444 REPORT OF THE COiDIISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



before the sale. That is, of the 124 which were shipped from Cynthi- 

 aiia on December 27, 1884, there were remaining alive at the day of 

 sale, February 12, 1885, but 95 head. 



What was the cause of death of so many animals it is impossible to 

 say at this time, since the owner refused to have any examinations 

 made of either the sick or dead ones by veterinarians who were compe- 

 tent to decide upon the nature of the trouble. At the time the Chief of 

 tills Bureau was at A^ustin, he was reliably informed that the carcasses 

 of three animals which had recently died could be seen upon the farm 

 of Captain Love where the herd was kept, also that 2 or 3 head were 

 lying- in the lot too sick to stand. He, however, did not have sufficient 

 authority to make an investigation. 



During the period from February 12 to July 1, 1885, it was found by 

 Dr. Rowland that 23 had died out of the 95 sold at Austin, In other 

 words, only 72 animals remained alive, July 1, of the 124 which started 

 from Cynthiana. Dr. Eowland examined a considerable part of the ani- 

 mals which were still alive at the time of his visit and made xmst mortem 

 examinations of a number which died. In none of these did he find any 

 evidence of pleuro-pneumonia, nor could he hear of any cases of this 

 malady among the native cattle which had come in contact with the 

 Frisbie herd. It is, therefore, believed that the contagion did not es- 

 tablish itself in this State. If any of the lot were affected with lung 

 plague at the time of shipment or after their arrival they probably died 

 and the disease was not propogated from them. 



It is, certainly, a most fortunate termination of this matter to find that 

 this dreaded disease has not gained a footing on the plains of Texas, 

 where once fairly under way it would not only be impossible to suppress 

 it, but where it would be disseminated through the channels of com- 

 merce to every part of the country. Nor is this happy result due to any 

 precautionary measures adopted by the local authorities, but it is in 

 spite of their carelessness after timely warning. This instance is one 

 of the best illustrations that could bo given of the necessity for national 

 laws to control such an insidious and, at times, obscure disease. If tho 

 contagion had been spread by that lot of animals, as it was given every 

 opportunity to do, no one who has studied the history of this plague 

 abroad can doubt that it would have cost our country hundreds of mill- 

 ions of dollars, and made the rearing of cattle a iirecarious business for 

 all time to come. 



EECENT DEVELOPaiENTS IN REGARD TO PLEURO-PNEUMONIA IN KEN- 

 TUCKY. 



As the officers of the Bureau of Animal Industry were not allowed by 

 the owners of the infected cattle at Cynthiana, Ky., to go upon their 

 premises and examine their animals, and as no law, either national or 

 State, existed by which such an inspection could be enforced, it becnmo 

 necessary to suspend all action by the Bureau for the control and extir- 

 ])ation of this outbreak. Without fi'equent inspection it.was impossible 

 for the Bureau to keep informed of the condition of affairs, and without 

 knowing that the disease continued to exist we could not determine how 

 far Vvc would be justified in attempting to enforce sections G and 7 of the 

 act for the establishment of a Bureau of Animal Industry, &c., which 

 provides penalties for the shipment of affected animals from one State 

 or Territory into another. 



The conUnuation of the disease in the herd of Messrs. Frisbie & 

 Lake, and its extension among other cattle in the vicinity, soon caused 



