320 Seventeenth Annual Retort of the 



The official report of the invasion of 1902 says: " In ^Massa- 

 chusetts a number of herds were preserved which had the disease 

 in a mild form and which had apparently recovered at the time 

 the inspection was made. In about one-third of these cases the 

 owners afterwards came in with the statement that a relapse had 

 occurred with their animals; some were again affected with the 

 formation of vesicles, and most of the others had abscesses in the 

 udders, which made them unfit for milk production." One could 

 hardly wish for a more complete confirmation of the position I 

 have taken as regards the effect of too severe suppressive measures 

 in leading to violation of the law, concealment of disease and 

 prolongation of the duration of infection' in the herd. When 

 first seen, the inspectors thought the animals had " recovered." 

 The disease had evidently been concealed as Ions as the owner 

 could seclude the affected animals. The sick had been kept in 

 close buildings away from the eye of the public. This implies 

 accumulations of filth, septic products and foul air. When the 

 herd is brought together, on discovery of infection, the animals 

 that had hitherto escaped contracted from the secluded ones a 

 complex infection which was far more enduring ami destructive 

 than the uncomplicated aphthous fever. 



3. Another channel through which this unfortunate compulsory 

 slaughter is liable to work widespread disaster is in the sudden 

 killing of suspected animals that have been drawn from a state 

 that has up to that time been free from quarantine. The main 

 object of the killing is to arrest as soon as possible the increase 

 of the infection by its continual production in the diseased ani- 

 mal system. Delay to obtain the best expert diagnosis or to secure 

 a crucial test by inoculation of sound animals, or, again, by an 

 inspection of the states or districts from which the suspected stock 

 came, does away with the advantage claimed from slaughter, as, 

 by the time the conclusions are reached, the animals are either 

 quite recovered, or well on the way toward recovery. The consist- 

 ent advocate of compulsory slaughter, under such conditions, 

 becomes strongly tempted to carry mil his favorite method on 

 general principles, consoling himself with the thought that these 

 suspected animals are probably extremely dangerous as dissemi- 

 nators of infection, and that the course of safety is to get them 

 all underground as soon as possible. ITe closes his eyes to the 



