middle lobe, and the middle lobe was adherent to the chest walls; at the juncture of the middle and the posterior lobes a portion of the lung was firmly hepatized; the cæcum and large intestines were healthy.

CASE V.

Sow, weight about 50 pounds, temperature 103.6° F. The right lung showed numerous ædematous areas; the left lung was oedematous in the anterior lobe and in small areas of other portions; the pericardial sac was obliterated and the pericardium firmly adherent to the surface of the heart; the cæcum showed one ulcerated patch; the other organs were normal.

HOG CHOLERA THE DISEASE.

The diagnosis indicated that the disease from which these animals suffered was hog cholera.

The conditions in the northern Rocky Mountain district are, in one noticeable respect, very unfavorable for swine breeding. The farmers have not yet learned that isolation should be the chief factor in the prevention of contagious diseases. Furthermore, the popular belief is that hog cholera will not exist at this altitude, and consequently no precautions are observed against it.

Swine in this section are generally confined for a short time during the short cropping season of this altitude and are then allowed to roam at will, getting their living from waste grain left upon the fields, from alfalfa, etc. As the fences are mostly of three barb wires, they are effective only against the larger domestic animals, so that swine go from farm to farm and the herds of various farmers mingle indiscriminately.

Otherwise the opportunities for limiting the ravages of hog cholera are better in this region than they are in the Mississippi Valley, as the hog-producing areas are comparatively small and isolated from each other, with scant interchanges of stock between them.

THE TWO DISEASES NOT THE SAME.

The common supposition about Idaho Falls, that the two affections-of horses and hogs-are identical and due to a common cause, is sufficiently refuted by the ante-mortem and post-mortem examinations recorded herewith. It may be added, moreover, that no clinical or historical evidence of identity could be established through other obtainable facts.

INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGED RABIES IN NEBRASKA.

By W. H. GIBBS,

Veterinary Inspector, Bureau of Animal Industry.

Acting upon instructions from the Chief of the Bureau of Animal Industry under date of August 9, 1896, I visited the farm of David Braddock, near Burr, Otoe County, Nebr., to investigate an alleged outbreak of rabies which was reported to exist at that place.

I reached Burr August 11. I succeeded in seeing Mr. Braddock the same evening, and told him the object of my visit. He informed me that all his stock seemed to be in a healthy condition at that time, and that no deaths had occurred since August 2, 1896. Knowing that what information I obtained must be from him I asked that he give me an accurate and detailed description of every circumstance connected with the outbreak, which he did.

He began by saying that previous to the loss of his stock he owned a small shepherd dog that had always been kind and docile, and was never known to attack any domestic animal unless told by his master, always going to the heels and snapping. This dog had been on the same premises continuously for more than two years.

May 2: The dog acted strangely and attacked a boy savagely, tearing the hat brim from his hat while on the boy's head. Shortly after, without any encouragement or provocation, he attacked a hog in a ferocious manner. During the day he attacked another small boy, a son of Mr. Braddock, his teeth barely reaching his face, but not lacerating the cuticle. Mr. Braddock was by this time satisfied that the dog was dangerous, and concluded to destroy him in the morning.

May 3: The dog could not be found, and was never seen on premises again; but a dog answering the description was killed a few miles. distant while acting in a strange and violent manner. About the 10th of May a hog, previously healthy, developed peculiar and violent symptoms unusual to swine, namely, rushing at real and imaginary objects, jumping in the air, all feet off the ground at once, suddenly stopping and circling usually in one direction. During the sixteen days subsequent 14 swine were attacked with symptoms very similar to the above mentioned, all ending in death two or three days after. May 28: A 5-year-old cow, giving milk, was taken with peculiar and violent symptoms while in the pasture with other cattle. The symptoms were violent, running and bellowing, and excessive trembling, due, no doubt, to great nervous excitement. The owner

attempted to drive her to the yard, but before going far the cow fell to the ground, where she died thirty hours later. This carcass was the only one herein mentioned that was examined by the owner after death. He detected nothing abnormal except gall bladder, that being exceedingly large and extended. (I am of the opinion that his knowledge of such matters is very limited.)

May 31. A yearling heifer was attacked with symptoms very similar to the case just mentioned, but more aggravated and violent. She rushed at everything within reach. In a few hours she fell from exhaustion and died forty-eight hours later.

June 22: A work mule, 5 years old, was taken sick with severe rigor, lasting several hours. On the following day it was apparently much improved and was put to light work, but the next morning was found in the stable in a violent condition, snapping and plunging at every moving object within its reach. It tore the frog from its own feet and lacerated the tendons from its own limbs with its teeth. When utterly exhausted and unable to stand from the effects of its injuries it fell to the ground, where it was destroyed. The duration of the attack was four days.

July 28: A yearling filly that had been in pasture containing timothy, clover, and alfalfa was taken with premonitory symptoms similar to the case above mentioned. As the disease progressed weakness of the loins was noticed. She continued to fail in strength, owing, I presume, to nervous exhaustion, and twenty-four hours subsequent to the attack fell to the ground and died twenty-four hours thereafter. As this report will show, there was a loss of 14 hogs, 2 bovines, 1 mule, and 1 colt that had died from this disease. There was not any disease among other herds in this vicinity. The management of the stock was good as near as I can learn from Mr. Braddock, and my own observation confirms my belief. The cattle and horses were fed from pastures containing tame grasses and had good pure water raised by windmill. The land was high and rolling. The swine, 35 in number, were kept in an inclosure of about 1 acre set in trees; were fed on slop from the kitchen and corn on ear with an occasional feed of green corn, with well water for drink. None of the stock mentioned received medical treatment, neither were they seen by any medical man. Every animal attacked died. The dog in question had attacked and killed two or three polecats previous to his strange actions.

In view of the circumstances connected with the case, I am inclined to the belief that the stock died from the effects of rabies communicated to them by the dog.

In making this report I would say that it is far from satisfactory to me, owing to lack of scientific knowledge of different conditions, such as the condition of the pulse, the temperature, and the pathological conditions that careful ante-mortem and post-mortem examinations would reveal.

SOME AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION WORK.

COMBATING ANTHRAX IN DELAWARE.

[A. T. Neale, Bulletin No. 32, Delaware Experiment Station.]

Director A. T. Neale, of the Delaware Experiment Station, says that every case of anthrax recorded in that State since 1892 may be regarded as belonging to some one of five distinct centers. The first outbreak was in 1892, when nine farms within a radius of 1 mile of the one first infected suffered heavy losses of milch cows and working stock. Six of these farms have escaped subsequent attacks, and four years elapsed before the disease reappeared on the seventh. The eighth farm remained free. "The ninth and last farm represents the gravest aspect of this epidemic. In 1892 the losses were severe, and the tenant sought a new home. In 1893 his successor lost all of his cows by anthrax, and was obliged to abandon farming. In 1894 a similar fate seemed to await the third tenant. He, however, realized his position in time to save more than one-half of his herd. The occupants of this farm in 1895 and 1896, it is reported, have kept no dairy herd, have quarantined a certain field against their work stock, and have escaped without loss."

The second outbreak occurred in the midsummer of 1893, when four adjoining farms were involved. Three animals from the first farm were burned the day following their death, and no subsequent losses have occurred. Proper precautions were not taken upon the other farms and the losses were severe. In 1894 and 1895 the disease remained upon one of these farms, but has yielded to vaccination since. Upon another place it did not appear in 1895 and 1896, but no reason appears for this good fortune.

The third and fourth centers of contagion were established in July, 1895. Sixteen farms were affected and 50 cows, horses, and mules died. Thirteen head of stock were lost from the third outbreak before assistance was secured and 9 from the fourth outbreak. The sick animals were isolated, infected fields quarantined, carcasses cremated, and survivors vaccinated. The result was complete immunity in 1896 on thirteen of the sixteen farms, and the remaining three were but slightly affected.

The fifth outbreak occurred in June, 1895. "The source of the disease probably came from the sewage of a morocco shop." A year later the disease occurred on two additional farms, "probably from the same

source." Precautions were taken to cremate the carcasses, to fence the stream, and to exclude the herd, and so subsequent losses were avoided.

After a careful study of the five centers of contagion, Director Neale gives "a summary of the experiences of the past five years," as follows: Every case of anthrax which has been recorded in Delaware since the spring of 1892 may be regarded as belonging to some one of five distinct centers of contagion. The belt of territory in which these centers occur is, approximately, 3 miles wide and 40 miles long. It passes through a well-developed dairy section, and is frequently crossed by tide water creeks or streams. A marked characteristic is its acreage of banked meadows.

The centers of contagion have been confined to fields upon the waterways and lowlands subject to tidal overflow because of faulty sluices or broken dikes. Four years of close inquiry has failed to establish a case of transfer of anthrax by live stock or farin products from one of the old to one of the new centers. The accepted opinion is that in four out of five instances the cause of each new epidemic has been floated ashore from the Delaware River. In the fifth case sewage from a morocco shop contaminated the water supply of each of the infected farms.

During the past five years anthrax has cost Delaware farmers, in the aggregate, 30 horses and mules, 190 milch cows, and a relatively sinall number of sheep. As these animals died upon 33 different farms, the average is considerably lower than 2 deaths per farm per year. The claim is made, however, that this average has been very much influenced by the timely adoption of necessary precautions, for at the beginning of each epidemic such records as the following have been made, namely, 7 cows lost out of a herd of 10, 13 lost out of a herd of 18, 33 lost out of a herd of 40.

While anthrax must still be regarded as a most dangerous and deadly disease, reports of new outbreaks no longer awaken the alarm which characterized the epidemics of 1892 and 1893. A clearer insight as to the nature of this trouble and demonstrations that it yields to proper management are responsible for this change. Proper management upon an infected farm involves the cremation of the carcass of every victim, the temporary quarantine of suspected pastures, the isolation of visibly diseased animals, and finally the vaccination of all susceptible live stock. This course properly observed will permit of the subsequent grazing of infected fields, with little if any risk of further losses.

Director Neale announces in this bulletin that in future the station must decline to continue the work of eradicating anthrax, leaving this duty to fall upon the individual or the State officials, and gives as a reason that such work is not contemplated in the Iatch Act.

[Bulletin No. 37, Delaware Experiment Station.]

It will be observed by referring to one of the paragraphs above that one of the outbreaks of anthrax in Delaware was attributed to the sewage from a morocco shop. In this connection, two outbreaks which occurred in Pennsylvania are of interest and importance. "The first occurred upon the banks of a stream which is tributary to the Susquehanna, near its source; the second bore a similar relation to the head waters of the Allegheny River." It is believed that these outbreaks had their origin in a cargo of hides which had been im