160 
NEWS AND ITEMS. 
Dr. W. H. Dalrymple, of Baton Rouge, La., read a paper 
before the Louisiana Society of Naturalists at New Orleans, 
April 7, entitled “The Veterinarian as a Naturalist.” It is in 
our hands for publication when opportunity affords. 
The clinic of the New York County Veterinary Medical 
Association, on April nth, consisted in a demonstration of the 
operation of median neurectomy by Dr. Charles E. Clayton, at 
the American Veterinary College Hospital. About twenty-five 
members were present and many were the compliments paid the 
operator. It was for the relief of lameness caused by a cartil¬ 
aginous quittor. 
The United States Department of Agriculture has arranged 
with Prof. Curtiss, of the Iowa Experiment Station, to collect in¬ 
formation and data while abroad for the revision of the recent 
horse book issued by the Government. Secretary Wilson desires 
to keep the information in that publication as fresh and up to 
date as the facilities and appropriations of his department will 
permit, and Prof. Curtiss, who sailed April i on his journey, ex¬ 
pects to obtain much data while abroad that will be interesting 
and important to our breeders. 
Music as a Cause of Death.— An exchange says : “ Music 
caused the death of a beautiful three-year-old filly at Florence, 
^la., the other day. A farmer drove the valuable young mare 
into town, and as he was driving up the principal street a brass 
band suddenly struck up its blatant music. The mare had 
that she dropped dead in the shafts of the trap. A veterinary 
surgeon who examined the carcass declared that the mare had 
died of heart failure, due to excitement caused by the sound of 
the unaccustomed music of a brass band.” 
A number OF CHANGES have taken place in the personnel 
of the meat inspection force at Missouri River points. Dr. 
John P. O'Leary has been transferred to Boston, and the change 
has relieved if not entirely cured an extreme case of homesick¬ 
ness. Dr. Richard Blanche has been transferred from the Meat 
Inspection to the Quarantine Division owing to ill health, and 
has been consigned to El Paso, Texas. Dr. James Otterman 
has been transferred from St. Joseph to Kansas City. Dr. W. 
A. Heck is transferred from St. Joseph, Mo., to Sioux City, la. 
Dr. W. T. Monsarrat Goes .to Manila. —In a private 
letter dated Honolulu, H. I., March 25, 1899, Dr. Monsarrat 
writes as follows : “ I go from here on the 28th inst., on the mule 
transport Conemaugh , for Manila, P. I., as one of the veterina¬ 
rians in charge of stock. We will carry some 300 mules, and 
