Die Parasiten der Infectionskrankheiten. 43 
in diagnosis of the disease in certain cases. They are, therefore, 
worthy of attention and description, such as we have attempted 
to give in several of the illustrations given in this report. 
3) The parasite that is found in the blood and bile of infe- 
cted cattle. Whether we regard it as a propagating and destru- 
ctive cause of the disease, or simply as a concomitant, it is ne- 
cessarily an important attribute ot the pathological or destructive 
agency that operates upon the blood. The prolific brooding and 
vrowth of the fungus (micrococeus) is wholly dependent upon the 
living elements of the blood for its „soil and food“ to grow upon. 
But the real significance and value of the results that have been 
reached in the researches upon this collateral element of the in- 
quiry into the disease, promise much for practical hygiene as well 
as for herd farming; for such complete demonstration will lead 
to a kind of absolute knowledge that is much needed concerning 
the pestilential epidemics, as well as the destructive epizootics, 
and will lead to their entire prevention. 
4) The unfitness of the dying and the infected cattle for hu- 
man food. If this question is raised by any persons, or on be- 
half of any commercial interest, it should at once be answered 
in general terms that both the animals that are dying, and those 
that have lingered under the operation of the infection until the 
blood and viscera are diseased, are unfit for food. Practically 
the human stomach can overcome most of the immediately poi- 
sonous effects of diseased fiesh and animal juices used as food; 
but experience and teachings of physiology and hygiene unite in 
pronouncing unfit for food all the cattle that reach the fatal stage 
of the „Texas Cattle Disease,“ and all that have incubated the 
infection until the blood and tissues exhibit the morbid alterations 
which that poison produces. And as regards certain freshly ar- 
rived Texas cattle that are suffering the disease (as we now diag- 
nosticate it by the post-mortem evidences in them when slaughte- 
red, and by emaciation, feebleness, and their indescribably offen- 
sive breath and eifluvium while living), we can best express the 
conclusion that has been reached by the more precise kind of in- 
vestigation, without here mentioning the details of evidence on 
this subject, by simply quoting the remark of an educated obser- 
ver of the Texas Cattle Disease in western Missouri. He says: 
„Who would knowingly eat the beef of cattle with such a pesti- 
ferous breath as these sick Texas cattle have? It can be no fa- 
