U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, S F 96% BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY— BULLETIN NO. 45. D. E. SALMON, D, V. M., Chief of Bureau. TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS. A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON ITS NATURE, CAUSE, AND PREVENTION. JOHN R. MOHLER, V. M. D., A. M., CHfRF OF PATKOlAXilCAL I^JVISION, I'.f^kKAl' OF .\NIMAL INDUSTRY, HENRY J. WASHBURN, D. V. S., ACTING ASSISTANT CHIEF OF PATHOI..OGICAL DIVISION, BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. WASHINGTON: GC»VERNMENT PRINTING OFFK^E. 1903. CViiR|rti^ Class. Book. 6Fi^u^ . 1 M 4 /O U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY— BUl.LHTIN NO. 45. D. E. SALMON, D. V. M., Chief of Bureau. CL - r^3 t^fY TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS '"S. A PRELIMINARY RLPORT ON ITS NATURE, CAUSE, AND PREVENTION. JOHN R. MOHLER, V. M. D., A. M., A- CHIEF OV I'ATHOLOCrlCAL IJIVISION, BUREAU OF ANI3IAL IKDUSTRY, HENRY J. WASHBURN, I). V. vS., ACTING ASSISTANT CHIEF OF PATHOLOGICAL DIVISION, BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE- 1903. OCT D.xy -1 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal Industry, W((s/u'/i(/to>i, D. a, March ^, 1903. Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith a manuscript on "Takosis, a contagious disease of goats: A preliminar}^ report on its nature, cause, and prevention."' b}- Dr. John R. Mohler and Dr. Henr}'^ J. Washburn, chief and acting assistant chief, respectively, of the Patho- logical Division of this Bureau. During the fall and winter of the past year reports of a chronic, highl}' fatal disease, which seemed to threaten the Angora goat industr}^ in certain districts, reached the Bureau from several different States; and as the symptoms and postmortem lesions were entirely unlike any of those accompanying the known diseases which affect this spe- cies of animals, it was decided to investigate thoroughly the nature of the disease in question and, if possible, to determine the cause of the affection. Laboratory w^orksoon resulted in bringing to light a micro- coccus {Mlcrocuccus cajji'lnu^) in the blood of the heart, lungs, and spleen, which experiments proved to be the cause of the disease. Filtrates were made and a series of experiments undertaken with the purpose in view of securing a preventive, and possibly a cure, of the disease. The paper submitted herew ith shows that these efforts met with some success. The work so far done is full}' described in this paper, and suggestions for preventing the disease are offered. It is believed that all this will be useful to the industry which has so recently received such Avidespread attention, and I therefore recommend the publication of this manuscript as Bulletin No. 45 of this Bureau. RespectfuU}', D. E. Salmon, Chief of Bureau. Hon. James Wilson, Seci'etary. CONTENTS. Page. Preliminary remarks 7 Name of disease 8 Takosis 8 History of outbreak 8 Symptoms - - 9 Course and susceptibility 10 Pathological anatomy 11 Bacteriologj' 13 Morphology 14 Biology 15 Cultural characteristics 15 Pathogenesis 18 Experiments with mice 18 Experiments with rats 19 Experiments with guinea pigs 19 Experiments with rabbits 20 Experiments with chickens 22 Experiments with dogs 22 Experiments with sheep 22 Experiments with goats 23 Production of toxins 25 Microscopic lesions 28 Blood examination 30 Technique 32 Description of previous epizootics of allied character among goats 32 Economic importance 36 Differential diagnosis 39 Parasitism 39 Anemia 40 Watery cachexia, or hydremia 40 Contagious pneumonia 40 Treatment 41 Prophylaxis 41 Therapeutics 43 Conclusions •. . 43 Bibliography 44 5 ILLUSTRATIONS. Page Plate I. — Micrococcuf! raprinus ivom (1) Ijonilldii and (2) milk-ciilture media. 16 II. — Micrococcxti^ raprimi.^ from tlie (1) lun goats were brought down from the mountains to the farm, where they were stable-fed. The majoritj" were placed on the ground floor of a large hillside barn in various-sized pens to accom- modate the seveial hunches into which the animals had been graded. TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS. 9 The remainder were allowed the freedom of the yard and hillside and were stabled on the barn floor proper between two hayniows. Feeding- frouj^hs and mangers had been erected, and this provision was in every way satisfactory for the purpose for which it was designed. The barn, pens, and yards in which the animals were kept appeared to be in good sanitary condition and well adapted to the shel- tering of goats. The feed consisted of corn, oats, and hay in ample quantities and in proper proportion, and the goats at all times took readil}" to this diet, even up to the time of death. In fact, it was a curious circumstance to observe, on postmortem examination of a large proportion of these animals, that the stomachs were filled with recently partaken food. And the goats could l)e seen eating hay some- times with evident relish, at other times in a listless manner, when their vitality was so reduced as to make standing impossible. Despite the change from the mountain pasture, including an entire change of surroundings as well as diet, deaths continued with alarming fre- quency, and the services of the Bureau were solicited in combating the afl'ection. The continuance of the fatalities after a complete change of diet and shelter, the regularity of the course of the disease, the apparent simi- larit}^ of the svmptoms in all the affected animals as well as the evident spread of the affection from one animal to another, led the owner to be strongly suspicious that he was dealing with a contagious disease, and he therefore constructed a pen in a corner of the l)asement wherein all the affected goats were placed. This proved to be a step in the right direction, but the disease became so prevalent that an additional pen was brought into service. As no endeavor had been made to separate the latter hospital from the remaining pens, the results were not so beneficial as they might have been had this pen been entirely isolated, as was the original hospital. As it was. the larger unaffected does and bucks were able to hurdle the fence and thus carry the infec- tious principle back to the healthy goats. This was at once brought to the notice of the owner, and steps were immediately taken to keep the healthy animals out of the infected pen as well as to isolate more thoroughly the inclosed goats by securely boarding up these quarters. This method of segregating the diseased animals, together with the disinfecting measures adopted, probably resulted in confining the ravages of the affection to a minimum. SYMPTOMS. The disease presents man}" of the symptoms usuallv accompanying a parasitic invasion and is characterized by great emaciation and weak- ness, with symptoms of diarrhea and pneumonia. In the early stages of the affection there is usually little to indicate that anything is seriousl}' amiss with the animal. The first observable symptom mani- 10 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. festccl is the listless and languid appearance of the animal, evidenced by its lagging- behind the flock, and is usually accompanied by a droop- ing of the ears and a drowsy appearance of the e3^es. The pulse is slow and feeble and the temperature is elevated slightly at first, but becomes sulinormal a few days before death. The highest temperature observed in the natural disease was 104.1'-, and the lowest, in a pros- trated animal a few hours before death, registered 99. 7"^ F. Snuflling of the nose, as in a case of coryza, with occasional coughing is some- times in evidence. As the disease advances the animal moves about in a desultory manner, with liack arched, neck drawn down toward the sternum, and with a staggering gait. Rumination is seldom impaired. The appetite, while not so vigorous, is still present, though capricious, and the afi^ected animal shows plainly that the ravages of the disease are rapidlj^ overcoming the restorative elements derived from the food. The fleece is usually of good growth and presents a surprisingly thriftj^ appearance when the condition of the animal is taken into considera- tion. All the exposed mucous memljranes appear pale and the respi- rations are accelerated and labored. The goats finally become so weak that they are readil}' knoclied down and trampled upon by their fellows. If picked up they may move ofl' slowly and eat a little, but within a few hours are down again, and in this way linger for several daj'S, shrinking to about half their natural weight, and occasionally bleat- ing or groaning, with head bent around on the side or drawn down to the sternum. A fluid discharge from the bowels of a very oflensive odor is usually observed in the last few days of life, but this symptom is not constant. COURSE AND SUSCEPTIBILITY. This disease may assume a subacute or chronic type, usually the latter. According to our own observations, the animal dies of inani- tion in from eight da3^s to six or eight weeks. Several owners have reported deaths after only two or three days of illness, but the goats doul)tless had been aft'ected for a longer period, although not noticed on account of their mingling in the flock. It is the consensus of opinion among the breeders interviewed that many of the animals suc- ceeded in living for weeks, but gradually became weaker and more debilitated, finally dying in a comatose condition. In no instance have we observed or heard of the natural rtH-oviM-y of an animal after once the symptoms of takosis were noticed. The 3-ounger goats seemed to be the most susceptible to the disease, although the old animals were by no means immune. The does, weth- ers, and also the bucks became affected, and for a period of almost two months (December and January) newly diseased goats varying in numl)er to as man\' as 11 were removed to the hospital daily on the TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASP: OF GOATS. 11 Pennsylvania farm where the disease was inv(^stii'!iius sp, nov. is suggested. MORrnOLOGY. The specitic organism of takosis appears in fresh l)ouillon cultures as a spherical or oval micrococcus with a diameter of 0.8 to 1 /<, In these cultures it is single or in chains of two, three, or four elements, but most frequently in })airs, as diplococci (PI. I, ffg. 1), with a diam- eter transvei'se to the axis of the chain greater than the longitudinal diameter. There is quite a variation in the size of the cocci, probably due to the increase in the size of the organism preparatory to the act of fission. As the cultures become older the cocci develop a stronger tendency to form chains, and after remaining in the inculmtor at 37'-' C. for three or more days chains of four to six elements are at times observed, as are also irregular clumps of cells which collect in masses of varying sizes. When the}^ assume this grouping tendency no oval forms are to be found and each of the organisms is strictl}^ spherical in outline. In the tissues they are frequently seen to deviate from the spherical and assume somewhat of a lancet shape, with the pointed extremities in apposition. This same form has been met in samples of blood freshly drawn from the ear of an affected goat. The elements forming pairs are frequently very unequal in size and are not always of uniform shape. (PI. II, fig. 1.) The}' are seen to possess the a1)il- ity of executing strong Brownian movements, but make no progress across the field of the microscope. No capsule has })een observed sur- rounding these micrococci either in the ])lood or when obtained from cultures', nor have spores, vacuoles, or crystals been seen. The organ- ism stains indistinctly and with difliculty with Loeffler's methylene blue and the standard aqueous aniline dyes, with the exception of gen- tian violet, but carbol-fuchsin and Gram's and Gram-Weigert's stains give clear uniform coloration to the cells. TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF CIOATS. 15 The organism dev^elops as an aerobe, but it also supports an active growth when deprived of oxygen, and is, therefore, a facultative anaerobe. It grows both on solid and in li([uid culture media with the usual degree of alkalinity, but also multiplies in those that give an acid reaction of +1.5 phenolphthalein. A temperature of 3Y° C. is most favorable for its development, but it will also grow at room temperature. In the latter case the growth is more tardy and not so profuse. Cultural characteristics. — Bouillon. — In neutral (phenolphtha- lein) peptonized beef broth a slight uniform cloudiness is caused by the groAvth of the organism within ten hours at 37*^ C. This con- dition increases until, after twenty-four hours at the above tempera- ture, the cloudiness has become quite marked and uniform. At this time a deposit may be noticed beginning to gather on the l)ottom of the tu])e. In three days this sediment has increased in volume and the turbidity of the supernatant fluid has been lost. The deposit is pearl gray in color, and on agitating the tube it rises slowly in the shape of a twisted, ropy, coherent mass. A delicate marginal ring on the side of the tube is usuall}" produced. No pellicle is formed nor can any characteristic odor be detected. The reaction of bouillon in which this organism has been growing for five days becomes decidedly acid, +1.7 phenolphthalein, and continues to increase in acidity subse(]uentl3^ Agar. — Growth upon the surface of slant agar occurs in twenty - four hours in the form of a white, glistening granular streak com- posed of numerous confluent colonies. This narrow line of growth becomes more extensive and reaches its maximum width on the third or fourth daj", when it shows a ceraceous, at times granular, surface, with irregular wav}^ margins. In stab cultures the growth appears within 21 hours as profuse, small, grayish white, closelv aggregated globules, so densel}^ packed together as to give an irregular nodulose appearance macroscopically along the entire length of the line of puncture. The onl}' colony which develops at the point of entrance of the needle is at first pearly white, Init after twent3^-four hours it assumes a grayish color in the center, with a lighter periphery of an equal br(>adth. It has a slightly granular center, a regular border, and is from S to 1<» mm. in diameter. The surface growth on agar plates appears as smooth white, flatly convex, ceraceous colonies, about 1.5 nmi. in diameter, with entire borders. By reflected light these surface colonies appear homogeneous, but, observed by trans- mitted light, they present a white center and pearly margin. The submerged colonies develop as light brownish foci with regular out- lines. They may be round or lentil shaped, but are always minute in 16 BUKEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. size. No ohaiacteristic differences in growth of this organism have been observed when sown on gl3xerin-agar or on serum-gelatin-agar. Gelatin.- — In this medium the growth is slower, evidence of fertility not appearing until fortA^-eight hours. In stab cultures the line of' puncture is occupied by numerous nodulose milk-white colonies that have apparently coalesced, and which extend to the extreme end of the track. When examined by the aid of the hand lens, the}" appear as closely aggregated individual colonies, w^th regular outlines and pre- senting a beaded appearance. These colonies are more minute than in agar, and the growth that appears on the surface, though similar in consistence, is likewise thinner and less profuse than parallel agar colonies. The organism will not liquefy gelatin until several genera- tions have been grown upon artilicial media. After a number of sub- inoculations the peptonizing of the gelatin conmiences on the seventh or eighth day, and later as early as the fourth or fifth day, when the surface growth is seen to sink, following which liquefaction is very rapid, and may reach the bottom of the tube in forty-eight hours, leaving a funnel-like track in its wake. The adjoining medium is then attacked, and within ten da} s after inocidation the contents become fluid, Avith a white pellicle on the surface. The appearance of the gel- atin-plate colonies which develop on the second or third day is probably of a more milk-white color, and thinner and slightly smaller than those in agar, but otherwise are similar. Liquefaction does not commence until the fourth or fifth day, sometimes the seventh day, and this orcurs only after continued subinoculations. Blood serum. — The organism grows steadily on coagulated blood serum. The colonies coalesce, forming a narrow, compact line of whitish color, with edges slightly elevated above the level of the body of the growth. The water of condensation at the base of the serum slant is clouded and contains a white sediment. As the cultures become older, or after seven or eight days' growth, they assume a brownish color. In this work the serum used was obtained from the blood of a dog and was freshly prepared immediately preceding its use. Potato. — When a loopful of a vigorous bouillon culture is sown upon the surface of potato, the growth that ensues along the line of inoculation inside of thirty-six hours is slight, moist, and glistening. In forty-eight hours it appears granular and rather feeble, like a clus- ter of dewdrops. Growth ceases by the third day, at which time the granular surface, with the aid of the hand lens, appears to be made up of minute individual raised colonies of a ceraceous nature that have become confluent. Milk. — Growth develops rapidly when tubes of this medium are inoculated, but the only manifestation of the development during the flrst twenty-four hours is a slight deposit observed at the bottom of the tube. No change occurs in the appearance of the milk until the 24927— No. 45—03 2 Description of Pi.atk T. Fig. 1. Twenty-four-liours'-()l"lith day, and is usually completed after twenty-four to thirty-six hours, at which time the solid curd takes up from one-third to one-half of the volume of the medium, and either adheres to one side or occupies the bottom of the tube. Litmus milk is chang'ed to a delicate pitdv on the third day, owing to the development of acids, but no coaouluni occurs until the fourth or fifth day, when a siuiilar separation of the curd and whey takes place, as in plain milk with a greater tendency of the coagulum to form tlocculi. Fvniuidattce action." — The growth in bouillon, to which 1 i)er cent lactose, dextrose, and saccharose has been added, is rapid, especially with saccharose, but without any formation of gas. Inside of twent}'- four hours the bulb becomes uniformly turbid in all these Huids, with a slight sediment in the branch and the appearance of growth at the extreme bottom of the closed tube. A faint marginal ring, l)ut no pellicle, is ol)served. After three or four da3's the closed ])ranch is uniformly clouded throughout, and remains so until the partial gravi- tation of the suspended elements, which occurs in six or seven da3'S. Lactose bouillon cultures develop 5.1 per cent acid in growing for five days at 37° C, while dextrose cultures produce 3.9 per cent and sac- charose bouillon cultures 3.5 per cent acid in the same time and under the same conditions. In sixteen days these media gave, respectively, a reaction of 7.7 per cent, 5.5 per cent, and 10.1 per cent. After thirty days' development the production of acid in lactose, according to the phenolphthalein test, was 9.2 per cent, dextrose 6.2 per cent, and saccharose 11.8 per cent. The production of acids is constant in all media. IndoJ. — Cultures that have grown in Duidiam's solution for two, seven, ten, and thirty days, respectively, were tested for the presence of indol l)y the method of Kitasato. In each case the result was negati\e. Plie.iol. — Bouillon cultures of ten days' development, when submit- ted to Weyl-Lewandowski's test for phenol, threw down a precipitate of tine crystals which by microscopic examination proved to be phenol. The distillate failed to show the reaction for indol. Thermal death jxniif. — Tul)es containing 1 c. c. each of bouillon cul- tures of a twent^'-four hours' growth were exposed to a temperature a The titre of these media was 1 phenolphthalein. 18 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. of 50'^ C. for vanning" periods of time, and fro.sh tu])e8 of bouillon inoculated from them inunediatel}" afterwards. By tlii.s means it was shown that the tube which remained in the ))ath for three hours and fifteen minutes produced growth, although it was slight and tardy and the germ was evidently attenuated, while all that were exposed for three hours and twent}^ minutes or longer I'emained sterile. At SS'-' C. growth fails to occur after an exposure of only ten minutes. At 62'-' C. the organism was killed in six minutes, wliile it resisted a temper- ature of 70^ C for three minutes. Desiccation. — ^The results obtained by the desiccation of the germ for twelve hours in the incubator at 37^ C, with its subsequent exposure to the diifuse light of the room for a period of nine days, were sufiicient to prove that sterility is thus produced. Teinjjerature requirements. — As previously mentioned, this micro- coccus develops profusely at incubator temperature, while at 20° to 22^ C. the gro^vth is more tardy and less profuse. The maxinuim temperature at which the organism would multiply was found to be between 45'-' and 46'^ C No growth developed at 47'-' C. Effect of low tenij)erature. — Tubes that were placed in a freezing- mixture twice daily and kept in the ice chest under tliese conditions for four days were subsequently incubated at 37^ C, with the result that they became fertile in every instance. Action of disinfectants. — When the organism was subjected for twenty-six minutes to a l-2,<)00 solution of bichloride of mercury, no growth followed, but an exposure to a 1-1,<»0(> solution proved fatal in thirt}' seconds. A 1 per cent solution of carbolic acid sufficed to prevent de-zelopment only after an exposure of fiftj^-seven minutes, while a 2.5 per cent solution caused the deiith of the micrococcus in thirt}^ seconds. Formalin, in the strength of a 2 per cent solution, required an exposure of thirtj^-one minutes to prevent the subsequent development of the organism. These disinfecting solutions were all used at room temi^erature (about 21'-' C). TATHOGENESIS. In order to demonstrate the pathogenic properties of the Jliero- coccus caprinus and to establisli its etiological significance in the dis- ease in question, the following inoculation experiments were conducted upon white mice, Avhite and brown rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens, dogs, sheep, and goats. EXPEKIMENT.S WITH MICE. Stihcutaneous. — On Jaiuiary 11 a white mouse was inoculated intra- muscularly near the base of the tail with O.l c. c. of an original bouillon culture from the spleen of Angora goat No. 2. In a few days it became languid and soon developed a diarrhea which termi- TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS. 19 nated in death on the twelfth day. The postniorteiu showed the .small intestines to be greatl}^ darkened and inflamed. The lungs presented localized areas of congestion. The kidneys were enlarged and anemic and the spleen dark and swollen. The specific organism was recovered in pure culture from the lungs, heart, and spleen. L)trn(il>(l(»n Inal. — ^The second mouse was inoculated intraahdominally on July 30 with 0.1 c. c. of a culture (sixth generation) which had been originally obtained from the lung of guinea pig No. 798 on-Februarj^ 2 and had been su))jected in the meantime to repeated transplanting on slant agar. On ^Vugust 2 the mouse was dull and stupid, with hair ruffled, and it remained crouching under the cotton in its cage the entire day. These conditions were very manifest on the following da}', and on August 4 purging was established, which also continued on the 5th. The mouse was very languid and quiet on August 6 and 7. and died on August S, nine days after the inoculation. On postmortem the heart, liver, and lungs appeared normal. The intestines were inflamed and empty. The spleen was light in color and somewhat swollen. The glands of the lymphatic system, espe- cially those of the throat and neck, were enlarged and congested. Ingestion. — Mouse No. 3 was fed for four days, beginning Jidy 30, upon bread that had been moistened with 8 c. c. of a bouillon culture of the same description as that used in the preceding test. On August 7 the mouse began purging, which continued until August 9, when it died. The autopsy showed that the lesions Mere confined to the digest- ive organs, the heart and lungs appearing normal. Cultures of the micrococcus were recovered from the heart, liver, and kidneys of the two last-mentioned mice. EXPERIMENTS ON KATS. Both the white and brown rats appear to be totally inmiune, although submitted to subcutaneous and intraabdominal inoculations with 0.5 c. c. of fresh virulent cultures. They evinced no apparent disturbance of any of their organic functions. Feeding experiments were likewise accompanied with negative results. EXI'ERIJIENTS ON (il'INEA PKiS. Guinea pigs ha\e proved susceptible in everv inoculator}' case, and the course of the disease evinced by these animals is very typical. They show^ gradual (>maciation and wasting, with symptoms of pneu- monia appearing a few days previous to death. Numerous cases developed enteritis with its consequent purging, but this condition was by no means constant. Convulsions, which so frequently attack rabbits during the latter stage of this disease, were not at any time observed in the guinea pig. The peculiar form of pneumonia already noted as appearing in the goat is seen to afi'ect the guinea pig with 20 BUREATT OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. great reo-iilarity. The organism was readily recovered from the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and spleen; in fact, it was found to be distributed throughout the blood of the circulation. Examinations of the llocculent sediment occasionally found in the urine resulted negatively. A few typicjil cases of the disease fn guinea ,pigs as a result of various forms of inoculation may he brietly given as follows: StfhcKtU)ie(n/s. — On January 'A guinea pig No. TOT received su])cuta- neously O.'io c. c. of a liouillon culture of twenty -four hours' growth from the spleen of goat No. 2. The animal soon began to give evi- dence of an insidious disturbance of its nutrition, W'hich continued until .lanuarv 26, when it died, having in the meantime graduall}' reached a condition of extreme emaciation. The organism was recov- ered from the lungs, heart, spleen, and mesenteric glands. The period of life following the subcutaneous inoculation of doses ranging from 0.25 to 0.5 c. c. varied from sixteen to twenty-three days, and averaged twenty and one-half days. liitrainvsciilar. — On January 3 guinea pig No. TIO received 0.25 c. c. of the same culture used in the test with No. TOT, injected intramuscu- larly. Eight days later, or on January 11, the animal died. Postmortem examination showed the carcass serioush^ emaciated. Liver and spleen enlarged, lungs congested, and the kidneys pale and softened. Intramuscular inoculations of from 0.25 c. c. to 0.T5 c. c. of a twent^^-four hour bouillon culture resulted in the death of the guinea pigs in from eight to thirteen days, wnth an average of nine days. Litraah(J inflamed in patches, especially along the anterior portion. Both lungs were hepatized in luunerous localized areas. Heart flabby, liver dark, and gall ])ladder flUed with water}- l)ile. Spleen indurated and reduced in size. Intestines- catarrhal and empty. Bladder d'stended with albuminous urine. On postmortem examination of rabbit No. 383 the hide was found to be very tightl}' attached to the subcutaneous tissue and extremely dry. The pharynx and trachea were inflamed throughout. Cephalic lobes of both lungs hepatized. The auricles were distended and the heart nuiscle pale. Spleen shrunken. Kidney's dry and flabb3^ Liver dark in color, with distended gall l)ladder. Intestinal contents fluid. (Culture media inoculations were positive in both the above cases. Intravowus. — Rabbit No. 211> was inoculated intravenously on Jan- uary 3 w-ith 0.5 c. c. of bouillon culture from spleen of goat No. 2. It remained unaffected. On January 15 ral)])it No. 233 received 1 c. c. of the second genera- tion of a l)Ouillon culture obtained from the spleen of goat No. 2. On January 23 it refused to eat and on the following day it died in tetanic spasms. ^licroscopic and cultural examinations demonstrated the presence of the 2flcr<>co'outs on the Pennsylvania farm where the disease was first observed. In ho case ha\'e sheep contracted the disease by such exposure. EXPERIMENTS WITH GOATS. Nicole and Refik Bey, when writing of an infectious disease which was decimating- the flocks of goats near Constantinople, said that, although the disease spread rapidly from goat to goat when the sick were pastured witli healtliy animals, they had found goats in the lab- orator}' to be very resistant to all attempts at artificial inoi-ulation. The results in the present instance warrant us in fully indorsing their conclusion regarding the resistant nature of goats, especially the com^ mon goat, when subjected to similar conditions. The iirst goat upon which inoculation tests were made was a large aged male that had spent mucli of his life iu harness in the vicinity of this city. He received intravenously 2 c. c. of a three-day -old bouillon culture on April 14, when his temperature was 102^ F. There was no sudden marked change, but after several days 103. 2"^ F. was recorded. The fever gradually subsided until normal was reached. No evidence of any effect from the inoculation, other than this rise of temperature, was noticed. On June T he was reinoculated intra- abdominally with 5 c. c. of bouillon culture obtained from the liver of a guinea pig which had died but three days previously. His tempera- ture just previous to inoculation was 102° F., but it immediatel}^ rose until it reached 104.6^ F. on the evening of the same day. On the following day 104° F. was recorded, 103.1' F. on the third day, and normal on the fourth. No indication of any other disturbance as a result of the inoculation was noticed at an}' time. An aged female goat that had been previoush' kept in the city as a milk producer was inoculated intravenouslv wnth 5 c. c. of a bouillon culture (fourth generation) on June 20. Temperature at time of inocu- lation was 102° F. The first rise in temperature was noted on June 23, when 102.6° F. was recorded, with 103° F. on June 24. On the fol- lowing da}' 103.4' F. was reached and the animal refused the greater part of its food. On June 26 inappetence continued and purging began, while the temperature dropped to 102.8° F. The following day, the seventh after inoculation, the patient was purging freely a quantity of slate-colored feces. Temperature, 102.2° F. On the 28th, although the excreta were still soft and whitish in color, there was no distress from diarrhea. The animal still refused food. On the fol- lowing day, the ninth of the test, the appetite began to return, and the goat soon recovered its normal condition. On July 10 goat No, 14, a small mature female, received intra- abdominally 4 c. c. of a bouillon culture obtained from the heart of a guinea pig. During the four days following the inoculation the goat 24 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. neither ate nor dnink. Tlie maximum temperature was reached on July 16, when it registered 103. 8 '' F. ■ On July 21 diarrhea, with whitish mucous discharge, developed, which persisted for seven days, during which period the patient's appetite was again greatly impaired and capricious. The condition and strength of the animal i-apidly wastt^d away. She remained incuml)ent much of the time, and when obliged to move walked with a staggering gait. Her illness was so serious at the ci-isis of the attack that her ultimate recover}' was a matter of great surprise to those who were caring for her. Her con- valescence was rapid as soon as the diarrhea was overcome, and she soon began to eat well and to make daily improvement in flesli and spirit. Goat No. 15, a young native female, was fed 200 c. c. of a bouillon culture on July 23 and a like amount on the day following. Aside from a transitory rise in temperature of 1.1^ F., there was no result a^iparent. Another experiment was made on a grade Angora goat. No. 1741, the subject being a young female which received intraabdominall}', on October 2, 1 c. c. of a bouillon culture from guinea pig No. 1140, which was inoculated with goat bouillon culture. Her temperature reached its highest elevation on October 8, when it registered 104.5" F., and no material change was noted until the decline developed about twenty-four hours before death. October 10 the subject became dull and inactive and diarrhea began to make itself manifest. On the fol- lowing da}' violent purging had become established, the feces being- thin, watery, and nearly white in color, the animal at this time appear- ing noticea))ly shrunken and weakened. On October 12 the purging still continued and the subject began to manifest extreme weakness. On the morning of the following day, the eleventh day of the test, the animal died. No indications of any respiratory disturbance were evidenced at any time during the course of the disease, although the lung were found to be affected at autopsy. On post mortem exami- nation the carcass showed great emaciation of the muscular tissues, which appeared whitened and bloodless. The mucous membranes were anemic. The heart was seen to be pale, with a few slight petechial hemorrhages beneath the epicardium around the supiu'ior border of the ventricles. Pulsations had stopped during diastole, leaving the ventricles iilled with blood. The lungs showed a moderate attack of the characteristic pneumonia. The liver appeared darkened, in color, while the gall bladder was distended to the size of a man's list. The fluid which caused this distension lacked the oily viscid char- acteristics of Jiormal bile, l)ut appeared like water of a greenish color. The spleen of this animal was pale and shrunken fo a))out one-half of its normal size. The kidneys were softened and anemic and the bladder contained albuminous urine. Rumen, reticulum, and omasum TAK08IS, A CONTAGIorS DISP:ASE OF GOATS. 25 were, with their contents, in nornuil condition, l)nt the mucosa of the abonuisuni showed a sliglit conoestion, and a mucoid exudate was found to cover its entire internal surface. No food was found in the fourth stomach, its contents consistino* of liquid only. A like congestion and slim}' exudate were seen to extend throuoh th(> duodenum. Th(» laroe intestines were l)loodless and empty. l>ut the lymphatic olands of this region ap]3eared slightly hemorrhagic. The l)lood V(>ssels of the l)rain were somewhat congested, while the spinal cord presented nothing- abnormal. At the beginning of this (experiment the weight of the goat was 45 pounds. Weighed again immediately after death, it was shown that there had been a loss of 7i pounds during the course of the disease. Pure cultures of the specific micrococcus were recovered from the tissues of this animal. PUODUCTIOX OF TOXINS. In order to ascertain if the micrococcus under consideration pro- duced a toxin, a number of inoculation experim«Mits were made both with the sterile tiltrate of Ijouillon cultures and with the sterilized cultures. The filtrates used in this experiment were obtained by growing a flask of bouillon culture for ten days at a temjjerature of 37 C. Afterwards the culture was filtered through a C'hamV)erland tilter (F), and, if proved sterile by media inoculations, the tiltrate was then read}' for use. Four guinea pigs were used, each receiving the hltrate subcuta- neously. No. 1151 received 1 c. c. of the filtrate Felu'uary 25, but because of an accident it was necessary to remove the animal from the experiment before the test was completed. No. 1152 received 1.5 c. c. of the filtrate February 25, and seventeen days later, March 14, an inoculation of 0.5 c. c. of a virulent culture was injected. The guinea pig remained acti\e and hearty, save for a temporary disturb- ance following the inoculation on February 25, until Octol>er 10, when it suddenly succum]>ed to an attack of pneumonia. The car- cass was not emaciated, but, on the contrary, was well supplied with fat. Cultures made froiu the various organs failed to produce the MicrococeKs caj>rh) w.s\ No. 1153 received 2 c. c. of the filtrate on February 25. and seven days later 0.5 c. c. of a virulent culture, which was followed b}- a reinoculation of 0.5 c. c. of virulent culture ten days afterwards. Shortly after the application of the first inoculation' of filtrate the animal was affected by dullness and loss of appetite, but after three days these symptoms disappeared, and the animal recovered its pre- vious condition of perfect health, which it retained until October 18, when it died of enteric hemorrhage. The carcass of this animal was 26 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. well nouri.shed and showed no traces of wasting oi- emaciation. The lungs contained numei'oiis circnmscril)ed pigment areas, the remains of former hemorrhagic infarcts. As two hundred and twenty-eight da_ys had elapsed since the animal received its first inoculation with a virulent culture of the MicrococGus caj>riniis, it was, of course, impos- sible to establish an undisputal)le relation between the lesions of the lungs and the action of this germ, but it is not at all impossible that these ecchj-mosed areas were former centers of inflammation resulting from the inoculation of March 14. Cultures mad<> from the organs of this guinea pig gave negative results. No. 1154 was inoculated with 3 c. c. of filtrate on February 26, which was followed by a rise of temperature and slight indisposition. Seven days later 0.5 c. c. of a virulent culture was injected, and ten days subsequently 2 c. c. of the filtrate. The general appearance of this animal for six weeks following its inoculation with virulent culture showed nothing amiss, but during the latter days of April it became aflected with lameness in all its feet. Fissures gradually developed on the plantar surface of each foot, and the inflammation later extended to the joints of the legs. This condition continued to become more aggravated until the animal died, on Maj" 12. In addition to the lesions of the legs and feet, there was a slight dropsical effusion within the abdominal cavity at the time of holding the autopsy, but cultures obtained from the tissues failed to show the micrococcus under con- sideration. The efl'ect of heat upon the toxins was ol)tained by heating the filtrate for thirty minutes at 60° C. Four guinea pigs were then inoculated, respectivel}^ with 1, 2, 3, and 4 c. c. of this material, at the same time that four others received the same quantity of the filtrate which had not been subjected to such heating. Three days later these eight animals, together with two control g4Tinea pigs, were inoculated intra- abdominally with 0.5 c. c. of virulent culture. The four guinea pigs receiving, respectively, 1, 2, 3, and 4 c. c of the heated filtrate died in twenty-one, sixteen, nine, and tw^elve days, respectivel}^, after the injection of the virulent culture, while the check animals lived for nine and thirteen ^aya. Three of those guinea pigs that received the unheated filtrate are at present writing in an apparently healthy con- dition, while guinea pig No. 2832, that was inoculated with 1 c. c. of the filtrate and three da3's later 0.5 c. c. of a virulent bouillon culture, died of typical talvosis on the seventeenth day. It appears from these experiments that the unheated filtrate pos- sessed bactericidal properties and conferred limited power to prevent an attack of takosis, but when subjected to a temperature of 60° C. for thirty minutes its toxin was presumably destroyed, as no protect- ive action was observed following its use. In order to test further (see also remarks on treatment, p. 42) the immunizing effect produced by the administration of the toxins TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS. 27 in the tiltratc, 5 c. c. of this tiiiid were injected subcutaneoii.sl}' on September IS into each of four goats, two being- affected with scours and great!}' enfeebled, and two health}^ animals, Nos. 193() and 721. The first two died within forty-eight hours, as was expected, but the latter two are still healthy. The extent of inunu- nity conferred by this filtrate was the su))ject of further consider- ation, and for this i)urpose goat No. l!>o() alone was used. The animal Avas a young female Angora goat weighing 48 pouiuls and received intra\'enously, on October 2, 1 c. c. of a l)Ouillon culture pre- pared from the heart of a guinea pig that had died from a culture of goat spleen. At that time her temperature was 102.4 F. An eleva- tion was noted on October 0, when 103.5^ was recorded; on th(^ Sth, 104"^; and on the 10th, 105. 2"^, at which time purging became estaljlished. On October 11 the animal refused food, was unwilling to stand, and was purging f reel}', the feces being very light in color and covered with mucus. October 12, still purging; feces nearly white; temper- ature 104.2'. October 14, feces firmer, but still white; temperature normal; weight, 44 pounds; appetite improving; circulation of extremi- ties impaired to such an extent that they feel cold to the touch; normal conditions quickh' returned after this time. After an interval of twenty-five days from the time of first injection another inoculation was made with 2 c. c. of a virulent culture 'intraabdominally, since this method has always shown more positive results. In this instance the goat became dull and languid, which conditions, however, quickly passed away, and her temperature never exceeded 102.4'-' F. That the innnunity was conferred b}- the 5 c. c. of filtrate received on September IS must appear evident when taken in connection with the results obtained with the check animal, goat No. 1741 (see p. 24), which died eleven days after the inoculation with a similar culture. After one month had elapsed from the date of the complete recover}'^ goat No. 1J)3() was bled asepticall}^, and the sterile serum procured for further experimentation. Five guinea pigs were inoculated, respec- tivel}'^, with 1. 1,5, 2, 2.5, and 3 c. c, and three da^'s subsequently received 0.5, 0.25, 0.75, 0.50, and 0.30 c. c, respectively, of virulent culture, which killed the check guinea pig in eleven da^'s after an intra- abdominal injection. At the present time three of these guinea pigs show no inconvenience as a result of the inoculation, while the third and fifth guinea pigs, that received 0.75 and 0.3 c. c. of the culture, died on the fortj'-first and thirty-ninth day, respectively, the latter with takosis and the former of an intercurrent disease. It will be seen at once that the immunizing properties of blood serum obtained from an inuniuie goat were not perfect in their action when applied to the guinea pigs in this test, although the protection of three of the animals (Nos. 1, 2, and 4) offers sufficient encourage- ment to warrant further investigation along this line. Had the pro- 28 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. tec'tive powers of the serum been thcoretieally ellective, tlie guinea pig- that died with takosis (the fifth of the test group) would have been the last one of the iiundx-r to show the effects of the disease, as it received the largest amount of the serum and one of tlie smallest amounts of the virulent culture. Comparison of the duration of the affection in the case of the guinea pig that died of takosis thirty-nine days after the virulent culture was applied, with its course of onl}^ eleven days in the animal used as a check, indicated further that the serum exerted some retarding action upon tln^, adxance of the disease in this animal. This same serum has been sul ejected to a practical test on twenty goats in a flock of two hundred and lifty in whicli the disease is now prevailing. The results of the above treatment can not be obtained in time for this publication. The test with blood serum as an inmuuiizing agent against takosis is at present too incomplete to warrant any accurate estimate of its protective value, and, although the few experiments herein recorded show encouraging results, the imnumity has not yet been proved sufficiently constant or relia])le to justify at present a reconnuendation of serum for general use as a pro- tective agent. After observing the apparent bactericidal properties possessed b}' the ffltrate it was decided to ascei'tain the effect of the sterilized bouillon cidtures. These ^ere prepared by growing the culture for ten days in 5 per cent glycerinized peptone bouillon, then killing it by an exposure of thirty minutes to CO"^ C. , and afterwards ffltering through sterilized cotton. From this study it Avould appear that the toxins are extracellular and that they are destroyed by the above tem- perature, as the injection of this fluid failed to produce the least reaction in the inoculated guinea pigs; nor were the guinea pigs ])ro- tected in the slightest degree from a subsequent inoculation of a pure culture, as will be seen from the following- Six guinea i)igs inoculated on Noveml)er 7 with the sterilized cul- tures in (loses ranging from 1 to 3 c. c. subsequently received, sul)cu- taneously, 0,5 c. c. of a Airulent culture simultaneously with two check animals. Deaths followed among the first group of animals on an average of sixteen days, while the two control animals died on the foui'teenth and eighteenth days, respectively. Inoculation experiments were ))egun at the same time on a small flock of goats, each animal receiving 3 c. c. subcutaneously, which was repeated in ten days. The Yjreliminary I'eport in this instance confirms the work done on guinea pigs, and shows rather conclusively that the inununizing properties of sterilized cultures are practically nil. MICKOSCOI'IC LESIONS. LiDKjs. — iVIicroscopically, the terminal bronchioles and alveolar pas- sages present swollen w alls and contain various amounts of mucous TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OK GOATS. 29 exudate iind de.sqiuimated cells as a result of a catarrhal iutlanuuation. In most cases where the diseased areas in the luiii^s ol" the i^oat were examined there has been found little pneumonic consolidation, but bronchiolitis is (|uite pi-ominent. Some small areas of consolidation are seen with the alveoli and air sacs tilled with uranular de))ris and variable iuind)crs of epithelial cells, red-blood corpuscles, and leuco- cytes. An active desqaamation and proliferation of the epithelial lininu- membrane is present. The interalveolar septa show a consider- able round cell infiltration. The blood vessels of the septa are dis- tended and surrounded by miorated leucocytes. Frequently a bronchus is found ati'ected. with the lumen containino- a small number of des- quamated epithelial cells and slight fibrinous exudate and leucocytes. A round cell infiltration is seen in the neioh])orhood of the bronchus, the walls of which are swollen, indurated, and granular in appeai'ance. The surrounding- peribronchial tissue shows in most cases an intlam- mation V)y contiguity. The pulmonary lesions observed in the guinea pig present the characteristics of a ))ronchopneumonia. The organism is occasionally found in the fibrinous exudate and in the blood vessels. Liver. — In the liver of the guinea pig- there appears to be a conges- tion of the blood vessels, especially in the portion lyiug- l)eneath the capsule, and is accompanied by focal ai'eas of fatty degeneration occupying the peripheral zone of the acini in the form of numerous small globules, whiclx in some cells completely obscure the nucleus. The protoplasm of the hepatic cells is extremeh' gramdar. In the organ ol)tained from the goat there is no congestion, but the areas of fatty degeneration are obser\able, although in a small degree, and always in insular patches. Kidneys.— 'V\\(^ kidneys present the microscopic appeai'ance usually observed in catarrhal or parenchymatous nephritis, with the most marked changes occurring- in the cortex. Certain Malpig-hian tufts show an increase of cells due to the proliferation of the vascular epith(dium, obscuring and compressing- the capillaries. Increase of the cells of the tufts sometimes occurs. The intercapsular space is dilated and contains an albuminous exudate. The convoluted tubules show the epithelium to be swollen and gramdar, and in some cases des([uamated, while the luminaof these tubules also show the presence of an albuminous deposit. As the micrococcus has not been found in till' kidney on microscopic examination, the lesions here are presum- ably the result of the toxins. Heart. — Localized areas of parenchymatous degeneration may be observed, involving- isolated libers or groups of fibers. Their contents are found to be fine granules of an al])uminous nature, which do not completel}' obscure the striations or the nuclei of the nuiscle. In some fibers a more advanced stage has occurred, which results in the production of small, dark granules, accompanied with small droplets 30 BUEEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. of fat. In the heart of the <;uinea pijj the intertibrilhir connective tissue shows a proliferation of the nuclei, and there is a slight indica- tion of a round cell infiltration. Spleen. — A microscopical examination shows a thickened capsule, which is wrinkled and contracted. An increase in the thickness of the fibrous trabeculte proceeding from the deeper layer of the capsule and from the walls of the small blood vessels is the conspicuous featuie, with the accompau3'ing atrophy of the Malpighian corpuscles and splenic pulp. The connective tissue cells and delicate strands of fibril- lated tissue are very noticeal)le among the lynn)hoid elements. Small /nte-sti?ies. — The appearance of these tissues, especially of the duodenum, is that of a productive inflammation with exudation, asso- ciated with more or less necrosis of the mucosa. The nuu'ious mem- brane of the small intestine shows extensive desquamation of the epithelial lining and at times a superficial or even complete necrosis of the glandular layer. The mucosa may also present a typical produc- tive inflammation with exudation of a fibrinous character and small cell infiltration around the engorged blood vessels. The solitary folli- cles are h3'perplastic. The serous coat is thickened and the ])lood vessels visibly distended. Scattered profusely throughout the exudate and within the blood vessels of the submucosa, as well as in the intact mucosa, are the specific micrococci. BLOOD EXAMINATION. The attention of one who is called to examine a goat suffering with takosis is at once attracted by the anemic, bloodless appearance of all the exposed membranes. So prominent is this symptom that efforts have been made to determine the effect of the disease upon the blood. The germ {JlicrococcKS caprin us) is readily recovered from the l)lood of the circulation in any part of the body of animals that have died as a result of the test inoculations or of the natural disease. It is found in the plasma, but never within the cells themselves. Ellenberger (Physiologic der Haussaugethiere) and R. Meade Smith (Physiology of Domestic Animals) give the number of red corpuscles in a cubic millimeter of normal goat blood as varying from 9,00( >,000 to K ),0( )0,000. A count was made from the blood of several goats o1)tained for exper- imental purposes in the laboratory and the result was confirmatory of this statement in a Acry satisfactory degree. The average result of the count in these cases gave the number as 9,976,000 i)er cublic milli- meter and about 9,200 leucocytes in the same amount of l)lood. Later a count was made from the blood of an Angora goat sent to the labo- ratory during the last stages of the disease. The animal was greatl}^ emaciated, of an anemic, debilitated appear- ance, and was suffering from profuse diarrhea. AVc have no means of knowing how long this goat had been affected by the disei se, but TAKOSrS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS. 31 evidently it had been ailing for some weeks. The eount of red cor- puscles in this instance gave 11,208,000, showing a material increase above the normal number. Other counts were made from the blood of two Angora goats that had been receive.! at the laboratory in a healthy condition and afterwards inoculated with Mici'ococcus caprinus^ one receiving 1.5 c. c. of a bouillon culture intravenously and the other 1 c. c. intraabdominally. Violent purging ensued in eight daj's in l)oth cases. The count of the corpuscles of the blood was made before the animals recovered fully from the effects of their inoculation and when the purging was quite profuse. The result obtained b}' counting the corpuscles under these conditions was that the blood in the first contained 11.19«).0O(> red-])lood cells and 20,.56(> white cells per cubic millimeter, while in the second case the red and white cells num- bered 12.160,000 and 18.120, respectively. The leucocytosis in these instances was chietl}' due to an increase in the numl)er of polymor- phonuclear leucocytes and the eosinophiles. In another case atfected with the natural disease the red corpuscles numbered 10,208,000 and the white corpuscles 11,800. It will be seen from the few blood counts thus far made that the number of red corpuscles is not diminished; in fact, it is sometimes increased (polycythemia), especially during the presence of the diar- rhea, and is probably only relative, coincident with the removal of the watery constituents of the blood. The individual red cells are small (normal size 4.1/<. — Ellenberger), pale, and light in Aveight. presumably the result of the loss of nitrogenous material. Thev are also changed in outline, particularly in the later stages of the disease, when they assume an irregular, misshapen form (poikilocytosis). The increase in the number of leucocytes (leucocytosis) is absolute and dependent- upon the chronic nature of this infection. In explaining the phe- nomenon in this instance we are inclined to ignore the overproduction theory of Vii'chow and Ehrlich and accept the idea advanced b}' Von Limbeck. Jakob, and Goldschneider. who hold that the bacterial toxins circulating in the blood act in a chemotactic manner to attract into the ])lood stream leucocytes which were previously in the lymph channels and spleen, and that these white torpuscles added to those already in the blood produce the leucocytosis. The specific gravity of the blood was taken in a number of instances with the average record of 1.031. It is utterly impossible to determine the amount of hemo globin present l)y means of the Von Fleischel instrument, as the greenish tint of the l)lood is not comparable to the red of the index glass. However, the amount of hemoglobin was relatively ascertained as 50 per cent by a modification from Schmaltz (Pathologic des Blutes und die Blutkrankheiten. Leipzig, 1896), considering the normal specific gravity of the blood of the goat as 1.012. 21927— No. 15—03 3 32 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. TECHNIQUE. For the histolog-ical study of the pathological alterations, the tissues were fixed in either Graf's chrome-oxalic fluid, Zenker's fluid, or g-rad- uallj^ ascending strengths of alcohol and hardened in dilute chloroform. The}' were then infiltrated and embedded in paraflin and cut in serial sections. In bringing out the pathological lesions various staining preparations were employed, including hematoxylin and eosin, Wei- gert's fibrin stain, Bismarck brown and eosin, Gram's iuethod followed b}^ eosin, alum-carmin, and carbol-fuchsin counterstained with meth}^- lene blue, the best and most distinct sections resulting from the first two mentioned agents. DESCRIPTION OF PREVIOUS EPIZOOTICS OF ALLIED CHARACTER AMONG GOATS. The first mention in foreign literature of any disease of goats simu- lating the one now under consideration seems to have been made by Pusch (12),^' of Dresden. The disease appeared in the fall of 1894 among a number of goats recentl}^ brought from the Simmenthal of Switzerland for breeding purposes. Upon their arrival in Saxony they were sold to different breeders and in this way were scattered about in six neighboring towns and upon thirt}" various farms. Sev- eral days later a disease appeared simultaneously among the goats of this importation in five of the six towns in which they had been received, and it quickly spread to the neighboring goats with Avhich they had been placed. The animals were purchased on Octol^er 8, and were unloaded from the cars and delivered to their several owners on October 12. Noth- ing was seen to be wrong with them at this time, but after a few days complaints began to reach the authorities which stated that the goats were aflected with cough and diarrhea. They were visited by Dr. Pusch on October 25, thirteen days after their arrival from the south. On the first farm which he visited, he found three imported goats and one native goat sick. All of them coughed in response to percussion with a short, superficial, painful cough. The native goat seemed to be more seriously affected than those recently arrived from Switzerland. Its temperature was 10.5° C, respiration 35, and pulse 110; mucous membranes yellowish ; nostrils widely distended ; breathing labored and painful; appetite poor. The animal was so sluggish that she refused to stand. On another farm he found that one of the goats had been killed and its viscera buried. The heart and lungs were recovered and exam- ined, but under the existing circumstances the results were not satis- factory. The heart was seen to be gray-red and very poor in fat. Pneumonia was present, accompanied with enteritis. Mice inoculated (' Thef?e figures refer to bibliography at end of thin article. TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS. 33 from these lunj»-s oave negative results. On this farm the disease spread among- the native goats to a serious extent. Tlie incubation period was about ten days. Sheep kept in the same pasture were not afi'eeted. The greater part of the imported goats sickened after their arrival, and, as they were all bought in the Simmenthal and were not unloaded en route, infection during transportation was impossible. The disease appeared simultaneously among most of the goats of this importation, and ([uickly spread to the natives with which they had been herded, causing great loss among the latter animals. The infected farms were quarantined until the diseased animals had either died or recovered, which required l)ut a few months, as the aiSection disappeared voluntarily during that time. Another outbreak of a very similar disease among goats was reported by Storch (l-t). The native goats of Schmalkalden are of large size, rugged, good producers of milk, and, until the importation of Saanen goats from Switzerland, they were ver}- healthy. Twenty Saanen goats were imported and placed among the native tiocks in ^lay, 1894. In July the disease had become so widely spread that the authorities sent Schutz and Storch to investigate. Storch states that the report of Pusch, 189-4, is the onl}' one in German liter- ature describing a disease w^hich resembles this in any way, while Hutcheon's pleuro-pneumonia of goats in South Africa may be the same thing, but he is unwilling to decide. Of 620 goats in Stein]>ach-IIallenl)urg 331 became affected, and many of these died, but no accurate statement of the number of deaths was o])tainal)le. In the acute form the goats refuse food, become dull and depressed, and lie down most of the time. Their breathing becomes labored and painful; pulse often reaches 1'20 to 140 per minute; cough is always present. About one-half of these cases are fatal, man}' of the animals dying in convulsions and opisthotonos. In the chronic form, a cough is always present, frequently accom- panied by nasal discharge. The disease is lingering and persistent, but apparent!}' does not affect the appetite. Examination of the lungs showed collapsed areas in one or both anterior lobes. Mucous membranes of the bronchi were reddened, thickened, and covered b}' a slimy coating. Bacteriological examina- tion revealed the presence in the lungs of numerous oval to round bacteria, frequentl}- in pairs, but occasionally single, while the blood, spleen, and liver proved negative. White mice inoculated subcutane- ously with cultures showed a staring coat and dullness, but recovered. A rabbit two months old, inoculated with scrapings from a diseased lung, died atypically in three days. Hepatized areas had developed 34 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. in its lungs, however, and the presence of the organism in these tis- sues was established. Healthy goats placed in isolated stalls in stables sheltering diseased animals became infected. Susceptibility appeared to increase with age, since 3'oung kids were not ati'ected. Mortality of the acute and chronic forms considered together reached about 25 per cent. Careful inquiry failed to give any trace of a similai' disease in the Simmenthal where these goats were purchased. Further importations of goats into the Kingdom of Saxony were prohibited at once as a result of this outbreak. Various experiments were made in the matter of treatment, but the best results were derived from the inhalation of creolin. Nicole and Retik Bey (10), of Constantinople, describe a pneumonia among the goats of the region adjacent to the Gulf of Ismid, it having been brought there b}' goats purchased in the interior of the country. The symptoms were first fever, then loss of appetite, cough and nasal discharge, disturbed l)reathing, and soon the animal began to lag behind the flock, appearing dull and languid. The disease lasts a long time and the animals l^ecome somewhat paralyzed four or live da3^s before death. The attack is not commonly accompanied by ente- ritis. Calves and sheep kept in the same flock were not aflected. Microscopic examination showed vod and gra}' hepatization, and the vessels filled with leucocytes. The pleura was thickened, and exuda- tion into the pleural cavity was moderately abundant. They have constantly isolated a cocco-bacillus from the lungs. It is sometimes alone and sometimes in association with the colon l)acillus or with BaeiJlux j)yoei/(n)>'}f.s. It was never found in the blood. It seems both bv its form and character to belong to the hemorrhagic septicemia group. The bacillus does not retain its stain when treated b}^ Gram's method. On liquid media it appears sometimes as a dip- lococcus, and again as a lance-shaped bacillus, resembling in its con- tour and size the pneumococcus of Talamon-Fraenkel. When the nutriment in the media is abundant, its form is round and there is a decided tendenc,v to form chains. Mice were most susceptible to this germ. A very small quantity of culture injected subcutaneously caused death in ten to twelve hours from septicemia. Two cubic centimeters subcutaneously kills ral))nts in eight days, forming* ab- scesses ill the lungs. A test goat died in four weeks, emaciated, and with limbs paralyzed during the last few days of life. Cocco-bacilli were recovered from all visceral organs. Another goat recovered. A third goat showed diarrhea and fever the day after being inoculated and then recovered. It was subsequently reinoculated with fluid from a hepatized lung and died in one month. All goats tested in the TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OE GOATS. 35 laboratory jn-oved very resistant. Calves and dog's were inoculated with 5 e. e. of a pure culture without results. The men who were tirst interested in introducing well-bred Angora, Thibet, and Cashmere goats into this country encountered some thor- oughly discouraging experiences, which were very probably due in a measure to the ravages of the disease under consideration. As early as the year 1854 a prospective purchaser of Thibet goats living in the State of Georgia was warned ])y a naturalist of note against complet- ing his purchase for the reason that these goats, "'like the llamas of the Andes, coidd not be successfully acclimated in a locality under 10,000 feet above the ocean." The purchase was consunnnated in spite of the friendly warning of the naturalist, and the linal owner (2), in recounting his experiences later, wrote: '"His opinion proved to be correct, as all of the Thibet goats, pure and grades, in my flock died in a few years after I had purchased them, from a disease of their lungs combined with dysentery." A writer (1) in the Country Gentleman of February 4, 1875, also reports serious losses in a flock placed in his care on a farm at Rapi- dan. Va. Although he records no specitic symptoms, the following quotations have great interest to all who are making a study of takosis: III the early cold weather the goats began to sicken. I had the sick ones removed to other quarters, and wrote for remedies to Mr. E. I studied Randall also, but nothing cured them. They died, ami more were taken sick. I sent for ^Ir. E., the owner of the goats, and when he came he said the difficulty was cold and hunger, though they had more than a "little hay and fodder" besides additional meal, much more in proportion than my sheep, which at that time were running at large without shelter and doing well. * * * The next morning a fine young buck which had been apparently well the night before was brought out in a dying condition. Mr. E. examined it closely and said it was a decided case of liver disease, an infectious epidemic which Angora goats were subject to in their own country, and regarded as so fatal by the Turkish shepherds that they said of it, "There is no cure but Allah." Pegler (11) in the year 1885 described what he termed '"A disease peculiar to goats." It will be seen upon reading the following excerpt from his work that his description of the scourge that appeared among the members of his flock might, in most particulars, very well be applied to a flock aflFected with takosis. From the page describing symptoms were borrowed the following: The first thing that is noticed is a falling off of appetite, which may at tirst be slight, but soon gets worse until it is a difficult matter to get the animal to eat at all. The result, of course, is that it rapidly loses flesh and falls away to a skeleton. Sometimes, however, the appetite remains good, but the emaciation goes on just the same, though the process is slower. The breathing is sometimes labored and the breath nearly always very unpleasant. A cough is very often an accompaniment of the disease, leading one to suppose, with other symptoms, that the lungs w^ere affected, but this is seldom the case. The one prevailing feature which can never be over- looked is the general bloodlessness of the animal. This is shown by the pale color of the gums and inner surface of the lips, and also of the membranes lining the eyelids, which in health are of a bright red. 36 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. Before the disease is far aout the limbs, the animal always stand- ing with its head down and ))ack arched, looking the picture of misery and dejection. Strange to say, in nearly all the postmortems whicli have been made and reported to me, there has been no organic disease. Internal parasites are sometimes discov- ered, but not in sufficient quantities to greatly affect the animal's health, much less cause its death, which in all cases is due to exhaustion. ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE. A few years ago the flocks of Angora goats in this country were comparatively unimportant in number, and they were nearly all of them kept in southern latitudes, but during recent years the raising of these animals has received a remarkable impetus. New uses have been discovered for the fleece, they have been widely exploited as })rush eradicators, and their flesh has been more readily accepted as a food product, until at present they have reached an established, settled value in many of the larger live-stock markets. As a result of the wide- spread interest thus awakened in them, many stock raisers have made purchases of foundation stock with the intention of establishing there- with a profitable flock. Others have made larger purchases at the start, being unwilling to wait for the slow natural increase in numbers of their animals. By means of numerous transactions the animals have been placed in widely distributed northern localities to which they were formerly strangers, but the serious losses caused to these investors by outbreaks of takosis served as a check to many prospective purchasers, and the Angora goat industry was, in consequence, sub- jected to a discouraging setback, and has not expanded to the propor- tions which it would otherwise have reached. Now that the cause of the trouble has l^een determined, one may be warranted in claiming that the disastrous eflfects of all outbreaks up to the present time may in the future be avoided in large measure. The owner of the flock of goats will now see the importance of deciding upon the nature of the ailment aft'ecting them just as soon as any general disease is noticed; and Avhen takosis has appeared and l)een identifled, if he will at once apply the precautionary measures and the course of treatment to ))e recommended later in this work, he should avoid many of the discouraging experiences of his predecessors. As has already l)een stated in this article, the most serious losses that have come to our notice have occurred among goats that were removed from southern localities to new regions far to northward, and that had not become fully acclimated in their new surroundings. In many TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS. 37 instances the trouble has appeared very soon after the arrival of the animals at their destination, even before they have recovered full}' from the serious strain incident to the long journey by rail. There is always a value to be derived from the contirmatory state- ments of man}' witnesses. Various observers are sure to offer a variety of observations upon any subject in which they ma}- have a common interest, and for the purpose of presenting* to the reader as generalized a knowledge as possible of the effects of takosis upon a flock of goats, and also for showing how diversified is the territory- in which the ravages of the disease are l)eing felt, it has been deemed advisible to present the following extracts received ])v this Bureau with reference to the disease. From Knapp, Wis., the following was received: I have in my charge about five hundred goats, and they have been dying from what I called stomach worms; but of late I have come to the conclusion that some- thing else is the matter with them. They lose their appetite, grow thin in flesh, cough and get weak, and then lie down and die. Some linger along two or three months. There is from one to five in the flock that show the symptoms all the time, and from one to two die per week. They first cough, ihen lag behind the flock at night when coming to the barn. Then there is lack of appetite, they grow poor and weak and look gaunt all the time as though they have been starved A letter of inquiry from Pittsburg, Pa., asks: Would some of you let me kno\\' what the proper feed is for goats through the winter when they have no pasture? I bought a few Angora goats and so did a few of my neighbors, and they are dying. The flock that we obtained them from was very poor; in fact, I never saw anything poorer to live than the goats were when we received them. I feed mine on corn and oat chop, half and half, and corn fodder, and cut some apple brush, but for all I would do my goats died with scours. A writer from Langhorne, Pa., sends the following record of his observations: To Ifjok at our goats in the yard you would say they looked fine, and you could hardly pick out one that you might think was not quite up to the average, yet to-mor- row morning you would find four or five down on their sides or otherwise. If picked up they might move off slowly and eat a little, but the next morning they would be down again. The animals will not get up or stay up, but will linger in this manner for some days, smelling badly and ])leating occasionally or groaning, with head bent around on side or under them, and finally die. Sometimes, as a result of l3'ing so long, they get apparently choleraic discharges from the bowels, which is offensive, but this does not show at first, and is not the primal cause. Tioga Count}', Pa. , has for several years had a flock of Angora goats, representing among its members some excellent specimens of the breed. The owner of this flock, in describing the course of takosis, writes: None of the diseased goats recovered. It took a long time for many of them to die. They tried very hard to live, and some of them succeeded in living for weeks, only getting weaker and weaker and finally just fading away. Some had diarrhea but manv did not. 38 BUEEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTKY. In making a report of postmortem tindings. a correspondent from Iowa mentions one of the cliaracteristie symptoms of takosis as follows: The amount of bile is from one-foiirtli to three-fourths of a pint in each goat. A healthy goat only has, as I find, about a tablespoonful. This goat has been ailing for two weeks, but only refused to eat for two days. I liave lost one-third of my flock and have not been able to save even one goat that has become sick. A breeder in western Illinois states that he has lost one hundred out of a flock of four hundred, and that two of his neighbors have sufl'ered. proportionate losses. These goats w-ere all well sheltered. He con- siders the disease some sort of cholera, reasoning from the fact that the animals were all aflected with diarrhea. The following extracts, from a letter received just as this paper was ready for the press, from the owner of a large flock of Angora goats in Michigan, confirm several of the statements made in the introduc- tion of this article: We personally suffered a loss last winter in animals that we had brought from Texas in November, 1901, from this disease, and thus learned of the trouble. * * * We gathered together a herd of all grades of goats for the pm-pose of studying them and finally arrived at the conclusion that, so far as the Angora goat is con- cerned, the animal most susceptible to the disease, was the result of careless breed- ing, or to be more exact, too much inbreeding, thus lowering its vitality and leaving it open to the attack. * * * The care, feed, and shelter of the various grades of animals we have had was all alike, and it resulted, as stated, in the survival of the carefully bred, free from inbreeding Angora goat. Other reports of like nature have been received from goat owners in Oregon, Missouri, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Maryland, all describing the affection as an incurable weakening and wasting awa}', usually accompanied by uncontrollable diarrhea and occasion- ally cough. The death rate has been very high In the flocks from which reports have been obtained and ranges from 30 to So per cent. Another feature of takosis, which is of great economic importance to the breeder of goats, is experienced in the unavoidable tendenc}^ to abortion which is manifested l)y all pregnant females that are affected with the disease. Females of the sheep and goat families will never reproduce in a prolific manner if in a Avasted, emaciated condition during the breeding season. Many of them will fail to come in heat, and others, although passing through the period of estrum normally, will fail to conceive. Takosis is essentially a wasting disease, and one of the marked results of its attack upon a flock of breeding goats is seen in the shrunken kid crop of the following season. It is rai'e indeed for a pregnant doe to complete her term of gesta- tion if attacked during this period by takosis. Abortion follows almost invariably. As might naturall}' be expected, the accident of abortion under these circumstances always ends fatally, as the animal is unable, in her already weakened condition, to withstand the shock TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS. 39 incident to delivery. Many times the fetus dies in utero, and thus becoming- a foreign body to the matei'nal organism, it ])ut hastens the eventual collapse of the doe. In holding autopsies on the bodies of affected pregnant does, it has been occasionally noted that the death of the fetus preceded that of the mother bv a few days, and the fetal decomposition present has indicated that it played a prominent part in causing the death of the adult. One flock has been brought to our notice which contained about 1,600 does at the commencement of the breeding season in the fall of 1901. They were seriously affected with takosis at this time, and in consequence there were but seventeen living kids produced in the fol- lowing spring. Another instance is reported where the total increase of a flock of over 1,000 does for the year was limited to eleven living kids. DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS. PABASITISM. The condition which will most frequently be mistaken for takosis in goats is parasitism. In common with sheep, goats serve as hosts for a formidable array of animal parasites, and the loss directly or indirectly due to parasitic invasions must annually serve as a serious tax upon the goat raisers of the countr3\ The effects of internal parasites upon the goats are veiy similar in many of their outward manifestations to the s\'mptoms of takosis. There is a persistent unthriftiness, although the appetite of the animal remains good. The fleece does not retain its proper luster. There ma}' be considerable snuffling of the nose, accompanied b}^ frequent coughing. The animal may become affected with diarrhea, more or less severe, and its accompanying weakness. The eyes lose their brilliance and gradually assume a dull sunken appearance. The for- mation of an edematous tumor beneath the jaws is frequently noticed during the later stages of a serious invasion. These, in a general wa\', are the sj'mptoms resulting from an attack by animal parasites, but it must be remembered that there are species of worms that find their natural habitat in some particular organ, and that, in consequence, it is impossible to give an accurate enumeration of the SA'mptoms that may be manifested in any given case under the general heading of parasitism. The symptoms produced by the local disturbance of the affected part will predominate, while others, frequently caused by parasitic invasion, will be entirely lacking. Careful postmortem examination will quickly disclose the presence of parasites. A differential diag- nosis previous to death of the animal may, however, be made b}' giv- ing due consideration to the various symptoms manifested by these 40 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. diseases. First of all, the infectious nature of takosis, when com- pared Avith the enzootic course of a parasitic invasion, will justify one in making a definite diagnosis. In attacks of takosis, symptoms of pneumonia will be frequently noted, especially labored breathing- or rapid respiration. These symptoms are not diagnostic of parasitism. The edematous lump under the jaw, so frequently present in cases of parasitism, fails in takosis. The luster of the fleece is less affected in takosis, while diarrhea is more frequently noted. Continuous cough- ing and snufiiing, while diagnostic of the presence of lungworms, are not characteristic of takosis and are noted only occasionalh' in cases of this disease, unless there is a complication with some other affection. In goats this is ver}" rare, and when it does occur it is usually sec- ondary to som3 previously existing disease, such as chronic pneumonia, peritonitis, or to poor food and starvation. It does not assume an infectious nature, and may be differentiated from the anemic condition accompanying takosis by the absence of the specific organism on micro- scopic examination. WATERY CACHEXIA, OR HYDREMIA. This usually results from poor feeding, innutritions food, or pas- turing on low ground. The natural goat pasture is high dry land. The animal is weak, readily exhausted, breathes rapidlj^, and its heart palpitates. The mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, and mouth are pale and swollen. The edema which is present about the head, neck, and abdomen will serve to differentiate this disease from takosis. This edema of the head disappears when the animal lies down. Icterus may accompany the disease when the discoloration of the mucous membrane easily establishes the nature of the affection. A change of pasture and a more nutritious diet are accompanied by a return of health to the flock. CONTAGIOUS PNEUMONIA. There have been several instances recorded in which flocks of goats have been affected with a contagious pneumonia. Hutcheon (6) has met with this epidemic in South Africa; Steel (13) has seen it in East India; and it has also been brought to the attention of French (3 and 8) and Italian (9) veterinarians. Soon after the outbreak of this disease in the flock many of the animals will become affected with a cough. The temperature rapidly rises until occasionall}- as high as 107° F. is recorded. The appetite becomes disturbed or disappears altogether, and there is slight nasal discharge. The conjunctiva appears brownish or bronzed, the vesicular murmur of the lungs becomes modified, the pulse quickened, and the TAKOSIS, A COJfTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS. 41 breathing- accelerated, labored, and painful. The affected animals always evince pain when pressure is applied between their ribs. The postmortem examination of these cases shows the lesions to be chiefly confined to the thoracic cavity. The visceral pleura is usually adherent to the thoracic walls. The diseased lung- is solidified and enlarged throughout one-half to three-fourths of its substance. It is covered with a firm elastic fibrinous membrane. Respecting the nature of the disease, Dr. Hutcheon writes: It was a specitic infectious form of pleuro-piieumonia, affecting goats only, cattle and sheep remaining free from infection, although constantly exposed to it. The disease \vas introduced into the Cajse Colony liy a shipment of Angora goats from Asia ]Minor, where the disease is represented as being indigenous. At the present time contagious bovine pleuro-pneumonia has no existence among the flocks or herds of America. V)ut since the goats of other countries have been proved susceptible to an analogous disease, the above mention of its leading characteristics ma}' not be out of place. TREATMENT. PROPHYLAXIS. In the study of takosis four points have been brought prominently into view which may properly be grouped together when considering measures for the prevention of the disease. It has been shown that the most destructive outbreaks have occurred among the goats that just previously have been shipped from a southern localit}' to a more northern latitude, and this fact suggests the need of caution in the removal of animals in this direction. Sudden climatic changes should be avoided so far as possible, and when shipments of goats for breed- ing purposes are to be made which necessitate their transportation northward over considerable distances the changes should be made during the months of summer or late spring, and not in the fall or winter, when the contrast of temperature will be so much greater. Earlier writers have called attention to the fact that Angora goats do not take kindly to transportation from one climate to another. Hobson (4) states that the native proprietors of Angora flocks in Asia Minor unanimously assert that this goat can not be transported from the place where it was born to a neighboring village of a different altitude without suffering a deterioration, and although a))le to resist both heat and cold they can not withstand much humidity, either in their pastures or folds. The second precautionary measure is closel}' allied to the first, namely. Angora goats should be provided with stables that are thor- oughly dry, not alone in their ability to shed rain, but on account of being erected upon ground that has perfect natural drainage, and these should be accessible hj them at all times, as the effect of rains 42 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. upon the genenil health and strength of these animals has been fre- quently proved to be ver}" disastrous. So great is their natural aver- sion to a wetting- that they Avill seldom get caught out in a shower if shelter is within their reach, but will leave their browsing and march under cover l)efore the downpour arrives. The reason for this is obvi- ous. Their Heece is wholly lacking in yolk; consequently it will not shed water in the least, and a fall of rain immediately soaks the animal clear to the skin. As a third measure of prevention ma}' he mentioned careful feed- ing. No animal is as well fortified against the attack of an infection when reduced by lack of nourishment as it is when in vigorous, thriving condition. Among th(^ predisposing causes of disease usually enu- merated by general pathologists will be found debility due to insufficient or unsuital)le food, and, although the reason for this ma}' not be estab- lished beyond the reach of argument, it is pretty generally conceded that the continued lack of proper nourishment establishes in the blood of an animal an abnormal degree of alkalinity which grants an increased susceptibility to the inroads of pathogenic organisms. Another preventive measure to be mentioned here is one that is applicable only after the disease has made its appearance in the flock. The segregation or isolation of all affected animals as soon as they evince any symptoms of the disease will be found a most valuable means of protection for those that remain unaffected, and a strict quarantine over all of the diseased members of the flock should be maintained so long as the disease remains upon the premises. In our previous experiments for the purpose of procuring an immunizing agent against this disease, the results were such as to warrant a practical application of the sterile flltrate previously described (p. 26) to several flocks of goats generously placed at our disposal. The fluid thus prepared has been injected into the skin over the shoulder of goats in doses of 3 c. c, with varying results. One flock, originally consisting of eighty-two animals, had been deci- mated bv takosis until it numbered but thirty-two. These animals received two inoculations ten days apart, and immediately after the last injection they were transported in wagons late in Novem])er to a point thirty-eight miles away. On account of the condition of the roads, the trip required about two days. During this time the goats were without food or drink and were not unloaded. Two of them died, one on its arrival at the farm and the other not till three days later, although it Avas scouring badly upon reaching its destination. The remainder of the band seem in a healthy condition and are the most sturdy of the flock of six hundred to which they have been added. At a later test of this flltrate, made in one of the Western States, upon a flock of goats, the eflect of treatment was most unsatisfactory. The goats were inoculated twice with the remedy with an interval of ten TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS. 43 days. Kecent letters from the owner state that there is no improve- ment in the condition of the flock, but that the fatalities continue to occur with the usual frequency. He has since been advised to make use of the medicinal treatment mentioned below. From another West- ern breeder a most flattering report has been received. He states that after the use of the prophylactic treatment the disease disappeared from the premises, and up to the time of wi-iting- all of the animals on the place had remained in a thriving" condition. THERAPKlTirs. Medicinal treatment has proved unsatisfactory in many of the cases of takosis to which it has been applied. Previous to the study of the disease the ti'eatment was directed against the pneumonia, and for a short time marked improvement followed; l)ut it was merely coinci- dental, as deaths occurred later with the usual regularity. Then intes- tinal disinfectants and astringents were suggested, but these did not prove efiicacious. The most pleasing results that have been derived from the use of drugs in our experiments at the laboratory have fol- lowed the administration of calomel giA'en alone in O.lo-gram doses twice daily for two days, to l^e followed by powders composed of arsenic, iron, and c[uinine, as follows: Grams. Arsenious- acid 1 . 40 Iron, reduced 1 2. 00 Quinine sulphate 6. 00 Mix and make into twenty powders, giving one to each adult goat morning and evening at the conclusion of the administration of calomel. After an interval of two days, this treatment is repeated. In case the diarrhea persists, the sulphate of iron has been substituted for the reduced iron, with beneticial eflects. COXCLUSIOXS. As a result of the present preliminary investigation, the following- conclusions have been reached: 1. The disease here described as takosis has appeared in many parts of this country, but particularly in the Northern States, where it has caused great loss to many breeders of Angora goats. 2. It is a progressive, debilitative. contagious disease, characterized by great emaciation and weakness, with s3'mptoms of diarrhea and pneumonia, and causes a mortality of 100 per cent of those aflected and from 30 to 85 per cent of the whole flock. 3. From the carcasses of numerous animals that have succumbed to this disease a new organism, Micrococcus caprlnus. has been recovered in purity and is presumably the etiological factor. 4. This micrococcus possesses pathogenic properties for goats. 44 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, and white mice, but not for sheep, dogs, or rats. 5. Although the disease has been described before (11), so far as could be ascertained no bacteriological investigations have been pre- viously made. 6. Medicinal treatment was attempted with varying success, while the immunizing experiments thus far conducted (although too few to permit of any conclusive statement or accurate estimate as to their protective value), have shown highly encouraging results. When accompanied with measures of isolation and disinfection, the treatment may prove of great assistance in the suppression and eradication of the disease in an infected flock. BIBLIOGRAPHY. 1. The Country Gentleman, February 4, 1875. 2. The Country Gentleman, April 27, 1876. 3. DuQUESNOY. " Peripneumonie contagieuse de la chevre." Jour, de Med. Vet., XIII, 1888, p. 417. 4. H0B8ON, Ernest. "Angora goat farming." AgriculturalJournal, Cape Colony, YII, 1894, p. 81. 5. Holzendorff. "Lungen-Brustfellentzundung bei Ziegen." Archiv fiir Thier- heilk., XXII, 1896, p. 34.5. 6. HuTCHEON, D. " Contagious pleuro-i^neumonia in Angora goats." The Veter- inary Journal, XIII, 1881, p. 171. 7. HuTCHEON, D. "Contagious pleuro-pneuinonia in goats at Cape Colony, South Africa." The Veterinary Journal, XXIX, 1889, p. 399. 8. Leclainche, E. "La pleuro-pneumonie epizootique des chevres." Kevue Vet- erinaire, LIV, 1897, p. 1. 9. Mazzini, G. "Una epizozia nelle capre." Giorn. d. Reale Soe. Vet., 1897, p. 3. 10. XicoLE ET Refik-Bey. "La pneumonie des chevres d'Anatolie." Ann. de I'Ins. Pasteur, X, 1896, p. 321. 11. Pegler, Henry S. H. The Book of the Goat, 1885, p. 212. 12. Puscn. " Eine ansteckende Pleuropneumonieder Ziegen." Deutsche thieriiztl. Wochenschrift., XLVIII, 1894, p. 403. 13. Steele, John H. "Report on a fatal disease among goats in the district of Khandeish." The Veterinary Journal, XXIX, 1889, p. 153. 14. Storch. " Die pleuro-pneumonie der Ziegen im SteinbacherGrunde." Berliner thieraztl. Wochenschrift., 1896, p. 567. o BFe'07 '75 /'if imS^