SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
425 
dent appoint two essayists to read papers at the next regular 
meeting. 
After receiving the reports of the committees and transacting 
other routine business, the election of officers took place, which 
resulted in the re-election of the following officers : President, Dr. 
George C. Faville, Norfolk; First Vice-President, Dr. W. T. 
Gilchrist, Norfolk ; Second Vice-President, Dr. Chas. McCul¬ 
loch, Howardsville ; Secretary, Dr. Thos. M. Sweeny, Rich¬ 
mond ; Treasurer, Dr. A. J. Burkholder, Staunton. 
The President appointed as members of the Board of Cen¬ 
sors, Drs. Harbaugh, Roop, Willis, Drake and Niles. Commit¬ 
tee on Statistics, Drs. Harbaugh (Chairman), Gilchrist and 
Roop. Committee on Jurisprudence and Regislation, Drs. Har¬ 
baugh (Chairman), Niles and Sweeny. 
Dr. Harbaugh, Chairman of the Committee on Statistics, 
read the following report : 
Gentlemen :—You will observe that as chairman of this committee, I have the same 
complaint to make as my predecessor. I cannot understand why members neglect to send 
in notes upon such an important matter when the benefits are mutual. 
Dr. E. P. Niles, State Veterinarian, sends the following report, which I include with¬ 
out change: 
“ Chairman Committee on Statistics : 
“ Sir :—Pursuant to your call for notes on contagious, epizootic and enzootic diseases, 
I beg to submit the following : Since the last report of your committee I have observed 
encephalitis in various parts of the State. This is a disease which gives rise to many 
‘ mad dog ’ scares, and I have seen it in horses, mules, cattle and dogs. Last September 
the disease was prevalent in Northampton County among mules and horses. The symp¬ 
toms vary somewhat in the different animals, and even in animals of the same species. 
In the horse and mule, in cases which have come under my observation, the ‘rabid’ 
symptoms have been less marked than in cattle and dogs. The temperature has re¬ 
mained nearly normal ; appetite not impaired, at least in the early stage of the disease, 
the animal showing a desire to partake of food and water, but unable to do so on account 
of the paralysis of the muscles of the throat. In the case of a mule, to which my atten¬ 
tion was called, the paralysis of the throat w'as, at that time, the only symptom of dis¬ 
ease. Cattle usually become very excitable, and frequently vicious, attacking anything 
wdiich may come in their way, especially dogs. At first the symptoms are mild, and to 
the ordinary observer not well defined, but upon examination it is noticed that the animal 
shows a peculiar indifference to its surroundings : there is a characteristic staring appear¬ 
ance of the eyes, and, owing to partial or complete paralysis of the throat, the saliva drib¬ 
bles from the mouth. As the disease advances the animal becomes more easily excited, 
and, if not confined, may wander about in an aimless manner, frequently stopping and 
bellowing for several minutes at a time. If other animals come its way it makes a 
vicious charge upon them. In advanced stages of the disease the spinal cord may also 
be involved, causing partial, and sometimes total, paralysis of the extremities, manifested 
by a staggering gait, or inability to stand. The true cause of this disease seems not to be 
w’ell understood. I am of the opinion, however, that it is an infectious disease due to a 
fungus. In one outbreak, which I have investigated, the disease was confined to a cer¬ 
tain valley through which a stream of water ran. On this stream of water is located sev¬ 
eral saw-mills, the sawdust from which is thrown into the stream. I am of the opinion 
that the decaying sawdust in this stream had something to do in the causation of the dis¬ 
ease in this instance, 
“Canine distemper has been more prevalent in this section of the State during the 
