TIN; LTM; PLACJTE OF CATTLE. G9 



CAN CATTLE SHIPPED FROM NEW YO UK, PHILADELPHIA, AND BALTI- 

 MORE BE Fl KNISllEl) U1TIE CERTIFICATES OF HEALTH? 



The ports of New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, being situated 

 in infected localities, and the. stock -yards at each of these places being 

 open to cattle from all sources, including the infected vicinii \ , it is man- 

 ifest that even Western cattle, coming through these, yards and shipped 

 from these ports, cannot be guaranteed free from the germs of this 

 plague. In this case it is not the yards, troughs, litter, &c., alone, 

 which are to be suspected, and which are frequently infected, but even 

 the cattle-boats, by which the animals are usually carried to the ocean 

 steamers. These boats, at the port of New York, carry nearly all cattle 

 from the New York to the Jersey City stock-yards, and vice versa, so 

 that they very frequently convey cattle from infected districts, and even 

 those which are themselves infected. 



All the recent outbreaks of lung plague in Pennsylvania have been 

 traced to cattle from the Baltimore stock-yards. Many outbreaks in 

 New Jersey were traced to the Philadelphia stock -yards, and there can- 

 not be a doubt that under the present condition of things, and with the 

 free mingling of all kinds of cattle, infection is occasionally carried from 

 the stock-yards of New York and Jersey City as well. (See foot-note 

 above.) Manifestly, therefore, no guarantee of health can be furnished 

 with cattle from these ports until a better system shall have been in- 

 augurated. 



CAN CATTLE SHIPPED FROM BOSTON AND PORTLAND BE GUARAN- 

 TEED SOUND ? 



Boston and Portland are both outside the present infected area. 

 They are also in communication with the West by railroad, without com- 

 ing within eighty miles of the nearest point of infection (Putnam County, 

 N. Y.). It is, therefore, quite possible at the present moment to ship cattle 

 coining from New England, Central New York, and the West, from the 

 two ports in question, with a clean bill of health. It may well be ques- 

 tioned, however, how long the immunity of these ports could be main- 

 tained if such a premium were placed upon cattle shipped from them. 

 Suppose Great Britain were to be satisfied with such an arrangement, 

 and to admit store cattle from Boston and Portland, abolishing, so far 

 as they are concerned, her compulsory slaughter of American beeves, 

 the cattle from these places would bring on an average $10 to $20 per 

 head higher than those from other ports of the United States. If no re- 

 striction were imposed, it would at once become desirable to ship cattle 

 from our infected ports and districts to these favored ones, and soon their 

 boasted immunity would have fled. For our own protection, therefore, 

 as well as for the protection of Great Britain and of the British trade, 

 it is imperative that certain restrictions be imposed on the movement 

 of cattle from the infected States before any attempt is made to issue 

 certificates of health with cattle shipped from any American port. This 

 brings us to the consideration of measures that are equally essential for 

 the protection of our home herds and our export cattle. 



PROHIBITION OF EXPORT OF CATTLE FROM AN INFECTED STATE. 



We prohibit the importation of European cattle except under a quar- 

 antine of ninety days. For the same reason precisely we should pro- 

 hibit the movement of cattle out from an infected State or district, ex- 



