190 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



ernment appointed Dr. Charles P. Lyman of this State as a 

 commissioner to visit that country, and, if possible, ascertain 

 by jDersonal insj^ection the facts in the case. Dr. Lyman has 

 performed the duty assigned him, and his official report is in 

 the Agricultural Department at Washington, awaiting publi- 

 cation. The English officials having expressed a suspicion 

 that some of the cattle supposed to be dangerous were from 

 the West, though shipped from the port of Boston, and as 

 similar cattle were daily slaughtered at Brighton, and yarded 

 there in contact with other stock, and needing more positive 

 information on the subject, we deemed it our duty to co-oper- 

 ate with Dr. Lyman in the examination of the lungs of these 

 animals. At this date about one thousand pairs have been 

 examined ; and, though the work is temporarily suspended, it 

 will soon be resumed, and, when sufficientl}' extended, the 

 result will be made public. In view of all the facts respect- 

 ing this cattle-plague, both at home and abroad, we feel con- 

 strained to renew the recommendation in our last report, that 

 the government of the State notify the General Government, 

 and the governments of all the States endangered, of its readi- 

 ness to co-operate in general measures for its complete exter- 

 mination. Owing to a prevailing feeling that we are liable 

 to an outbreak of contagious pleuro-pneumonia, or from igno- 

 rance of its mode of propagation, the Board are frequently 

 notified of supposed cases of this disease ; but they have al- 

 ways proved to be simple lung-fever, or tuberculous consump- 

 tion. Some of these cases are very severe and fatal, and cause 

 no inconsiderable loss to stock-owners. A narrative of one 

 of thiem will suffice for all, and may indicate some of their 

 causes and means of prevention. Early in October we were 

 notified l)y the selectmen of Grafton, in Worcester County, 

 that cattle at a designated locality in that town were suffer- 

 ing from a supposed contagious disease. Visiting the farm, 

 we found a large herd of generally very fine-looking and 

 highly prized cows. The owner informed us that some of 

 them had indicated disease for many months. One had 

 already died ; two more were much emaciated, and probably 

 past recovery ; and three or four others coughed more or less 

 severely. The symptoms of the sick animals were such as 

 might exist in the contagious form of the disease ; but the 

 herd had been on the farm a long time, and it was not known 



