212 
N. B. RHODES. 
was burned, at my suggestion, since which time she has had no 
further trouble. 
During this time a gentleman living four miles north of town 
was having identically the same experience—the destruction of 
animals affected and of the stable , the atmosphere of which had 
been thoroughly impregnated with the bacteria. 
Another like instance occurred at a phosphate mine fifty 
miles north of here, where three mules had the disease, two of 
which, I am quite convinced, contracted the disease from occu¬ 
pying stables in condition as above recited. 
After much correspondence, I had, about the middle of last 
summer, the good fortune to secure the valuable service of Prof. 
Billing, of Lafayette, Ind., who was making some microscopic 
researches in Florida in behalf of the Government, and who was 
prepared with the necessary instruments, storing fluids, etc. 
A subject was secured at a cost of $25, and we took speci¬ 
mens from the lower maxilla, the scapulo-humeral articulation, 
sawing about four inches of each bone, the lumbar region of the 
vertebral column, a quantity of blood and urine. In each of 
these specimens we found the microbe in enormous quantities; 
the urine we could not examine as we had no polariscope. 
They are of the round or coci sanity. 
Prof. Billing carried with him these specimens, and I regret 
that I have heard nothing further from his researches. 
From these investigations I construe that it is never safe to 
allow one animal to come in contact with another suffering with 
“ Big Head ” for any length of time, or more particularly to oc¬ 
cupy a stable previously inhabited by a “Big Head” patient, 
without first very thoroughly disinfecting the premises with a 
strong solution of bichloride of mercury, say 1-300. 
Will not some of my brother veterinarians give us their ex¬ 
perience and observations on this dreadful disease, and those 
among you who have the instruments will find, I think, much 
pleasure and food for thought in these researches. 
