Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1909-04-30

entire destruction of the cells or NEGRO
els in the heart. kidneys, liver. spleen
and lymphatic glands. with profound
changes in the ~bone-marrow. On au-
topsy. II finds in addition to these de-
generations considerable dropsy. and
extensive hemorrhaSes in the heart.
lungs, liver. spleen, kidneys. Emphatic
glands. stomach, intestines. muscular
tissues, and beneath the skin and the
smooth membranes lining the large
appear pale and bloodless. and the mus
Giles greatly shrunken in size.
The cause is obscure. The disease
has all the characteristics of Il specific
disease. In addition to that we have
produced it experimentally in horses by
incubation of blood or blood serum Of
patients. In one case we injected 10
cubic centimcters (about p teaspoon
fulls) of blood serum from Il sick horse
under the skin of IL healthy horse. This
animal was inoculatcd in May 1908.
She showed symptoms of the disease all
summer and fall. Several times we ex-
pectcd her death but she rallied and
once or twice apparently recovered.
Finally about Feb. I. 90. she had am.
other acute attack, showed all the typi-
cal symptoms of the disease and died
Feb. 10. The course OF the disease in
this animal and the post mortem find
ih,rs lnTt ,,,tli,pr a., Ia. ,1..;.,,l .r.-., Al,
experimental point of view. II was
absolutely atypical case, experimentully
produced. Another animal, inOculatcd
with blood from Il patient, had III acute
attack Il few weeks afterward. but
rallied. He was accidentally killed
some time later. On autopsy we were
convinced that he had had the disease
but had partially recovered. We have
two other experiments under way, quite
similar. One of these horses is now
sick, the other is not yet affected. but
has only been inoculated Il few weeks.
These experiments leave little doubt of
the infectious character of the disease.
The virus. however, is not bacterial and
is not demonstrablc Ivy the ordinary
methods of research. 1t is due to this
fact that 50 much time has been used in
this investigation to demonstrate the in.
fcctlOusncss of the disease and that
much more j. necessary before we have
the absolute evidence required. While
undoubtedly Infectious. the disease is
not contagious us that term is generally
understood. That is, horses do not on
tract it 10y the contact of ordinary life
on the same ranch as is the case with
most of the infectious group of diseases.
How it spread in nature is yet to he de.
tcrmine'l and will require extended oh.
~Scrvation and experiment.
Of course ultimate object in this
study is to derive means to prevent or
cure the disease. That can onlv b.
sought for inteliincntly when we nm.
dcrstand thoroughly the nature of the
disease. the tissue changes that occur,
the aus and its life history. and
the natural channels Of infection. An
inquiry uf that sort requires time and
infinite patience, endless labor and much
expense. 1t is oar Intention tucontinuc
this work d"vOtiug practically all our
time and resources to it until the prob,
lens il has raised are solved, regardless
of how long II time may he required.
Both the economic Importance and the
scientific interest Of tile disease warrant
even III extended research.
There is II disease similar to this one,
perhaps identical with it. in Wyoming,
Colorado. Nebraska. Kansas, Texas,
North Dakota and Minnesota in this
country and in Manitoba. Nothing hut
brief notes have yet been published
from these localities. so there is vet nC
data to judge by. but it is probable that
the disease reported recently from thcs,
is the same rs our Nevada disease. Tx
tGnSivc research has been undertaken
and il is probable that the next ycal
or two will bring detailed reports o
their investigations.
Recently there have appeared pub
lished accounts of a similar disease in
France and Germany, probably alst
identical with ours. Should the disease
bc rs widespread ~ these recent report.
would Indicate, We may look for {
solution much earlier than if it is con
fined to this state.
We I'VE Il paper nearly ready for the
printer to appear in bulletin form giving
an account of Our research. We hope {,
issue it in a few weeks. II will ncccs
sarily be technical. hut will render
available Il vast amount Of detailed
study and bring us what knowlcdg,
has resulted from the operation ot
others.
This disease is moi u matter of interest
to those horse owners alone who have
lost or are losing horses. but is of i'm
FORTUNES to our entire horse raising in
dnstry. liable to assume at any tim,
stltc-wide or more Interstate interest ="
DIR. Mack stats that he has iiuy ac
corded uniform corporation. in tIi.
Work by the runchmen aud certain
business mcn of Elko county and rx,
pressed the most thorough p]pprcgiutior
for such assistance. ,rf,.r l
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