Lire, Stock. 



[April, 1910. 



In the field work against, rinderpest, 

 the serum is injected subeutaneously by 

 meaus of hypodermic syringes, each ani- 

 mal treated being given a dose of 50 

 cubic centimeters. There is but slight 

 pain attendant upon the injection, as 

 it is performed with small needles that 

 are merely thrust through a loose fold 

 of the skin. Excepting with very nervous 

 animals, it is unnecessary to confine the 

 cattle during the operation otherwise 

 than in rough stocks. The antitoxin is 

 active almost immediately after the 

 injection, as the serum is rapidly ab- 

 sorbed into the blood. The serum is 

 perfectly harmless, the inoculation being 

 followed by neither a local nor a syste- 

 matic reaction. There is no reason why 

 a moment's time should be lost from 

 work, excepting the time necessary to 

 bring the animal to the place appointed 

 for the inoculations, the one or two 

 minutes necessary for the injection, 

 and its return to the field. 



The degree of protection afforded 

 animals by the inoculation of 50 cubic 

 centimeters of serum varies consider- 

 ably, because of differences in their 

 natural susceptibility, in the virulence 

 of each outbreak, in the strength of 

 the serum, and other remote causes. 

 The usual result is an immunity ex- 

 tending over a period of from one to 

 four or five mouths. During this time 

 the inoculated animals are as a rule 

 immune to infection despite possible 

 exposure. A small percentage of treated 

 animals are infected in spite of the 

 inoculation, but in these the disease is 

 usually in light form and a majority 

 recover. These light attacks and re- 

 coveries are highly desirable from the 

 owners' viewpoint, as they result in 

 permanent immunity of the affected 

 animals. They interfere with the work 

 of the Bureau, however, as an animal 

 suffering from a mild form of disease 

 may spread the contagion as rapidly 

 and widely as one which experiences 

 an acute form and eventually dies. 



The Bureau of Agriculture has been 

 preparing and usiug anti-rinderpest 

 serum tor about" three years, during 

 which time almost uniformly good re- 

 sults have been obtained in handling 

 rinderpest by the serum method. For 

 a long time there was a disinclination 

 among owners to assemble their animals 

 for inoculation, but more recently little 

 difficulty has been experienced in effect- 

 ing the necessary treatments. 



A few complaints have been registered 

 against the serum, as inoculations fail 

 at times to produce the desired immu- 

 nity. It must be borne in mind that 

 there is no serum or treatment for any 



disease that will be efficient Fop every 

 individual. Even with the most power- 

 ful serum it cannot be hoped that 

 every treated animal will escape in- 

 fection. Anti-rinderpest serum, properly 

 prepared and kept, will protect over 

 90 per cent, of treated animals, as 

 shown by the results obtained during 

 the past two years. In the fiscal year 

 of 1907, a total of 16,495 animals were 

 inoculated, with 269 reported deaths, 

 a mortality of 16 per cent. In 1908 a 

 total of 21,005 were treated, with a 

 mortality of 621, or 2 95 per cent. It 

 is impossible that all deaths following 

 inoculation were reported. 



A majority of justified complaints ; 

 are attributable to the serum being 

 aged when used. It is of delicate organ- 

 ization, deteriora ting rapidly unless kept 

 cool, and is particularly susceptible to 

 the action of the sun. As cool storage 

 is seldom available in passage of freight, 

 serum may be considered as losing in 

 efficiency with each day following ship- 

 ment from Manila. 



There is prevalent in some quarters 

 a mistaken impression that the serum 

 is a curative agent. As has been often 

 pointed out, its action is almost wholly 

 preventative, but slight benefit being 

 derived from inoculation of sick animals. 

 The serum, injected before disease has 

 fastened upon an animal, may combat 

 entering germs and prevent their pro- 

 voking the anatomical changes charac- 

 teristic of riuderpjst, but after these 

 changes have occurred the serum is 

 practically worthless. 



In the suppression of any infectious 

 disease, the object in view is the des- 

 truction of the germs of the disea.se. In 

 Europe and America, where funds are 

 available for the purpose, this is accom- 

 plished by the slaughtering of all animals 

 that are sick or exposed, and the disinfec- 

 tion of all infected premises. Indemnity 

 is paid for all animals destroyed, and the 

 carcases are either burned, disinfected 

 chemically, or buried at a depth that 

 precludes the possibility of infection 

 rising from that source. This is of 

 course the best method of handling 

 infectious diseases, but is not possible 

 here a t present because of the lack of 

 funds to indemnify owners of destroyed 

 animals. In the absence of means to 

 handle rinderpest in this way, the 

 method now in practice is the best that 

 can be pursued. 



The theory involved in the serum 

 method is the rendering immune of all 

 susceptible animals in infected districts, 

 the confining of the sick in corrals, the 

 limitation of the movement of suscep- 

 tible animals so far as possible, and the 



