510 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



These cattle were shipped from Watertown, N. Y., consigned 

 to Brighton, Mass., in a New York Central car No. 23897 or 

 23015. They arrived at AVest Albany stock yards Sunday, 

 August 15, where they were driven into pen 17 D. After being 

 rested, fed and watered, they were reshipped, and arrived in 

 Brighton Monday evening. They too were driven into pens 11 

 and 13, Texas alley; thence into pens 34 and 35, whence they 

 were distributed. Of these, fifteen died : three before August 27, 

 six before August 31, and two recovered. 



The above three carloads of cows were all that have been 

 reported as having been affected with Texas fever, that were dis- 

 tributed in eastern Massachusetts. 



The diagnosis of Texas fever in the dead cattle has been made 

 on the following data : — 



1. Specimens of spleens and kidneys of two cows, owned by 

 Commissioner Dennen of Pepperell, were examined by Dr. Froth- 

 ingham, pathologist to the commission, and the micro-parasite 

 {Pyrosoma higeminum Smith), the cause of the disease, was 

 found. This diagnosis was confirmed by Dr. Theobold Smith, 

 pathologist of the Massachusetts State Board of Health, the 

 original discoverer of the cause of the disease. Mr. Dennen lost 

 three cows. 



2. Specimens from a cow owned by Mr. Eames of Framing- 

 ham, Mass., and submitted by W. P. Mayo, also yielded the 

 micro-parasite upon examination by Dr. Frothingham. Mr. 

 Eames lost six cows ; one other was sick, but recovered. 



3. Specimens of spleen from cow owned by James McGowan 

 of Dedham, Mass., and submitted by Dr. G. B. Foss of Harvard 

 Veterinary Hospital, also yielded the micro-parasite to Dr. Froth- 

 ingham. Mr. McGowan lost three cows of the same disease. 



4. Commissioner Dennen secured a full-grown cattle tick 

 {Bodphilus bovis (Riley sp.) Curtice), about the middle of Septem- 

 ber, from one of Mr. Eames' cows that recovered from the disease. 



The positive determination by the finding of the micro-parasite 

 in four animals involved in this outbreak, and the finding of the 

 tick on the recovered animal, fully demonstrates the outbreak to 

 have been due to Texas fever. 



A fourth carload of cattle, taken from northern New York to 

 western Connecticut, suffered with the disease, and the facts of 

 the outbreak have been gathered in fulfilling your directions on 

 this point. These facts were given by Mr. W. B. Sprague, com- 

 missioner on domestic animals, Hartford, Conn., Mr. D. H. 

 Canfield, Bridgewater, Conn., of the firm of Odell & Canfield, the 

 cattle dealers who imported the cattle, and others. 



