194 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



several from Wisconsin. It was impossible to judge from any informa- 

 tion which I could obtain from him in what manner the disease had 

 been brought to his place. As Ella Lawrence had come from Peoria, 

 and as I heard rumors of disease at that place, I decided to make my 

 next investigation there. 



August 10 I called on Messrs. D. H. and S. S. Tripp, and on Mr. O. 

 J. Bailey, at their offices in Peoria. These gentlemen at once admitted 

 that they had lost animals from some disease, the nature of which they 

 did not understand, and they freely placed at my disposal all the in- 

 formation which they could obtain bearing upon the matter. It was 

 here that I gained my first insight into the history of the introduction 

 of the disease into Illinois, and I am greatly indebted to Mr. Bailey 

 and to Messrs. Tripp for the valuable assistance which they gave me. 

 The first cases of this disease occurred in the Tripp herd, and they 

 assured me that the only animals that had been brought upon their 

 pflace for several months before this sickness were three cows pur- 

 chased at the Virginia sale, which occurred February 21. These cows 

 were Helena Bex, Albert's Pansy, and Fancy Le Brocq. These animals 

 when first brought from Virginia were taken to Mr. Tripp's stabje 

 in Peoria, and afterwards Helena Rex was taken to his farm, which is 

 situated about two miles from the city. I have been told by people 

 who were at the Virginia sale that Helena Rex was coughing at that 

 time and did not appear to be in good health, but Mr. Tripp either did 

 not notice this or was not impressed with the idea that she was affected 

 at all seriously. The first cow that presented unmistakable evidences 

 of disease was Pomare, a cow kept for family use in the town stable. 

 The earliest symptoms were noticed with her about the first of April, 

 and she died April 17. She was treated by the veterinary surgeon for 

 lung fever, but she had previously been a good, healthy cow. Helena 

 Rex aborted April 25, and within three or four days became sick and 

 was treated for inflammation of the womb. She had a cough, but after 

 a few weeks apparently recovered. When I examined her, August 17, 

 there was dullness over a portion of the right lung and a creaking sound 

 heard on auscultation. This lung had evidently been extensively af- 

 fected, and a considerable part of its tissue had been destroyed by dis- 

 ease. ]STo other cases of disease occurred until July 12, when the cow 

 Anna's Orphan presented the symptoms of inflammation of the lungs, 

 and died July 27. The next case occurred July 25. It was a cow called 

 Queenette, which, died August 4. A post-mortem examination showed 

 extensive inflammation of the lungs and pleura. The last case which 

 had occurred at that time was a calf, daughter of Pomare, which died 

 August 13 after a short sickness. An examination after death left no 

 doubt that the disease was inflammation of the lungs and pleura. All 

 of these animals had been taken down suddenly with an acute disease, 

 which, rapidly ran its course and terminated fatally. I was assured 

 that there had been no disease of this kind among their cattle, nor 

 among any other cattle in the vicinity, so far as they knew, previous to 

 the purchase of the three animals at Mr. Epler's sale. 



The first sickness in Mr. Bailey's herd occurred with a cow called Lady 

 Florentia, which had been in his stable in Peoria up to May 10, and was 

 then taken to his farm 7 miles in the country. This cow had not been in 

 actual contact with any of Mr. Tripp's cattle, and the only way in 

 which the disease could be accounted for in her was that it had been 

 carried by some person going from one stable to the other. She showed 

 no signs of disease until about the middle of June. Her trouble was 

 thought to be indigestion, She milked less tlian usual, but still gave 



