the i)rofessor visited the districts in 

 Illinois and vicinity which w^ere affected. 



In the spring of this year, in comj)any with Mr. H. W. Eavenel, of 

 South Carolina, an accomplished botanist, he visited that part of Texas 

 on and near the Gulf coast, and examined into the conditions of food and 

 general mode of life of the native cattle of Texas at those points whence 

 transportation begins. The observations made are embodied in the 

 accompanying reports of Messrs. Gamgee and Eavenel. 



It being desirable that some observations should be made upon the 

 . effect of fungi entering the system of animals in producing alterations 

 of the blood and other animal fluids, or general deviations from health 

 in stock, a request was made by this Department to Brevet Briga- 

 dier General J. K. Barnes, Surgeon General United States army, that 

 Doctors J. S. Billings and E. Curtis, assistant surgeons United States 

 army, might be authorized to assist Professor Gamgee in his experi. 

 ments upon the subject of the cryptogamic causes of disease. The 

 Surgeon General authorized these gentlemen to enter upon that duty, 

 and their report is ai^pended. 



It is not to be presumed that this report renders further investigation 

 needless ; on the contrary, some practical points not yet reached urgently 

 demand examination. One of these is the best mode of arresting con- 

 tagion and the proper preparation of cattle for transportation north. 

 To carry out this investigation a further appropriation is needed. 



