EEPORT OP THE SECEETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 21 



Government for experimental purposes only. The remaining 150,- 

 000,000 cubic centimeters are manufactured by private establish- 

 ments. It is probable that there are in operation in the United 

 States between 90 and 100 such establishments. Of these, 81 have 

 secured licenses from the Department of Agriculture under the virus- 

 serum-toxin act of 1913, and thereby are enabled to carry on inter- 

 state business. Of the total quantity of serum privately prepared, it 

 is estimated that more than 90 per cent comes from plants holding 

 licenses from the department. 



The Virus-Serum-T oxin Act. — The statute prohibits the shipment 

 from one State or Territory to another State or Territory of any 

 virus, serum, toxin, or analogous product which has not been prepared 

 at a plant holding an unsuspended and unrevoked license from the 

 Department of Agriculture. It also is made unlawful to ship inter- 

 state any virus, serum, toxin, or analogous product which is worthless, 

 contaminated, dangerous, or harmful. 



The department is authorized to make and promulgate such rules 

 and regulations as may be necessary to prevent the preparation, 

 sale, barter, exchange, or shipment in interstate commerce of worth- 

 less or contaminated viruses, serums, etc. It is provided that a license 

 shall be issued on condition that the licensee shall permit the inspec- 

 tion of his establishment and of the products and their preparation. 

 The department may suspend or revoke licenses after opportunity 

 for hearing has been granted. The law gives authority for Federal 

 agents or employees to enter and inspect any licensed plant at any 

 hour. Penalties of fine or imprisonment, or both, are provided for 

 violations. 



In carrying out the virus-serum-toxin act the department has 

 issued regulations designed to prevent the interstate shipment of 

 worthless, contaminated, dangerous, or harmful hog-cholera serum, 

 hog-cholera virus, and other products. Fifty-six trained inspectors 

 are assigned to the work of inspecting the licensed plants and de- 

 tecting violations of the law. A number of violations, particularly 

 shipments of serum not prepared at establishments holding licenses, 

 have been discovered and successfully prosecuted. Notwithstanding 

 the efforts of the department, apparently there have been shipments 

 of contaminated or worthless serum by licensed companies. These 

 occurrences have resulted in part from the ignorance or carelessness 

 of the owners. In some cases they have been due, perhaps, to 



