208 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



The following statement was prepared for the use of the House Cortv 

 mittee on Agriculture in January, 1884: 



EXTENT OF PLEUROPNEUMONIA AND THE IMPORTANCE OF NATIONAL 

 ACTION IN REGARD TO THE CONTAGIOUS DISEASES OF ANIMALS. 



The extent of territory infected with contagious pleuro-pneumonia of cattle and 

 the number of animals actually suffering from this disease, are insignificant in com- 

 parison with the annual direct and indirect losses traceable to it, and the danger to 

 which our immense live-stock industry is continually subjected. 



In Connecticut two herds were infected during the past summer, in which 12 ani- 

 mals were exposed and 7 contracted the disease. In one of these herds the affected 

 animal was destroyed, and at last accounts no others had contracted the disease; in 

 the other herd 4 animals had died, or had been killed, and 2 with very extensively dis- 

 eased lungs remained in quarantine. Both of these were Jerseys, and the owner re- 

 fused to have them destroyed. What has been doue with them, or what will be, I am 

 unable to say, as the State authorities seem powerless to proceed beyond quarantine, 

 and this seems to have been by no means secure. 



In the State of New York, although the disease is almost entirely confined to tlio 

 western end of Long Island, to Staten Island, and New York City, these loealitiesaro 

 quite extensively infected, and as there are more than two thousand stables, some of 

 which con-tain several hundred cows, and many of which contain from HO to 100, it is 

 the most dangerous district in the country at this time. Recent reports are to the 

 effect that the disease is extending through the river counties, and exists in herds 

 located from f>0 to GO miles north of New York City. How many cattle are affected 

 in these counties 1 am unable to say, but the existence of the disease here is really of 

 much greater importance to the country at large than the number of diseased ani- 

 mals would lead one to suppose, because it isa district where many thoroughbred cattle 

 are raised and from which they are shipped to all parts of the United States. 



New Jersey was recently supposed to be nearly free from pleuro-pneumonia, but the 

 fact that a number of cases occurred without the knowledge of the State authorities, 

 that a still larger number of herds were lately known to be infected in Union and 

 Essex Counties, and that a very extensive outbreak in Hunterdon County was re- 

 cently traced by means of sick cattle shipped to the New York market, and discovered 

 by the inspector employed by the United States Department of Agriculture who is 

 stationed at Jersey City, leads to the suspicion that a thorough inspection of the 

 State might bring to light still other cases. The Hunterdon County outbreak was 

 one of the most extensive that has recently occurred. It was supposed to have origi- 

 nated from a car-load of cows brought from Pennsylvania; but where these were in- 

 fectcd is not known. Seven herds, at last accounts, were in quarantine; and as all 

 were large herds, containing from 40 to 70 cattle, a large number of animals were 

 exposed. 



Inoculation was extensively practiced to check the fatality; but, in spite of this, 

 reliable authority places the loss at over 50 head. 



In Pennsylvania there has recently been another very extensive outbreak, which 

 was the result of taking a car-load of 14 cows from the Calvert stock-yards in Balti- 

 more to Chester County. Most of these cows were taken into large dairy herds, 

 which they thoroughly infected. In each of these cases the Baltimore cows were the 

 first to sicken, and a large proportion of the native cattle were soon affected with the 

 same disease. These herds were visited the 3d of October by the Veterinarian of the 

 Department of Agriculture, in company with the State authorities, who killed 8 

 of* the animals in his presence in order to satisfy him as to the nature of the disease. 

 The cases were typical cases of pleuro-pneumonia, and all those appearances were 

 present which were recently accepted by the International Veterinary Congress held 

 at Brussels as characteristic of contagious pleuro-pneumonia. In most cases a whole 

 lung was hepatized; the inflammation was of different ages, showing the progressive 

 character of the disease; the interlobular tissue was greatly distended with the exu- 

 dation, and the pleurisy w r as intense. According to an official report, dated October 30, 

 the number of animals known to have been exposed was 104, and the number of sick 

 ones that had been killed or had died was 46. A semi-official report of the present 

 mouth places the number destroyed at 70. It is now believed that the disease has 

 been entirely overcome, and that the State of Pennsylvania is free from it. 



In Maryland and the District of Columbia there are many infected herds in which 

 a comparat ively large number of animals annually contract the disease. By direction 

 of the Commissioner of Agriculture a reliable Inspector was sent to Baltimore late 

 in October to learn the condition of the stables there as regards this disease. 



Nineteen stables, containing 398 animals, were examined. In twelve of these the 

 infection was admitted; one had lost more than 200 animals within three years J 

 others had lost heavily for years; 12 sick animals were found, 18 recent deaths were 



