522 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



one sheep is being dipped another sheep is allowed to ascend the incline 

 into the small dripping pen. When the sheep is sufficiently drained the 

 gate is opened, it leaves the pen, the gate is closed, the sheep in the vat 

 enters the pen and another sheep is placed in the vat. 



FEDERAL LAWS AND REGVLATIONS RELATIVE TO SHEEP SCAB. 



As the scab of the sheep is uuvquestionably a contagious disease, it la 

 unlawful to ship sheep so affected from any state, territory or the Dis- 

 trict of Columbia. The penalties for such shipment of diseased sheep 

 are heavy, as will be seen from an examination of sections 6 and 7 of the 

 act approved May 29, 1884, which are as follows: 



"Sec. 6. That no railroad company within the United States, or the 

 owners or masters of any steam or sailing or other vessel or boat, shall 

 receive for transportation or transport, from one state or territory to 

 another, or from any state into the District of Columbia, or from the 

 District of Columbia into any state, any live stock affected with an-y 

 contagious, infectious, or communicable disease, and especially the disease 

 known as pleuro-pneumonia; nor shall any person, company, or corpora- 

 tion deliver for such tramsportation to any railroad company, or master or 

 owner of any 'boat or vessel, any live stock, knowing them to be affected 

 with any contagious, infectious, or communicable disease; nor shall any 

 person, company, or corporation drive on foot or transport in private 

 conveyance from one state or territory to another, or from any state into 

 the District of Columbia, or from the District into any state, any 

 live stock, knowing them to be affected with any contagious, infectious, 

 or communicaible disease, and especially the disease known as pleuro- 

 pneumonia; provided, that the so-called splenetic or Texas fever shall 

 not be considered a contagious, infectious, or communicable disease 

 within the meaning of sections four, five, six, and seven of this act, as 

 to cattle being transported by rail to market for slaughter, when the 

 same are unloaded only to be fed and watered in lots on the way thereto. 



"Sec. 7. That it shall be the duty of the Commissioner of Agricul- 

 ture to notify, in writing, the proper oflScials or agents of any railroad, 

 steamboat, or other transportation company doing business in or through 

 any infected locality, and by publication in such newspapers as he may 

 select, of the existence of said contagion; and any person or persons operat- 

 ing any such railroad, or master or owner of any boat or vessel, or owner 

 or custodian of or person having control over such cattle or other live 

 stock within such infected district, who shall knowingly violate the pro- 

 visions of section six of this act, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, 

 upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred 

 dollars nor more than five thousand dollars, or by imprisonment for not 

 more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment." 



The provisions of this statute are very specific and clear, and there 

 can be no possible doubt of their application to the disease under con- 

 sideration. Congress has, nevertheless, gone still further by way of 

 emphasizing this application, and has particularly directed the atten- 

 tion of the Department of Agriculture, to a few important diseases, 

 including sheep scab, by the following clause, which has been repeated 

 in the appropriation act for a number of years: 



