OF THE State Veterinary Surgeon OF THE STATE OF IOWA, FOR THR YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1890. PRINTED BY ORDER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY DES MOINES: G. H. RAGSDALE, STATE PRINTER. OFFICE OF STATE VETERINARY SURGEON, HON. HORACE BOIES, Governor: AMES, IOWA, June 30, 1890. In accordance with the provisions of Chapter 189, Laws of 1884, the report of the Veterinary Surgeon for the year ending June 30, 1890, is herewith submitted. M. STALKER, State Veterinary Surgeon. REPORT. I submit this, the sixth annual report of the State Veterinary Surgeon. The report covers the period from June 30, 1889, to June 30, 1890. During the last annual period there have been a less number of demands made on this office than during any similar period since its creation. This is due to two principal causes. The first exists in the fact that some of the types of contagious disease affecting our live stock are approaching extermination in the State, through the assistance rendered by this office. the time the act was passed creating the office of State Veterinary Surgeon, more than half the counties in the State had one or more glanders infected centers, and not less than three hundred and fifty cases have been condemned in a single year. At present probably less than one-fourth of the counties would be found to contain a single case; and the number of victims for the last twelve months would reach little more than ten per cent of the loss for some former years. The reduction is due mainly to the operations of the State law applying to this matter. The number of infected districts that existed a half dozen years ago, would if not interfered with, have spread the contagion to thousands of victims before this and rendered the work of extermination an almost hopeless task. The work of eradication is necessarily slow, but each year finds the number of cases reduced, so that it becomes a question of time and a work of patience to effect the extermination of the loathsome dis ease. The second cause which has contributed to lessen the calls on this office, is the increasing better management of domestic animals, and more intelligent methods of precaution against disease. Many of the diseases affecting farm animals are well nigh hopelessly uncontrollable when once fastened on their victims; the only hope for the farmer resting in his successful efforts at prevention. Through the efforts of stock-breeders associations, sanitary boards, newspapers, the constant warning of intelligent veterinarians and many other agencies that contribute to the dissemination of useful knowl |