1S8 
T. .T. TURNER. 
mentation, leaving out the more minute details concerning 
the parasite, which are yet to be determined by investigation. 
Location of Daly Ranch .—The Daly ranch is situated in the 
fertile valley of the Bitter Root, in Missoula County, Mon¬ 
tana. The grounds are generally high and well drained, the 
tillable land being in a high state of cultivation. Much money 
has been expended on the property to make it a first-class 
breeding establishment. Many thousand (some 30,000) acres 
are inclosed within its confines. The climate is perfect, and 
feed first-class, as is also the management. To diverge slightly 
from the object of this report, I am constrained to say that 
the location of the ranch, its soil, and the climate of the coun¬ 
try have nothing whatever to do with the cause of the malady. 
History of the Outbreak .—Infectious abortion (so called) 
was first manifested on the ranch, according to facts attain¬ 
able at that place, about the middle of February, 1892. 
To preface the subject, it might be well to state that the 
malady, whatever its nature, was causing the mares to slip 
their foals, either by abortion or a premature birth. It was 
first noticed among the trotters of the Daly ranch, the re¬ 
nowned mare, “ Fannie Witherspoon,” being the first to abort. 
The trouble ran riot through his entire stud of most valuable 
animals, of both thoroughbreds and trotter^. The first few 
abortions caused but little alarm, the owner thinking they 
were the result of some accident. This being the case, the 
mares known to have aborted were not regarded as specially 
dangerous to those still carrying foal, and were consequently 
allowed to pasture with them. Later, however, alarm was 
taken, but not until too late, for nearly all the mares in foal 
had been exposed. The abortion continued until the last of 
May. Before I reached the locality, the mares were con¬ 
stantly, as they aborted, removed from the ranch, and kept 
isolated for two or three weeks. 
The disease was of an enzootic nature, no animals save 
those belonging to Mr. Daly being affected. Thus it will be 
seen that this disease may be comparatively easily controlled, 
although of an infectious character. 
Concomitant with this abortion, a few mares would carry 
their foals to nearly full term, and then premature births 
