Necrotic Stomatitis. 
13 
placed on rough food, such as coarse alfalfa, or hay containing Rus¬ 
sian or Canadian thistles. 
CALF DIPHTHERIA. 
History and Distribution. 
It is not known exactly how long this disease has infected 
Colorado calves, but in 1902 and 1903 it was brought so forcibly 
to the attention of Dr. A. B. McCapes, who was then state veterin¬ 
arian, that he furnished material for an investigation of the dis¬ 
ease, to the United States Bureau of Animal Industry at Washing¬ 
ton. The results of the investigation made at that time are recorded 
in B. A. I. Bulletin No. 67, to which the reader is referred for an 
exhaustive discussion of the matter. 
In 1907 Dr. Chas. G. Lamb, State Veterinarian, after having 
visited several outbreaks, considered it of sufficient importance that 
he prepared a special bulletin on the subject, which was published 
by the State Stock Inspection Board. 
Dr. B. F. Kaupp, formerly pathologist to the Experiment Sta¬ 
tion, studied several outbreaks between 1908 and 1912. From vet¬ 
erinary practitioners all over the state come letters mentioning the 
disease, and judging from the letters received from stockmen dur¬ 
ing the last few years, the disease continues to exact its toll from 
the cattle industry. 
Although some communities have suffered more than others, 
it seems probable that there have been cases in practically every 
county in the state. The disease seems to have been unusually prev¬ 
alent in the region between Colorado Springs and Denver, known 
as the Divide. It has also been frequently reported from North 
Park. 
Young animals are nearly always the sufferers, although it has 
in a few instances been reported in older cattle. It would seem from 
this that older cattle acquire a certain resistance, as it seems prob¬ 
able that they are under the same exposure and are as liable to have 
abrasions in the mouth, particularly since they suffer from “lumpy 
jaw,” the organism of which gains entrance in the same manner. 
Teething may account for a part of the unusual prevalence in 
young animals, as during the time the teeth are breaking through 
the gums there is an excellent chance for disease-producing organ¬ 
isms to enter. 
Most cases are reported in the winter time, when the calves are 
not at pasture. This seems to be explained by the fact that the 
coarse hay is more apt to wound the mucous membranes than is the 
grass at pasture. Further, it is quite probable that the organisms 
