298 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



One lot of pigs reported from Conway as having hog 

 cholera were found to be suffering from colds, and all re- 

 covered in a short time. Another lot of 5, quarantined as 

 having tuberculosis, were found to be free from all indica- 

 tions of disease when examined by an agent of the Cattle 

 Bureau. 



Two pigs reported as being sick on Cape Cod were found 

 to be suffering with true sarcoptic mange, and were in such 

 a condition that the owner decided to kill them. There may 

 have been other similar cases of a milder form in the same 

 locality of which no complaint was received, as it does not 

 seem likely that two such cases could be found without others 

 occurring in the same neighborhood. 



Tuberculosis is common in swine killed in abattoirs,' being 

 found not only in New-Engiand-bred pigs but those from the 

 dairy districts of the west, and many are condemned annu- 

 ally as unfit for human food. The origin of this infection 

 is undoubtedly bovine, the swine becoming infected by being- 

 kept in barn cellars upon the manure of tul)erculous cows, 

 or fed upon milk from such cattle. Sometimes swine kept at 

 creameries and fed skim milk and buttermilk from various 

 herds develop tul^erculosis ; and an instance occurred last 

 year where 20 swine out of a lot of 100, consigned to a pork- 

 packing establishment in Massachusetts from a New Hamp- 

 shire creamery, were condemned to the rendering tank as 

 tuberculous. No ante-mortem cases of porcine tuberculosis 

 have been reported at the office of the Cattle Bureau during 

 the past year except the 5 already mentioned, which were 

 found to be free from indications of disease. 



Contagious Diseases of Sheep. 



The most common diseases of sheep in Massachusetts seem 

 to be parasitic in their nature, caused either by internal or 

 external parasites. 



Scab due to a skin parasite has not been reported during 

 the past season. 



Two flocks suffering with stomach worms were reported on 

 Cape Cod. These worms are Cijually troublesome to goats, 

 and seem to be more fatal with them than with sheep. If 



