1884.] REPORT ON DISEASES OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 325 



The herd were all thoroughbred Jerseys, except one pair of 

 oxen. One of these oxen, which was quite sick, was killed and 

 buried a few days after by the owner. 



The same day we examined a sick cow of Capt. D. H. Seaman, a 

 neighbor of Mr. Williams; a clear case of the malady. Mr. Sea- 

 man's herd was also quarantined. A few days after this cow was 

 killed and buried by the owner, and no other cases have, occurred 

 on his farm. 



Our attention was immediately directed to ascertain, if possible, , 

 the source of contagion. All the animals in the herd of Mr. "Wil- 

 liams had been on the place over a year, except one cow, which, ac- 

 cording to his statement, he had purchased of a friend in New 

 Jersey, whose name he could not remember. This cow, though 

 apparently well, excited our suspicions as the source of the malady, 

 and no pains were spared to trace her history. Mr. Williams gave 

 her name as Molly Lathrop. By reference to the Jersey Herd- 

 Book, we found her name to be Molly Lathrop 3d, No. 7,627, and 

 through numerous transfers, we traced her to the possession of 

 Charles De Clyne of New Durham, N. J., and through a third 

 party we learned that he had sold her to Mr. Williams. 



On visiting Mr. De Clyne to get the further history of the cow, 

 he told us that all his cows had died of some disease, except one 

 cow, which he had sold to Connecticut. He had called in veterin- 

 ary surgeons from New York, and they had pronounced the disease 

 pleuro-pneumonia. We also learned from Mr. De Clyne that he 

 had received a cow from Mr. Williams in April in exchange for 

 Molly. 



Immediate notice of the nature of the outbreak was sent to Dr. 

 Thayer, Boston, Mass., of the United States Treasury Commission, 

 and also to Hon. George B. Loring, Commissioner of Agriculture 

 at Washington, with a request to Dr. Thayer to meet the Commis- 

 sion for further examination. 



Dr. Thayer, Dr. Rice, and Dr. Parkinson, with the Commission, 

 examined the herd August 14th. At this time we failed to get an 

 appraisal, though attempted, and could make no arrangements for 

 post-mortem, owing to the fact that under the law as it now stands, 

 there is no provision to compel town assessors to make appraisal 

 should they decline to do so when requested; which refusal, as in 

 the present case, prevents the slaughtering of the cattle, and the 

 Commission is confined to quarantine alone. 



