472 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



sion, it is not known whether these animals died from being 

 poisoned by some chemicals used in the process of tanning, 

 or from an infectious disease introduced in the hides. His 

 report is herewith given : — 



Salem, Mass., Aug. 8, 1900. 



Dear Doctor : — I have made post-mortem examination upon 

 four cows that have died suddenly in pastures of Salem, and found 

 the same condition in all four, namely extensive gastro-enteritis, 

 also discovered tuberculosis of the lung in one. I understand 

 there have been in all thirteen die that have been in this pasture ; 

 the board of health are investigating. There is drainage from a 

 tannery that runs through this field. Please advise me. 



Yours truly, F. Saunders. 



The first cattle to die in Hubbardston were left to decay 

 on the ground, after being skinned ; later, those that died 

 were buried, until the commission took charge ; after this, 

 all animals that died were ordered to be cremated wherever 

 it was practicable, and the ground where they lay was 

 burned over. This may have helped to limit the disease ; 

 whether it did or not the percentage of mortality in the 

 Adams pasture, where the first case reported occurred, was 

 much greater than it was later, when all the carcasses were 

 either buried with quicklime or burned. 



This concludes the history of these outbreaks, so far as a 

 study in the field is concerned. The results of the labora- 

 tory work undertaken for the Board of Cattle Commis- 

 sioners will next be considered. 



July 31, Mr. Herrick and Dr. Cleaves made an autopsy 

 on a heifer that died in the Adams pasture during the night 

 of Sunday, July 29. She was very much decomposed, but 

 specimens were taken from the lungs, liver, spleen, third 

 stomach and mesenteric lymphatic glands, which were sent 

 to the Harvard Medical School, where they were examined 

 by Dr. J. N. Coolidge. These arrived in very much 

 decomposed condition. August 2, upon examination. Dr. 

 Coolidge found a bacillus which resembled the bacillus of 

 anthrax; in addition, there were many putrefactive bacteria 

 of various kinds. Further study by means of cultures and 

 inoculation experiments on guinea pigs showed that it was 

 not the bacillus of anthrax, but a bacillus resembling the 



