ILLUSTRATIONS. PLATES. PLATE I. Examples of the changeability of tubercle bacilli from human to II. Tubercle bacilli of human and bovine types from similar sources.. Page. 134 134 134 smelter .. 248 V. Micrococcus melitensis, the causative agent of Malta fever 288 316 VII. Fig. 1.-Champion Lincoln ram at Argentine Rural Society's show, VIII. Judging Shorthorn bulls at a show of the Argentine Rural Society. X. Fig. 1.-Mantalini 17, champion Shorthorn cow at Argentine Rural 316 316 320 320 XI. A troop of lancers in the Argentine army, mounted on native 320 TEXT FIGURES. 3. Interior of house shown in figure 2.. FIG. 1. Insanitary conditions at small local slaughterhouse. 2. Place used as slaughterhouse and carriage house.. 4. Calf-killing room in uninspected slaughterhouse....... 5. Interior of large slaughterhouse in an eastern city, showing insani- 91 6. Another view in the same establishment shown in figure 5. 92 7. Section of a tuberculous lung from a cow 113 8. A cow affected with advanced tuberculosis.......... 115 9. A common method by which hogs contract tuberculosis from cattle. 10. Three tuberculous cows. 17. Sections of the tuberculous udder and a pubic lymph gland of the cow shown in figure 16....... 125 18. A dangerously tuberculous cow 126 19. Sections of the udder and a pubic lymph gland of the cow shown in figure 18... 127 20. A visibly tuberculous dairy cow... 128 21. A very old and visibly tuberculous cow. 129 22. Map of portions of Story and Boone counties, Iowa, showing townships and locations of herds treated for hog cholera. 181 23. Horse in last stage of infectious anemia.. 227 Page. FIG. 24. Mycotic lymphangitis in North Dakota mare. 231 25. Mycotic lymphangitis on foreleg and shoulder of horse.. 232 29. Horse showing general unthriftiness and areas denuded of hair, due to arsenic poisoning from smelter...... 247 30. Filly with nasal ulcers as result of pasturing but a short time on a ranch about 10 miles northeast from smelter.. 248 31. Horse with nasal ulcers which developed while pasturing on a ranch about 4 miles northeast from smelter.... 249 37. Herd of Maltese goats being driven from house to house for sale of milk.... 280 38. Native method of milking Maltese goats.... 281 39. Matterhorn 30, R. P. 544 (3193), champion Hereford bull at the Argentine Rural Society's show, September, 1908 318 40. Two-year-old heifers by True Blue at San Juan estancia 41. Shorthorn heifers at San Juan after a winter on pasture 42. Hereford bull Ben Tomkins (3448)... 43. Hereford heifer Toluca 25 (3425).. 44. Shorthorn bull Polikao 2d at 7 years of age 45. Berkshire hogs at Las Acacias 46. A view of the hog pens at Las Acacias... 47. Shower baths for cattle at Las Acacias. 48. The sheep barn at Las Acacias... 49. Thoroughbred stallion Val d'Or, at San Jacinto. 50. Thoroughbred mares and foals at San Jacinto... 320 320 321 322 323 324 324 325 326 327 328 51. Hackney stallion Hopgood Viceroy 9280, E. H. S. B 328 52. A "gaucho". 330 53. A “gaucho" dismounted to show peculiar type of saddle.. 58. A practical and inexpensive milk house for a dairy of 25 to 60 cows.. 59. Floor plan of milk house shown in figure 58 64. The Maynard combination milk pail, can, strainer, and stool.. 376 65. Map showing areas affected with foot-and-mouth disease 381 66. Inspectors examining cow for foot-and-mouth disease 72. Diagram showing how infection of foot-and-mouth disease was spread. 390 TWENTY-FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE BUREAU FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1908. By A. D. MELVIN. LINES OF WORK. The work of the Bureau in the interest of the live-stock industry and the public health has continued as heretofore along the following principal lines, all of which are more or less intimately connected: Meat inspection. Inspection of animals for export and of vessels carrying them. Eradication of the diseases known as scabies of sheep and cattle. Inspection of southern cattle. Scientific investigations concerning diseases of animals. Work in the interest of the dairy industry and of wholesome dairy products. The force of employees has remained practically stationary in number, there being 3,136 on the rolls July 1, 1908, as compared with 3,152 a year before. Of the former number, 2,203 were engaged in meat inspection. A few of the more important matters with which the Bureau is concerned will be discussed briefly, after which the work of the various divisions will be presented more in detail. THE MEAT INSPECTION. The Federal meat inspection has been extended during the year, and it is estimated that it now covers slightly more than one-half of the entire number of animals slaughtered for food in the United States. Details of the year's operations will be found in the portion of this report which deals with the Inspection Division. With two years' experience under the new law the work is better systematized and more uniformly carried on at the various stations. The large force engaged in this service maintains a high standard of efficiency, and every effort is made to insure the wholesomeness of the inspected product, sanitary conditions of preparation, and honesty of labeling. The new regulations are based on the best and most recent scientific knowledge and judgment, and it is safe to say that no country has a more stringent meat-inspection system or one which better safeguards the health of the consumer of meat products. One effect of the inspection under the new law has been a marked improvement in the sanitary condition of the abattoirs. In old establishments there have been many improvements, and in the construction of new buildings such materials have been used as would promote sanitation. Newspaper reports of the finding of preservatives in American meat products abroad make a statement of the facts desirable. The meat-inspection law, after prohibiting the use of dyes, chemicals, preservatives, or ingredients which render the meat or meat food product unsound, unhealthful, unwholesome, or unfit for human food, makes the following exception: Provided, That, subject to the rules and regulations of the Secretary of Agriculture, the provisions hereof in regard to preservatives shall not apply to meat food products for export to any foreign country and which are prepared or packed according to the specifications or directions of the foreign purchaser, when no substance is used in the preparation or packing thereof in conflict with the laws of the foreign country to which said article is to be exported. The use of preservatives in inspected meat is not permitted except in strict accordance with the foregoing provision of law. However, when foreign purchasers specify that preservatives shall be used, and when foreign governments do not prohibit the importation of meat food products prepared with preservatives, it seems very inconsistent that complaint should be made when preservatives are found. In some instances, however, when the presence of preservatives has been reported and when investigation has shown that no preservative was really added, it has been determined that the alleged preservative was a natural constituent of normal meat and that the amount found was only the merest trace and no more than frequently occurs naturally. While the Federal inspection is limited to establishments or persons doing an interstate or export business, the Bureau has opportunities for learning conditions at other places. It should be borne in mind that nearly half of the meat supply of the country does not come under Federal inspection and that only a very small part of this receives an efficient State or municipal inspection. Some of the most insanitary and revolting conditions have been found at small local abattoirs, which are not and can not be reached by the Federal inspection. It is only natural, too, that suspicious and diseased live stock, which might be condemned if sent to an inspected |