After a session in Washington of several days, during which the first 

 and second objects above mentioned were carried out, the Commission 

 proceeded to Columbia, S. C, where they arrived January 1, 1889. 

 They found and examined two outbreaks in the immediate vicinity of 

 Columbia, and one other some 80 miles distant therefrom, viz., near the 

 village of Florence, in the same State. The disease found in that State 

 presented the clinical features and anatomical lesions, as well as germs, 

 of '^ hog cholera," the latter, however, associated with some other 

 microbes. 



The Commission next proceeded to Lincoln, Nebr., and were cordially 

 received by Dr. Billings, who rendered every facility for the prosecution 

 of their inquiries. His methods were examined, and some five or six 

 hogs which had been previously inoculated by him were studied post 

 mortem and bacteriologically. The lesions found were in the main cor- 

 responding to " hog cholera," as lueviously described by him under the 

 name of " swine plague," and also noted by the authorities of the 

 Bureau of Animal Industry as ^' hog cholera." Specimens were also 

 obtained from a natural outbreak located some nine miles away, with 

 lesions and germs apparently identical with those of the inoculated 

 pigs at the Agricultural Station. One of our number also visited Sur- 

 prise, in the same State, and inquired into the history of the preventive 

 inoculations there, as well as obtained two or three autopsies of pigs 

 n aturally affected with the disease j anatomical specimens and cultures 

 were made on the spot and brought to Lincoln for study. 



Arrangements were made for the jiurchase and shipment to Philadel- 

 phia of a number of Nebraska pigs, viz: Four pigs recovered from a 

 natural attack of prevalent disease ; five pigs survivors of preventive 

 inoculation performed at Gibbon j five pigs survivors of the preventive 

 inoculation performed at Surprise j and four pigs from the Agricultural 

 Station at Lincoln, two of which, as stated by Dr. Billings, had been 

 inoculated during the last summer with sterilized hog cholera cultures 

 and subsequently exposed to the natural contagion without showing 

 any sign of the disease; besides two others, survivors of an inoculation 

 of nineteen j)igs at the Agricultural Station, nearly all of which had 

 subsequently succumbed to the artificial disease. 



On their way homeward two of the Commission examined an out- 

 break of epidemic diseases among hogs near Lexington, Ky., and the 

 member resident in Illinois subsequently found and examined an out- 

 break within that State. 



After the Commission returned toiheir respective homes in the latter 

 part of January, it was found necessary that the chairman should again 

 visit Lincoln in the latter part of February in order to expedite the 

 shipment to Philadelphia of the above-named exj)erimental Nebraska 

 pigs, and, finding it convenient, on his way homeward, he called a 

 meeting of the Commission at Columbus, Ohio, to visit Dr. Detmers in 

 response to his invitation and learn of his methods and work upon 

 swine diseases. 



