156 EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



REPORT OF THE VETERINARIAN. 



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



Outline of Work. 



The work in the veterinary department of the station natu- 

 rally falls under one of the following divisions : correspond- 

 ence, examination of specimens, and original investigations. 

 These merge so much one with the other that they are by no 

 means as distinct as the divisions would seem to indicate. It 

 not infrequently happens that tlu'ough correspondence atten- 

 tion is called to the existence of a peculiar disease among farm 

 • animals. Specimens are asked for, and forwarded for exami- 

 nation, which sometimes afford material for original investiga- 

 tions. 



Correspondence. 



During the past year letters have come to hand from people 

 in every part of the State, asking for information legarding the 

 sickness of individual animals, or perhaps regarding a disease 

 that has appeared in a herd or flock, affecting many animals. 

 Of necessity it is impossible to make a correct diagnosis in 

 every such instance, from the description of the case as detailed 

 by the correspondent. In other instances the symptoms are so 

 accurately given and of such a character as to enable one to 

 diagnose the case with certainty, and advise a specific course 

 of treatment. The correspondence work carried on with those 

 living in rural sections, where no qualified veterinarian is 

 accessible, has proven of such benefit to the farmers as to 

 warrant its continuance, notwithstanding the difficulties that 

 are encountered in arriving at definite conclusions as to diag- 

 nosis and treatment. When it is impossible to give definite 

 directions for the treatment of an individual animal, it is 



