126 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



ray fungus disease in cattle, nearly twenty-five per cent, of the 

 animals showed no characteristic enlargement of the bones of the 

 head or jaw at any stage of the malady, the lesions being of a 

 purely internal nature. 



The symptoms most frequently reported, and for which isola- 

 tion was enforced, were usually first an uneasy movement of the 

 jaws, with disinclination ( evidently due to disability) to partake 

 of food in the normal manner, especially grains ; second, volun- 

 tary isolation from the herd ; third, weakness. 



Upon closer examination about three-fourths of these cases 

 revealed either enlargement already present, or at least soreness 

 of the bones about the head, soon to be followed by the char- 

 acteristic enlargement and suppuration of the jaws and facial 

 region. Some of them presented the symptoms of a very tena- 

 cious discharge from the bowels containing much pure mucus, 

 indicative of early digestive disturbances. 



Treatment by the local and general use of iodine and the 

 iodides, so singularly useful in the treatment of this disease in 

 both cattle and man, while it did certainly appear to prolong 

 life, failed to bring about any cures. 



Both from the clinical and pathological point of view this 

 disease as here manifest in this certain species of mammal con- 

 forms quite closely in its aspects to the disease as attacking man- 

 kind, especially since there is abundant evidence to indicate that 

 primary invasion was through parts other than the mouth, and 

 of metastatic nature, both of which are certainly quite exceptional 

 as we know the disease in cattle, both at range and in the 

 abattoir. 



Since actinomycosis is seldom contracted by animals living 

 entirely upon succulent vegetation we found it difficult during this 

 outbreak to meet the requirements of the case by grazing the 

 animals, as ample experience had proven that the prong-horn 

 enjoys good health in this vicinity only so long as kept in stone- 

 bottomed paddocks and receiving perfectly dry food ; hence of 

 the tw^o alternatives of either jeopardizing the entire herd by 

 turning them upon grass ranges, or by segregating as far as 

 possible the infected animals upon dry rations, we chose the 

 latter, using at intervals crude carbolic acid in dilution to drench 

 the paddocks and sterilize their lodge, and since no new cases 

 have appeared during the past four months I trust we may soon 

 consider the danger of this somewhat remarkable scourge at 

 an end. 



