Special report on diseases of cattle

About this book

This work is a government‑issued technical manual produced by the United States Bureau of Animal Industry in the early 1920s. It opens with a meticulous transcriber’s note that explains how typographical quirks, spelling variations, and special symbols have been normalized for modern readers, followed by a legislative excerpt authorizing the printing and distribution of the report. The bulk of the front matter consists of a detailed table of contents, listing dozens of chapters on specific organ systems, parasites, and surgical procedures, each authored by a different specialist. The first substantive chapter, “Administration of medicines,” offers a step‑by‑step guide to delivering drugs to cattle by mouth, stomach tube, rectum, vagina, udder, and nostrils, complete with practical cautions and dosage recommendations. The text is interspersed with references to plates and illustrations that depict anatomy, parasites, and surgical instruments, underscoring its purpose as a comprehensive reference for veterinary practice.

The voice is that of a pragmatic, early‑twentieth‑century scientific bureau: formal, didactic, and grounded in the conventions of government reports of the era. The style is dense and systematic, employing precise terminology, occasional parenthetical asides, and a tone that assumes a readership of veterinarians, livestock managers, and agricultural students. Readers who appreciate historical veterinary literature, primary sources on animal health policy, or the evolution of livestock medicine will find this report rewarding. Its exhaustive coverage of diseases, treatments, and anatomical illustrations makes it especially valuable to scholars of veterinary history and to practitioners interested in the foundations of modern cattle care.