SECRETARY'S REPORT. 205 



As surely as every rivulet tends toward the sea, does each case connect itself 

 with its fountain head. The conclusion is irresistible, that if any disease be 

 infectious this one is." 



Speaking of the disease in New Jersey, they say : 



"They visited herds which had been infected with the disease; found 

 some whore a large portion liad died. They killed and examined a sick cow, 

 and identified the disease with that in Massachusetts. In all instances where 

 it existed it had been introduced by cattle brought from Philadelphia. The 

 apprehensions of the farmers in that region had been aroused, and the Com- 

 missioners found that a species of isolation had been resorted to ; but this 

 was far from being thorough and efficient. Cattle were allowed on the high- 

 way, even in some of the infected districts. Very erroneous impressions 

 existed in regard to the character of the disease, even among those who were 

 called to treat it. Attention was given only to such animals as had come 

 down with the disease, and attempts were made to treat these by various 

 reme'lial processes, and those which lived were regarded as safe — an error, 

 than which, none more fatal exists. It has been demonstrated to the Com- 

 missioners for Massachusetts, that the last state of this disease is more perni- 

 cious than the first — in other words, that recovery is worse than death. We 

 say to the farmers of Massachusetts, when the disease appears in your hei'ds, 

 separate the sick from the ?rell, and both from all other cattle; fatten the 

 cattle if you can, for beef, and kill all of them. This is the only safe and 

 eifective remedy." 



" Recovery worse than death," is strong language. Their mean- 

 ing undoubtedly is, that recovery is only apparent and not thor- 

 ough, and that danger, of greater consequence than the death of 

 one animal, lurks beneath it. From the nature of the case it is 

 impossible that lung tissue, once disorganized and destroyed, can 

 be replaced with sound healthy tissue. To say that the disease is 

 sometimes arrested before death ensues, is more in accordance with 

 the facts than to say that any ever recover. There is constant lia- 

 bility in such cases that the disease may break out anew and in- 

 fect others. 



The same disease has existed in the milk dairy stables of New 

 York and Brooklyn, ever since April, 1848, when it was introduced 

 by a cow taken on shipboard in Europe to give milk on the pas- 

 sage, and afterwards sold to a dairyman of Brooklyn. The disease 

 has proved fatal to hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of cows, but 

 all do not take it. Many show themselves unsusceptible to the 

 infection, just as some persons do not take the measles or small 

 pox when exposed to it. 



The disease wafj carried to Albany into the herd of E. P. Pren- 

 tice, Esq., in 1853, by means of a cow which had been loaned to 

 his brother in Brooklyn, to give milk for the season. She was 

 by herself all summer, but before being put on board the steamboat 

 for Albany, was kept a few hours in a sale stable, where she un- 



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