Show ca aee seek h serum for plague infecting farm horses unusually numerous cases of infectious equine encephalomyelitis sometimes erroneously called sleeping sickness have been reported to the united state department of agriculture in recent months this malady which affects the brain and spinal cord of 0 horses and mules is not a new disease the department points out studies of recent outbreaks in alary maryland Dela delaware waxe and virginia show that the disease is the same as the condition commonly termed forage poisoning staggers kansas NTA ne braska horse plague and cerebrospinal mend meningitis itis 11 the disease sometimes goes by still other names intensive studies by the department show that the disease is of an infectious nature and is caused by an invisible virus this virus produces a disease which Is very similar to one ona reported several years ago in california and which has occurred also in ID other states west of the mississippi however it has been found that the eastern virus possesses certain distinct characteristics different from the virus causing the western disease the efficacy of serum a against the disease has b been een questioned and laboratory experimentation Is in progress 0 |