848 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



especiallj those of them vrho have made microscopical examination. They have 

 found in the blood a germ, or poison, or organism, in the system of diseased animals, 

 called bacteria, which, when conveyed into healthy animals, produces the same 

 disease. 



Dr. Greenfield, of London, an eminent writer on this subject says, in the case of 

 infective disease, it is natural to look to the process of decomposition — and to seek 

 either in the products, or the agents of the decomposition of animal fluids or tis- 

 sues, the source of contagion — and further, he says, with regard to the specific 

 contagia, the hypotheses most commonly entertained, may be classed into three 

 groups. First, that contagion of any specific disease, consists of some constituent 

 of the body, possessing the power, when transferred to another animal, of setting 

 up a similar disease process. Second, that an organized ferment, produced in the 

 disease, is transferred and sets up the vital cliange. Third, that some organs 

 having an existence independent of the body, but capable of growing and mul- 

 tiplying within it, and by its growth and reproduction gives rise in some way to 

 the phenomena of the disease. 



Owing to the length of time this germ of poison is concealed in the system, 

 working its way silently, without showing any outward symptoms, can it be won- 

 dered at, that the whole herd becomes afiected with the malady before the owner 

 is aware of its existence, and as there are no sanitary agents which can be relied 

 upon as curatives, hence the necessity of stamping out the disease by the destruc- 

 tion of the animals in which it commences, and Congress should not only be called 

 upon to make law:^ and devise means of preventing its spreading, but should 

 cause the destruction of all herds in which it exists, and make appropriations pay- 

 ing the owner a reasonable compensation for the loss sustained. 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. Mitchell. It is stated in some of the papers that pneumonia can be mitiga- 

 ted bv vaccination. 



Dr. Elliolt. There has been instances of this kind, and attended with consid- 

 erable success. 



Mr. Mitchell. Then you give it as your opinion that it may be done intelli- 

 gently. 



Dr. Elliolt. Taking it in time it may be done. 



W. R. Goodwin, of Kansas City Indicator. There are a number of papers which 

 deny that there is pleuro-pneumonia in this country. 



Dr Elliott. It has been in some sections of the country, but we do not have it 

 in Indiana. 



3Ir. Hill, of the National Live Stock Journal. You spoke of inoculation just now. 

 At the stage it is now in, in this country don't you think it would be the easiest 

 way to effectually suppress it, and then keep it out? Is not inoculation only as a 

 mitigation, a choice of the two evils, and is not the pulse the quickest indication of 

 this disease? 



Dr. Elliott. The best test we know of is percussion, or striking the chest with 

 the ends of the fingers. 



