INFECTIOUS DISEASES OF CATTLE. 453 



inoculated by eating barley straw harvested from pieces of ground 

 just reclaimed from the sea. While the animals remained unali'ected 

 as long as they pastured on this ground or ate the hay obtained from 

 it, they became diseased after eating the straw of cereals from the 

 same territory. Others have found that cattle grazing upon low 

 pastures along the banks of streams and subject to inundations are 

 more prone to the disease. It has also been observed that food 

 gathered from such grounds may give rise to the disease even after 

 prolonged drying. Actinomycosis is not infrequent in southwestern 

 cattle and is generally supposed to be the result of eating the prickly 

 fruit of the cactus plant, causing wounds of the mucous membrane 

 and subsequent infection with the parasite. Much additional infor- 

 mation of a similar kind must be forthcoming before the source and 

 manner of infection in this disease and its dependence upon external 

 conditions will be known. It is not at all improbable that these may 

 vary considerably from place to place. 



Treatment. — This has been until recently almost entirely surgical. 

 When the tumors are external and attached to soft parts only, an 

 early removal may lead to recovery. This, of course, can be under- 

 taken only by a trained veterinarian, especially as the various parts 

 of tlie head and neck contain important vessels, nerves, and ducts 

 which should be injured as little as passible in any operation. Unless 

 the tumor is completely removed it will reappear. Disease of the 

 jawbones is at best a very serious matter, and treatment is likely to 

 be of no avail. 



In March, 1892, an important contribution to our knowledge of 

 this subject was made by M. Nocard, of the Alfort Veterinary School, 

 in a communication to the French Centnil Society of Veterinary 

 Medicine. He showed clearly that the actinomycosis of the tongue, 

 a disease which appears to be quite common in Germany, and is there 

 known as " wooden tongue," could be quickly and permanently cured 

 by the administration of iodid of potassium. M. Xocard calls atten- 

 tion to the success of M. Thomassen, of Utrecht, who recommended 

 this treatment as long ago as 1885, and who has since treated more 

 than 80 cases, all of which have been cured. A French veterinarian, 

 M. Godbille, has treated a number of cases of actinomycosis in the 

 tongue with the same remedy, all of which have been cured. M. 

 Nocard also gives details of a case which was cured by himself. 



All of the cases referred to w^ere of actinomycosis of the tongue, 

 and no one appears to have attempted the cure of actinomycosis of 

 the jaw^ until this was undertaken by Dr. Norgaard, of the Bureau 

 of Animal Industry. He selected a young steer in April, 1892, in 

 fair condition, which had a tumor on the jaw measuring 15^ inches 

 in circumference and from which a discharge had already been estab- 



