KEPOET OF STATE VETERINAEIAN. 559 



"Indianapolis, Ind., May 21. 

 "Dr. A. W. Bitting, Lafayette, Ind.: 



"Dear Sir— I am in receipt of your favor of the 5tli inst., maliing the 

 inquiry: 



"What is a proper basis for appraisal of animals. (1) When con- 

 demned as affected with contagious, or Infectious and incurable disease? 

 (2) When condemned as affected with contagious or infectious disease that 

 may be curable, but in Avhich case it is deemed expedient to slaughter 

 for the better protection of other stoclv? 



"Section 3 of the veterinary law provides a basis for payment of de- 

 stroyed property. It leaves it in the hands of yourself or agents to adjust 

 the claims with the owner or his agent. It limits the amount to be ad- 

 justed by you to $25 for each animal. If the claim is for more than that 

 amount, then three appraisers shall be named. You and these appraisers 

 are to be taken into consideration in the respective cases, the actual value 

 at the time of appraisement— not what it was worth jn the past, nor what 

 was paid for it, but what it was actually worth at the time the animal 

 Avas appraised. 



"In no event shall more than $25 be paid for any animal. Then fol- 

 lows the classes of animals for which no payment is to be made: 



"(1) Animals belonging to the United States. 



"(2) Animals belonging to the State. 



"(3) Animals brought into the State contrary to the rules and regu- 

 lations of the State Veterinarian. 



"(4) Animals found to be diseased, or that were destroyed because 

 they have been exposed to disease, before or at the time of their arrival 

 in the State. 



"(5) Any animal previously affected with another disease, which from 

 its nature is incurable and necessarily fatal. 



"(G) Any animal the owner whereof knowingly or wittingly purchased 

 affected with disease, or from a place where contagious disease was 

 known to exist. 



"This section is exceedingly specific and plain. The first class of 

 animals would be M^orth no more than the carcass, which would include 

 the hide and the skinned body for fertilizer purposes. In the second 

 class, if the animal affected with a disease that may be cured, that must; 

 be taken into consideration, and the price fixed on the basis of a pre- 

 sumption of recovering health. 



Very truly, 



W. L. TAYLOR. 



Long experience has taught that glanders, blackleg, anthrax, rabies 

 or hydrophobia, Texas or Southern fever and some other diseases are 

 so generally fatal that they can not be regarded as other than incurable. 

 With the exception of glanders, the above named run a brief course and 

 the loss of the animal will come without condemnation. 



