REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON DISEASES. 
303 
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON DISEASES. 
By Prof. A. Liautard, Chairman. 
Mr. President and Gentlemen: 
When I accepted the compliment paid to me by our worthy 
President to serve as chairman of the Committee on Diseases it 
was my hopes to be able to gather sufficient material and data to 
make a report which would have proved interesting to the public 
at large as well as instructive to the profession. Being unex¬ 
pectedly called to Europe this summer, after a short stay I re¬ 
turned to my duties, and found the time so short that I was 
almost tempted to give up the work and follow the example of 
our friendly predecessors and only report “ progress,” but at the 
same time thought that in so doing I would do injustice to our 
friends and to the Association. It was then that I decided to try 
and obtain the information that I beg hereto present you, asking 
your indulgence for whatever disappointment this report may 
bring you. 
I supposed that the objects of such a report was to give the 
collective information of what form of diseases had prevailed 
through the country, and to obtain whatever light could be gath¬ 
ered relating to the entire history of these diseases. To that 
end I distributed one hundred copies of the little circular which 
you have all received and in which the six following questions 
were put, viz : 
1st.—What diseases have been most prevalent in your State or 
cities for the last twelve months ? 
2d.—Have you had any epizootic outbreak ? If so, of what 
disease ? 
3d.—Give a short account of supposed causes, peculiar symptoms, 
lesions, treatment and result. If possible, average mortality. 
4th.—Have you seen any cases of contagious diseases ? If any 
peculiar case, give short account. 
5th.—Have you had or heard of any specially interesting cases of 
pathology, surgery or pb^fetries ? If so, give a brief ac* 
