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AN ACT to provide for the extirpation of the disease called pleuro-pneumonia among cattle. 



Be it enacted, S^., as foUows : 



Section 1. The governor is hereby autliorized to appoint three commissioners 

 wlio shall visit Avithout delay the several places in this commonwealth where 

 the disease among cattle called pleuro-pneumonia may be known or suspected 

 to exist, and shall have full power to cause all cattle belonging to the herd in 

 which the disease has appeared, or may appear, or which have belonged to such 

 herds since the disease may be known to have e'xisted therein, to be forthwith 

 killed and buried, and the premises where such cattle have been kept cleansed 

 and purified ; and to make such order in relation to the further use and occupa- 

 tion of such premises as may seem to them to be necessary to prevent the ex- 

 tension of the disease. 



Sec, 2. The regulations made by selectmen and mayor and aldermen, in pur- 

 suance of the foregoing section, shall be recorded upon the records of their 

 towns and cities respectively, and shall be published in such towns and cities 

 in such manner as may be provided in such regulations. 



Sec. 3. Said selectmen and mayor and aldermen are authorized to cause all 

 cattle infected with such disease, or which have been exposed thereto, to be 

 forthwith branded upon the rump with the letter P, so as to distinguish the 

 animal from other cattle ; and no cattle so branded shall be sold or disposed of 

 except with the knowledge and consent of such selectmen and mayor and al- 

 dermen. Any person, without such knowledge and consent, selling or disposing 

 of an animal known to be afiected with such disease, or known to have beeil 

 exposed thereto within one year from such sale or disposal, shall be punished 

 by fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment not e;$ceeding 

 one year. • 



Sec. 4. Any person disobeying the orders of the selectmen or mayor and 

 aldermen made in conformity with the fourth section, or diiving or transporting 

 any neat cattle contrary to the regulations made, recorded, and published as 

 aforesaid, shall be punished by fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, or by 

 imprisonment not exceeding one year. 



Sec. 5. Whoever knows or has reason to suspect the existence of any such 

 disease among the cattle in his possession or under his care shall forthwith 

 give notice to the selectmen of the town or mayor and aldermen .of the city 

 where such cattle may be kept ; and for failure so to do shall be punished by a 

 fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding one 

 year. 



Sec. 6. Any town or city whose ofiicers shall neglect or refuse to carry into 

 effect the provisions of section one, two, three, four, five, six, and seven, shall 

 forfeit a sum not exceeding five hundred dollars for each day's neglect. 



Sec. 7. All appraisals made under the provisions of this act shall be in wri- 

 ting, and signed by the appraiser, and the same shall be certified to the gov- 

 ernor and council, and to the treasurer of the several towns and cities wherein 

 the cattlQ appraised belong, by the selectmen and mayors and aldermen, respect- 

 tively. 



Sec. 8. The selectmen of the towns and mayor and aldermen of the cities 

 are hereby authorized, when ia their judgment it shall be necessary to carry 

 into effect the purposes of this act, to take and hold possession, for a term not ex- 

 ceeding one year, within their respective towns and cities, of any land, without 

 buildings other than barns thereon, upo*n Avhich it may be necessary to enclose 

 and isolate any cattle ; and they shall cause the damages sustained by the 

 owners in consequence of such taking and holding to be appraised by the 

 assessors of the town or city wherein the lands so taken are situated ; and they 

 shall further cause a description of such land, setting forth the boundaries 

 thereof, and the area as nearly as ♦may be estimated, together with said ap- 



