1915.1 PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 67 a 



REPORT OF THE VETERINARIAN. 



JAS. B. PAIGE, D.V.S. 



During the past year the activities in the veterinary depart- 

 ment have been directed along lines of correspondence, diagnosis 

 and investigation. 



Each succeeding year a larger number of letters is received 

 from the stock owners of the State, asking for information rela- 

 tive to the cause, prevention and treatment of simple ailments 

 that occur among their animals. In every instance the receipt 

 of such communications is acknowledged, and, where possible, 

 the information asked for given. It frequently happens that 

 specimens of diseased material accompany the communication. 

 In such instances it is the practice in the department to examine 

 the specimen and make a report to the sender upon the nature 

 of it. In this way we are able to keep in touch, to a considerable 

 extent, with the nature of the various animal diseases that occur 

 in different parts of the State. In this connection it is particu- 

 larly interesting to note that avian tuberculosis, formerly known 

 to exist to a very limited extent among the flocks in Massachu- 

 setts, has developed extensively within the past few years and 

 has now become quite general in many sections. iN^ot only has 

 the disease been diagnosed in specimens of common fowl sent 

 to the department, but also in ring-necked pheasants from a large 

 flock kept in confinement upon a private game preserve. 



The strict investigational studies have been directed toward 

 the development of methods for the diagnosis of bacillary white 

 diarrhoea in adult fowls and the prevention of hog cholera by 

 the use of anti-hog cholera serum. 



The method for the diagnosis of bacillary white diarrhoea in 

 fowls is given in full in a bulletin contained in the last annual 

 report of the experiment station. To make a practical test of 



