8 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONED OF AGRICULTURE. 



from OLie State or Territory into another. It is consequently impossible 

 for this Department to maintain an effectual quarantine under the pres- 

 ent law. The disease is a peculiar one, in this, that in an affected herd 

 there is, generally, a considerable proportion of the animals which are 

 affected in so mild a form that their illness is not noticed, and yet they 

 are capable of communicating the contagion to other herds. 



Another class of affected animals are more severely attacked, but 

 make a i)artial recovery, and although the trained veterinarian may be 

 able to iind signs of disease by an examination of the respiratory 

 organs, people not skilled in such examinations can detect no signs of 

 the plague. Unfortunately all animals once affected, whether the 

 attack has been mild or severe, are dangerous for an indefinite period 

 afterwards. These characteristics make the disease a very difficult one 

 to extirpate, except by the slaughter of all sick animals, and either the 

 slaughter or the quarantine of all that have been exi:)Osed. Such is 

 now the policy and practice of most civilized nations. 



To protect the great cattle interests of this country requires vigorous 

 means and measures. The existence of plouro-pneumonia and other 

 contagious diseases has had a very serious effect upon our foreign and 

 interstate commerce in living animals. Great Britain, on account of it, 

 has placed such restrictions upon the trade that no cattle, sheep, or 

 swine can be sent there from this country, except for immediate 

 slaughter at the lauding places. The effect of this is to prevent the 

 exportation of any but fat cattle to that kingdom ; and even these, it 

 is estimated, do not bring as much within $10 or $15 a head, as they 

 would sell for if they could be taken inland and held until they had 

 recovered from the effects of their journey, and for a favorable state of 

 the market. Since these restrictions have been enforced the exporta- 

 tion of sheep has steadily declined from 108,652 in 1879 to 32,510 in 

 1884, and that of swine from 25,033 in 1879 to 4 in 3884. ■ 



The restrictions upon our interstate commerce from the same cause 

 have been a very great burden, and the reduction in the value of cattle 

 in the affected States has been enormous. 



The regulation of commerce with foreign nations and among the 

 several States is placed by the Constitution under the exclusive control 

 of Congress, and this regulation, it has been decided, includes such 

 measures as are necessary to protect foreign and interstate commerce, 

 to promote its growth, and to remove restrictions from it. 



The traffic in live animals constitutes such an important part of the 

 commerce of the country, and the capital invested in the flocks aud 

 herds from which this commerce is drawn represents so large a propor- 

 tion of the wealth of the nation, that it has become very desirable, 

 from a national iioint of view, that such regulations should be adopted 

 as will insure the removal of these restrictions and do away with the 

 cause which has led to them. It was to secure this result that the act 

 establishing the Bureau was passed, but experience has shown that the 



