A NATIONAL VETERINARY POLICE SYSTEM. 383 



The answer, and the manner in which it was given, were something 

 really worth recording. " Thank God, there's some freedom left in 

 Massachusetts ! " said this pattern of Boston aristocracy ; for the gen- 

 tleman is one frequently pointed out as an example of honesty and 

 Christian virtues. " Thank God, there's some freedom left in Mas- 

 sachusetts " for a wealthy man to sell pork which, if a little under- 

 done, can cause the serious illness of persons consuming it, or even 

 death ! Is there not need for laws to prevent the sale of improper 

 food by technical examination ? If a person of this man's worldly 

 standing has no moral responsibility, what have we to expect from 

 the ordinary owner of horses, cattle, etc. % Every one at all ac- 

 quainted with the internal arrangements of the German Empire 

 must know that there is far more jealousy between the different 

 kingdoms of which it is composed than there is between the differ- 

 ent States composing our Union. Notwithstanding this, these gov- 

 ernments have seen the absolute necessity of an imperial code of 

 laws for the suppression of the contagious animal diseases, experi- 

 ence having proved the state laws hitherto in existence insufficient 

 for the purpose, there being here and there a dissimilarity which re- 

 sulted in evil consequence to the people of one state or another. 

 We need not copy literally the German laws, but we can study 

 them and adapt them to our uses. It is high time that active steps 

 were taken, in this country, in this direction. 



To this end our national Congress should either select a commis- 

 sion of honest men, or authorize the President to select such from 

 among the leading stock-raisers of the country, one from each of 

 our great geographical sections. This commission should select 

 three of the ablest approved veterinarians in the country, and two 

 able and non-partisan lawyers. These five men should be paid to 

 make a study of the veterinary police laws and institutions of such 

 countries as are worthy of consideration, and should then draft a 

 national code of laws and regulations in strict accord with the re- 

 sults of the best scientific research, and with exact regard to logic 

 and explicitness in language. These laws should be accepted by 

 Congress and by the respective State Legislatures. Such a plan in 

 no way interferes with the right of States to make such special 

 laws and regulations, in addition to them, as their local needs, posi- 

 tions, or other requirements may demand ; and furthermore, as will 

 presently be seen, our plan will provide each State with a competent 

 and trustworthy body of men to execute the laws. From these 

 three, and others, if they desire, should be selected a person to be 

 known as Veterinary Inspector-General of the United States. This 



