REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURN. is 
PUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 
\ 
The work of this Bureau has been greatly increased and extended 
during the past year. The appropriation act approved June 30, 1886, 
gave authority to expend money for the purchase and destruction of 
diseased animals whenever it is essential to prevent the spread of 
pleuro-pneumonia from one State into another. The total eradica- 
tion of the plague being necessary, in the opinion of experts, to pre- 
vent its spread from State to State, it was decided to use the money 
appropriated in the purchase and destruction of diseased cattle 
wherever this action would have a tendency to secure such eradica- 
; tion. It was evident, however, that to purchase diseased animals 
wherever found would not effect such eradication unless, by co-op- 
eration with State authorities, regulations could be enforced which 
would secure the control exposed animals and the disinfection of 
premises. 
In August, 1886, by co-operation with the authorities of the State 
of Maryland, the purchase and destruction of cattle affected with 
__ pleuro- -pheumonia was begun. In this case the exposed cattle were 
_ to be disposed of by the Maryland Live Stock Sanitary Commission 
© under the State ce Owing to the expense attending the quaran- 
_ tining and slaughter of exposed cattle, few other States were willing 
to co-operate for the extirpation of this lady until after the appro- 
__priation act approved March 3, 1887, went into effect. This act in- 
3 ereased the appropriation to $500,000, and authorized the use of ‘‘any 
part of this sum in the purchase and destruction of diseased or ex- 
posed animals and the quarantine of the same.” 
- 
a Immediately after this bill became a law, rules and rezulations were 
* prepared in accordance with section 3 of the act of May 29, 1884, and 
were certified to the governors of all the States and Ter ifoeien: witha 
_ request for their co-operation in enforcing them. The governors of 
_ thirty-one States and Territories have accepted these rules and regula- 
tions, and have promised the assistance of local police officers to secure 
their enforcement. In addition to this the legislatures of the States 
of Rhode Island, Virginia, New York, and Illinois have enacted laws 
providing for co-operation and placing the work in charge of the Bu- 
_  reau of Animal Industry. With these laws and regulations the work 
of the Bureau has been carried on in all of the States where pleuro- 
pneumonia has been known to exist, with the single exception of 
Pennsylvania. The governor of Pennsylvania has expressed his 
desire to co-operate, so far as is possible under the laws of his State; 
» but as the officers in charge of this work found but few infected herds, 
and reported that these were promptly disposed of according to State 
law, the necessity of action by this Department is not yet apparent. 
The worst infected counties, and those from which there was most 
. danger of the spread of the disease, viz, Cook County, in Illinois ; 
