CATTLE COMMISSIONERS' REPORT. 237 



The motion was then put, and carried unanimously, when 

 the Board adjourned, sine die. 



REPORT OF COMMISSIOlSrEES ON" CONTAGIOUS DISEASES 



AMONG CATTLE. 



To the Honorable Senate and House of Bepresentatives of the Commonwealth 



of Massachusetts. 



The undersigned. Commissioners on Contagious Diseases 

 among Cattle, are able to report that no specific disease has 

 been prevalent in the herds of the State during the year past. 

 The law of 1876, to prevent the recurrence of Spanish fever, 

 by the importation of cattle direct from the plains of Texas, 

 and the measures instituted by the commissioners to give 

 information respecting the same, and for its enforcement, 

 resulted that year in their exclusion, and, as was believed, 

 with the ready acquiescence or co-operation of both cattle 

 dealers and transporters. 



The good effect of the law was so apparent, and its 

 provisions were supposed to be so generally understood 

 and approved, that the Board did not deem it necessary, 

 the present year, to again call public attention to it, or 

 warn individual parties against its infringement. But 

 through ignorance, or intentional disregard of the enact- 

 ment, sundry persons have brought small numbers of the 

 interdicted animals within the State ; though the fact was 

 not ascertained until after they had been slaughtered, and 

 such proof as was desirable for conviction under the law not 

 attainable. We have reason to believe that cattle of this 

 kind were transported by car to the Union Stock Yards in 

 Watertown, and driven thence by public road to Brighton, 

 because native cows driven to pasture over that route con- 

 tracted and died of Spanish fever. 



Texans were taken from the cars of the Boston and Albany 

 Railroad in Worcester, and driven thence two miles to the 

 place of slaughter ; and a native herd which was driven on 

 the same road subsequently, or grazed on a field which the 

 Texans invaded, was attacked by this disease to the num- 

 ber of twenty, eleven of which died. A citizen of Upton, in 

 Worcester County, procured a few of the same for beef ; and 

 they communicated the disease to his home stock, which 

 resulted in the loss of eight animals. 



