INVESTIGATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 633 
One of the most satisfactory studies of the question is that 
made by Afanassieff at the request of Baumgarten. It will be 
remembered that the latter, judging from Billings’ reports, 
had stated his belief that there was but one swine-plague to 
be considered as existing in this country, and that this was 
identical with the German Schweineseuche . The result of the 
studies of Afanassieff is a complete confirmation of the reports 
of the Bureau. Not only does he confirm Frosch, in showing 
that the Billings swine-plague germ, as at present sent out, is 
identical with our hog-cholera germ, and different from the 
Schweineseuche , but he finds that our swine-plague germ is 
practically identical with the Schweinesuche , as we concluded 
six years ago. 
The whole subject of the characteristics and pathogenic 
effects of the hog-cholera and swine-plague germs may now 
be regarded as cleared up by the investigations of independent 
workers in Europe. For years Billings, supported by others 
who. should have known better, succeeded in keeping up 
doubts as to the facts, and particularly as to the correctness 
of the Bureau reports. For our part we have patiently waited 
until independent workers should take up the subject and set¬ 
tle it by laboratory researches instead of by polemical writ¬ 
ings. We had a long time to wait, but our work is now con¬ 
firmed on all sides, and our Nebraska antagonist is left 
between the two horns of a dilemma, either of which is fatal 
to his pretensions as a bacteriologist. 
So much for the fundamental questions involved. But 
since our Committee tells us that “ work which is recognized 
as valuable abroad cannot be ignored at home,” it will be 
interesting to briefly examine some of the collateral issues 
which have been raised. In his report, from which I have 
already quoted, Billings writes : 
“ The interesting question now is, What kind of an organ¬ 
ism is Mr. Salmon sending round as the ‘ specific microbe of 
hog-cholera ?’ 
“ It shows a singular want of scientific exactness that 
Rietsch, of Marseilles, who had it while making his investiga¬ 
tions, does not give any description of this thing. It has been 
