MALADIE DU COIT. 
297 
loss of six hundred horses, and other writers mention the occa¬ 
sional appearance of the disease in the North African States. 
In the spring of 1851 the disease broke out for the first time 
in France, in 31 communes around Tarbes, containing 1,874 
mares, and out of 750 mares bred to government stallions 100 be¬ 
came diseased, and an additional 27 mares became diseased by 
private stallions; 52 of the affected mares died, and the disease 
almost entirely disappeared during the following year, only to re¬ 
appear in 1856,1857, 1858 and 1861. The disease was directly 
traced to stallions imported from infected countries in 1851 and 
1861. 
“ This is, so far as I can trace it, the geographical limit of this 
curious disease. It has not been witnessed as yet in England, 
Belgium, Italy, Spain or Denmark, nor in countries beyond 
Europe, Asia or Africa, so far as I am aware, but there can be no 
doubt but that if diseased stallions or mares are imported to those 
regions now exempted from its effects, it will appear there as it 
has done in Russia, where it is frequent and violent, particularly 
in the southern governments—Germany, Hungary, Bohemia and 
France.” The above history, abbreviated or quoted from Fleming, 
demonstrates to some extent the serious nature of the malady, the 
probably source of the disease in America, and the importance of 
dealing with it in a prompt and decisive manner. 
THE HISTOKY OF THE DISEASE IN DEWITT COUNTY, ILLINOIS, 
and its source of origin, was for a long time somewhat obscure 
but now seems reasonably clear. Three sources of origin have 
been suggested. 1st, It was supposed that the disease was intro¬ 
duced direct from France, by Harrold & Culbertson, of Wapella, 
in January, 1884, when they imported 19 French draft stallions, 
aged from 18 to 30 months, all of good quality and showing no 
evident sign of disease. 
In 1884 one died from injuries in transit and three were sold, 
which, so far as can be learned, remained free from the disease. 
In 1885 one died from unknown cause and one was sold to parties 
who in turn sold him to W. R. Carle of Wapella (No. VIII,)* and 
two, (XII and XIII) were sold to Foley & Seniff, of Wapella. 
* Numbers refer to tabulated list of affected and exposed stallions and mares. 
