452 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



the existence of the disease -was reported ; o^nd -we may here state that when the first 

 sick animals vreve promptly isolated, and the case leijorted, the loss by death has been 

 very slight. By allovring The aick arid well to run together, all are infected before 

 the assistance of the State is asked. 



Nos. 4, 5, and SJ adjoin one another; and are all traversed by the same small stream. 

 The disease seems to have originated on the upper farm, where the first sick animal 

 died in tlie stream and was buried close to its banks. In No. 4, one animal died and 

 one was killed; and in No. 5, the first one was jiromptly killed. In both cases, the 

 importance of immediate isolation wa.s understood and put in practice. Nos. 4 and 5 

 have been released from quarantine, but No. 5^ is still infected. Whether, in these 

 cases the stream was the vehicle of contagion or not, we cannot say ; but the almost 

 simultaneous outbreak on the three farms can be accounted for on no other hypothesis. 



No. 6 had lost eleven head previous to being reported and quarantined. With one 

 doubtful exception, every animal had shown more or less of the effects of the disease, 

 and its owner fully appreciated its contagious nature. Has been released from quar- 

 antine. 



No. 7, in Lancaster County, was composed of forty-two animals, and when reported 

 had been thoroughly infected by two sick animals running with the herd. In this 

 herd, seven animals were lolled in one day, and seven placed under quarantine; fif- 

 teen have been killed, and to all appearance the disease has been checked. The 

 infection, no doubt, came from an adjoining herd, which in turn had been infected 

 by stock from New York. 



No. 8 is supposed to have been infected by the owner of No. 2 administering med- 

 icine to the animals after attending to his own. Seven head have been lost in this 

 herd, and the others are not clear of the danger. 



In No. 9, containing thirty-one head, the disease seems to have been checked by the 

 prompt isolation and killing of one animal, and has since been released from quaran- 

 tine. 



Nos. 10, 11, and 12 are small herds, in two of which every animal exibited symj)- 

 toms of the disease ; but by rigorous care on the part of the owners, by isolating and 

 the prompt death of infect«d animals, the loss has been small. 



Nos. 13 to 20, inclusive, are herds which have been recently reported and quaran- 

 tined, and, thus far, the losses in them have been slight. By the prompt action of 

 the veterinary surgeon, assisted by care and co-operation on the part of the owner, it 

 is hoped that most if not all of them have passed the worst point, and that some of 

 them may be released from quarantine as soon as the proper time has elapsed. 



No. 21 was infected by six cows purchased in the Philadelphia market, and showed 

 itself ten days after the purchase. Of the six, five have died or been killed, and others 

 are affected. The purchased cows have been traced to the Philadelphia drove yard, 

 but here all fwrther clue to the origin of the disease was lost. 



No. 22, in Montgomery County, was quarantined October 24, and was infected by 

 a cow purchased from a drover. At the time of purchase she was conghing, and when 

 examined by our surgeon, a week afterwards, she was so far gone that the owner was 

 willing to have her killed as worthless and without a value. 



No. 23 was infect«d by contact with the animals in herd No. 16, previous to quar- 

 antine. At the request of the owner, who has insureil complete isolation, they are 

 being treated by our surgeon. In this case the fumes of burning sulphur seem to have 

 been eftective in preventing further trouble, but aU the herd were or are more or less 

 affected. 



No. 24, containing thirty-three head, were, no doubt, infected by contact with herd 

 No. 7, as, by accident, they were in the inclosure containing the former herd for a 

 short time. 



No. 2.5 was allowed by its owner to graze alongside of No. 7, with no separation 

 other than that afforded by a creek and common fence. Before the infection was re- 

 ported, most of the steers (fat) were sent to market, but one left on the farm has 

 shown all the symptoms of the disease. 



In addition to the care and supervision of cattle already in the Stat«, 

 the a^ent of the governor was given control of all stock -brought in 

 fi'om Europe and not quarantined hj the national authorities or those 

 of other States. Under the regulations established all cattle must pre- 

 sent a certificate of clearness from any contagious or infectious disease 

 at the point of shipment in Europe. They must also be inspected on 

 their arrival in the Statei by a veterinary surgeou in the employ and 

 under the control of the governor's agent, must be quarantined closely 

 at tlje expense of the importer, under the supervision of the State sur- 



