CATTLE COMMISSIONERS REPORT. 5 



A summary of the whole number of cases reported to the com- 

 missioners in 1888, will be found to number fifty-three, embracing 

 cities and towns distributed from the sea-board at Portland, to the 

 backwoods of Maine. Eighteen herds of cattle were inspected, and 

 thirty-five stables and "lumber camps." Two head of cattle were 

 condemned and destroyed at an expense of $85.84, and nineteen 

 horses were also condemned and destroyed at an expense of 

 $1,300.50, making a total of $1,386.34 as compared with 1887, 

 forty-eight herds of cattle were inspected, and thirteen head of cattle 

 were destroyed at an expense of $309.75, while eleven horses were 

 destroyed (seven of them being traced to one lumber camp) at an 

 expense of $626.50, making a total of $936.25. 



It will be observed that the number of cattle destroyed has so 

 materially decreased from last season, that but three cases of tuber- 

 culosis have developed during the year out of the whole number in- 

 spected, while among horses the number affected with glanders has 

 increased from eleven head in 1887, to nineteen head in 1888. In 

 tracing the history of this unusual number of cases of glanders and 

 farcy in this State, the most significant fact has developed, that but 

 two of these horses were bred in Maine, while five of them were 

 broncos, three came from Canada, one from the Provinces, one 

 from New Hampshire and seven of them came to us from Massa- 

 chusetts. This showing conclusively proves that glanders does not 

 prevail among horses in this State, together with a strong probabil- 

 ity that what cases do develop among them, are caused by inocula- 

 tion from horses brought into Maine, that had been previously ex- 

 posed, if they had not actually developed the disease when brought 

 here, although we have been unable to verify this fact but in a 

 single instance. 



The greatly improved condition of our "flocks and herds" over 

 that of previous years, showing as it does an almost absolute 

 absence of any contagious disease among our cattle, may well be 

 deemed sufficient warrant for the opinion that tuberculosis is prac- 

 tically stamped out of Maine, while it would be perhaps unreason- 

 able to expect that isolated cases may not again make their appear- 

 ance in the future history of our State. 



The new cattle bill passed at the close of the last session of the 

 legislature, entitled "an act to extirpate contagious diseases among 

 cattle" should, in the opinion of our Board, be so changed or modi- 

 fied as not to give in certain sections of the law, especial prominence 



