REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF 

 ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



Sir : I have the honor to herewith transmit my annual report for the 

 current year, embracing the results of the more important experiments 

 and investigations of the Veterinary Division previous to the passage 

 of the act creating this Bureau, and a part of the work accomplished 

 since its organization. For a detailed statement of the work of the 

 Bureau, embracing the results of experiments in the laboratory and 

 experimental stations, and many important investigations made by its 

 experts and agents, I have to refer you to the First Annual Report of 

 the Bureau of Animal Industry. 



Respectfully submitted. 



D. E. SALMON, D. V. M., 

 Chief of Bureau of Animal Industry. 



Hon. George B. Loring, 



Commissioner of Agriculture. 



INVESTIGATIONS OF PLEUROPNEUMONIA. 



DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 



No systematic inspection of cattle has yet been made in the District 

 of Columbia, but we have secured a number of sick cows which have 

 been slaughtered and examined in order to determine the nature of the 

 disease from which they were suffering. Other cases have been brought 

 to our attention by Dr. Townshend, the able health officer of the District, 

 in regard to which we have made all the investigations that were pos- 

 sible. During the year we have in this way found the disease in ten 

 stables in which more than one cow was kept, and in three others in 

 which the diseased animal was the only one owned. In one stable two 

 have died ; in a second, one had died and two were sick ; in a third 

 five had died and six were more or less affected ; in a fourth, two had 

 been lost ; in a fifth, six had been lost ; in a sixth, five had died ; in a 

 seventh, three had died ; and in the remaining three stables the loss, so 

 far as we are aware, has been one animal each. 



The total number of animals referred to above is twenty-seven which 

 have died, and eight which were sick at inspection. In these cases the 

 symptoms and post-mortem appearances of the animals examined were 

 those of contagious pleuro pneumonia, and the history, when it could 

 be obtained, also pointed in this direction. The following' instance is 

 an illustration of this : 



A cow belonging to Mrs. Flanigan, of Benning's road, was discovered 

 -sick, May 22, 1883. The symptoms were a severe, dry cough, emacia- 



181 



