No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 31 



The report of the Veterinaiian shows that the Uepaitment of Agri- 

 culture of Peuiisylvaiiia is not behind in the work of investigation in 

 this direction. The Bacteriological Laboratory of the State Live 

 Stock Sanitary Board, which is practically a part of the Division of 

 Veterinary Science of this Department, has been doing a large 

 amount of valuable work. Expressions by individual members of the 

 recent congress of scientists, held in London, show that Dr. Jiavenel, 

 the Bacteriologist in charge of this laboratory, stands at the head of 

 his profession, in his investigations into the interchangeable char- 

 acter of the germs of tuberculosis as between man and domestic 

 animals. His paper read before that congress, giving the results of 

 his experiments, and printed in another part of this annual report, 

 shows that there is at least a strong probability that such inter- 

 changeability is possible. 



The report of the Veterinarian makes clear the fact that we have in 

 certain localities in our midst, the germs of diseases most dangerous 

 and destructive to domestic animals, and that these germs, if uncon- 

 trolled, will speedily spread and do incalculable damage to the live 

 stock of the State. 



The Veterinary Division, therefore, stands between these infested 

 or infected localities and the balance of the State, confining, so far 

 as possible, each outbreak to the immediate vicinity of its origin. 

 What the State has gained by this vigilance, and skilled and pron^nt 

 treatment of contagious diseases, it is of course impossible to accu- 

 rately estimate, but that its value is very great can easily be under- 

 stood, when it is known that the sale of a single diseased herd has 

 spread infection far and wide and has resulted in the loss of many 

 times the original number. The work of this Division is, therefore, 

 most important to the live stock breeders and owners of the State, 

 and its efforts to suppress the spread of contagious diseases should 

 be encouraged by all who have the welfare of the Commonwealth at 

 heart. 



As is the case in all of the other Divisions of the Department of 

 Agriculture, the work in this Division is also scientific in its char- 

 acter, and none but the most skillful should be employed in the admin- 

 istration of its affairs. 



To ensure a supply, for the future, of competent men in this work, 1 

 repeat the recommendation made in my last report, that opportunity 

 should be given and inducements offered to young veterinarians of 

 ability to work in the laboratory of the Board, gradually increasing 

 their compensation as they develop in skill, until they shall prefer to 

 continue in , the service of the State, rather than engage in private 

 practice. If young men could be assured of permanence in such em- 

 ployment, the State in future years would be distinguished because 



