330 
M. STALKER. 
yards occupied by horses, cattle, pigs and barn yards fowls 
were on the hillside, with abrupt drainage into the creek. In 
addition to this, large heaps of fermenting manure were de¬ 
posited about the foot of the hill near the edge of the stream, 
where the animals went to drink. A few of the animals on the 
farm had not had access to the stream, but had been watered 
from a well. None of these had showed signs of sickness, 
though they had been in daily contact with those that had 
their water from the pools in the bed of the stream, and even 
with some of the sick. On looking up the local geography 
of the neighborhood, I found that a number of farmers had 
built their homes along the banks of this stream, and had 
been accustomed to make use of it in much the same way as 
the farmer above referred to. Inquiry elicited the fact that 
on no less than four farms situated on the banks of this stream, 
animals had died showing symptoms identical with those on 
the farm first investigated. I regarded the evidence as suffi¬ 
cient to make out a strong case against the impurity of the 
water and gave an opinion accordingly. 
The above is but a single instance out of many that have 
come under my observation. It is one of the most glaiing, 
but by no means one attended with the greatest degi ce of 
loss. On another- occasion where a high rate of mortality 
had prevailed among the cattle running on the open prairie, 
I was able to trace the cause to contamination of surface 
water. An animal dead from anthrax had been drawn into 
a basin on the open prairie. Later the rains filled the basin 
with water, and about one thousand cattle on the lange had 
access to the pond for water supply. The result was that 
about ten per cent, of all the animals having access to the 
impure water died from anthrax. The teachings of these 
object lessons are sufficiently obvious. These animals are 
endowed with organizations not unlike our own, and the 
manifest laws of being and of health can no more be violated 
with impunity by them than by ourselves. 
Dr. T ait Butler, of Iowa, has recently accepted the 
chair of Veterinary Science in the Mississippi Agricultural 
College. 
