24 
A. A. HOLCOMBE. 
determining that they are free from contagious diseases , 25 cer¬ 
tainly not unattended with great danger. 
Had Troop F, 9th Cavalry, been properly inspected before 
leaving the District of Hew Mexico, a part of the loss at least 
might have been averted; for the probabilities are that Troop I, 
9th Cavalry, was infected after reaching Fort Reno, as was also 
Company I, 23d Infantry (mounted), and the animals belonging 
to the quartermaster’s department at the post. How many sta¬ 
bles, corralls, cars, and animals were infected by this troop while 
en route to its new station will never be known—the possibilities 
though, afford a subject for very serious contemplation. 
A number of the cases killed in Troop F were recent cases 
and no doubt their development was hurried and favored by a 
change of climate. Of twenty-four horses from this troop 
stationed at Oklahoma, an out-post of Fort Reno, and subject to 
some exposure, thirteen were found glandered, with not more than 
one old case among them. They were at this out-post but thiity 
days. 
The losses resulting from this outbreak up to the time I was 
relieved by Veterinary Surgeon Tempany, 9th Cavalry, (a period 
of live weeks), had reached about live thousand dollars, lhat 
the end is yet reached can scarcely be expected. h>ut no doubt 
the disease will be completely stamped out in time, for the officers 
of the post are fully aware of the danger attending the disorder, 
and of the measures which must be enforced to eradicate it. 
But it would be seeming economy to prevent such outbreaks, 
so that measures of extermination would not be necessary. This 
outbreak was great in proportion to the opportunities offered, and 
the accidental appearance of epizootic influenza at Fort Reno 
alone was the cause of its detection in time to prevent the general 
infection of all the animals at the post, and a much greater loss 
than has already been sustained. To depend upon accidents for 
the protection of the public animals against contagious diseases is 
a method of procedure utterly at variance with the teachings of 
sanitary science and one that should be no longer depended upon. 
Inspections every ninety days of all the animals in each depart¬ 
ment can and should be made by a graduated veterinary surgeon. 
