30 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



superficial observation, and drovers were in turn tempted to sell to 

 the butchers. It was sickening to reffect upon the probable amount 

 of diseased meat which was consumed by the people. A few com- 

 petent veterinary surgeons in Maine would so instruct stock grow- 

 ers as to do away with much of this trouble. 



Mr. Davis thought the communities were rare where sick cattle 

 would be knowingly sold to drovers. If however, the evil existed, 

 he hoped a remedy would be proposed. 



Mr. Anderson had no idea that the evil existed to so great an 

 extent as indicated by the gentleman from Franklin county ; but he 

 was satisfied it was sufficiently extensive to demand action on the 

 part of our people. He believed remunerative fields were open in 

 Maine for veterinary surgeons. The people of New BrunsAvick 

 moved in this matter some years ago, and induced a Professor of 

 Veterinary Surgery to come over from the Edinburgh University 

 and settle among them. He hoped, however, that Maine would 

 not imitate the example of that Province in following up such an 

 invitation with inadequate compensation. He believed she would 

 not. If we could be sure to get a really scientific man to settle in 

 Portland, or even Boston, the demand from this State upon his 

 knowledge would, Mr, A. thought, be remunerative. For the 

 present, Mr. A. did not know one such surgeon who was accessi- 

 ble. 



Mr. Goodale said our greatest need was to know and feel our 

 wauts in this regard. If the people were really alive to this, the 

 demand would create the supply. Dr. Cuming, the late distin- 

 guished veterinary surgeon of New Brunswick came over from the 

 Veterinary College at Edinburgh at the instigation of the New 

 Brunswick Society for the promotion of agriculture, and if Dr. C. 

 had lived a few days longer, Maine would doubtless have secured 

 a competent surgeon through his instrumentality. At the time of 

 his death he was in correspondence with one, and was about to 

 advise him to move to Portland ; but his sudden death prevented, 

 and the surgeon effected an engagement in Australia, and was now 

 on his way thither. 



There was not only the constant need of skilled men in llie cases 

 ordinarily occurring among us, but occasionally new diseases or 

 new forms of disease broke out where there was the most impera- 

 tive need of immediate scientific investigation. Happily we are 

 free from some of the most serious cattle maladies known in lOurope 

 as the murrain, pleuro pneumonia, red water, &c., but there con- 



