December 14, 1900. ] 



SCIENCE. 



899 



hog cholera and swine plague, and experi- 

 ments in treatment therewith, are contin- 

 ued, with results which, while they do not 

 justify definite conclusions as yet, are suffi- 

 ciently encouraging to justify continued ex- 

 periments, including some on entirely new 

 lines. Over one million doses of black- 

 leg vaccine have been distributed during 

 the year. Summarized reports of 2,000 

 cattle owners testify to its efficiency. 

 Whereas a loss of 10 to 25 per cent, of 

 young stock is reported in the districts 

 where blackleg prevails, the loss where vac- 

 cination has been tried has been less than 

 one-half of one per cent. From two to 

 two and a half million doses will be re- 

 quired to supply the demand during the 

 current fiscal year. The Bureau has al- 

 ready distributed 10,722 doses of mallein 

 for testing horses for glanders, and 33,400 

 doses of tuberculin. Considerable space 

 is given to the consideration of tuberculo- 

 sis, ' the most prevalent and most destruc- 

 tive disease affecting mankind and the do- 

 mesticated animals.' A great increase iu 

 the disease is noted iu the principal countries 

 of Europe, especially, unfortunately, in 

 those whence American breeders desire to 

 obtain animals for improving their stock. 

 Arrangements have been made to station 

 an inspector in Great Britain to test and 

 certify to the animals before shipment. 

 The suggestion is made that uniform regu- 

 lations under Federal authority will save 

 shippers much annoyance and loss, owing 

 to the numerous i-estrictions imposed by 

 individual States, and at the same time 

 furnish adequate protection. 



With regard to rabies the Secretary de- 

 clares that this disease is unfortunately on 

 the increase in the United States, and that 

 local authorities have in most cases not 

 efficiently controlled its outbreaks. He 

 refers especially to its existence and in- 

 crease in the District of Columbia, and 

 points out the special danger to children 



from rabid dogs. Owing to the very serious 

 expense to families in moderate circum- 

 stances in subjecting their children to the 

 Pasteur treatment, he recommends either 

 that the Secretary of Agriculture be author- 

 ized to pay for such treatment for parties 

 bitten in the District, or that one of the 

 medical services of the government be di- 

 rected to furnish such treatment free of 

 charge. 



The report states that ticks received 

 from Porto Eico have been found identical 

 with the well-known Southern cattle tick. 

 The main problem still presented by the 

 Texas fever question is the finding of a dip 

 that will effectually destroy the tick with- 

 out injuring the cattle. Efforts in this di- 

 rection are to be continued. 



Experimental shipments of dairy prod- 

 ucts are still continued, and shipments of 

 butter have been extended to Cuba and 

 Porto Rico. The Department is seeking to 

 obtain information useful to butter export- 

 ers in canning butter and producing but- 

 ter especially adapted to shipment to warm 

 countries. Some countries sending butter 

 to these markets show a disposition to 

 adapt their products to the needs of those 

 countries, which is an example our pi'oduc- 

 ers must follow if they are to compete suc- 

 cessfully with them. The Secretary earn- 

 estly recommends an inspection of dairy 

 products designed for export. He points 

 out the example of other counti'ies, whose 

 large foreign trade in dairy products has 

 been principally developed owing to the 

 fact that their best products bear a Gov- 

 ernment stamp, guaranteeing the article to 

 be as represented. 



DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY. 



Elaborate work in the investigation of 

 food adulteration has been continued. Over 

 500 samples of preserved meats of all kinds, 

 purchased in open market, have been ex- 

 amined. The meat of the horse has been 



