CONTAGIOUS LUNG FEVER OF CATTLE. 249 



STATE OF NEW YOPtK. 



AN ACT to prevout tlio introdnction and spread of tlie disease tncwn as rinderpest, and for the pro* 

 tection of tho Hocks and herds of sheep aucl cattle in the State of Kew Yorli from this and other in- 

 fectious and contagious diseases. Passed April liO, 180G. 



Be it enacted hy the senate and assemhiy of New Yoric: 



Section 1. It shall be the duty of the health officer of the port of New York, in 

 addition to tho duties novp- imposed on him by existing law, to examine and inquire 

 whether any animals are brought in any vessels arriving at said port in violation of 

 any regulation of law passed by the Congress of the United States prohibiting the im- 

 portation of such animals. 



2. Whenever any animal is brought as a ship's cow, with no intention of landing the 

 same or of violating any such law or regulation of Congress as aforesaid, tho same 

 shall be carefully examined and kept in quarantine for the space of at least twenty- 

 one days, and if any symijtoms of the infection or incubation of the disease commonly 

 known as the rinclerpest or any other infectious or contagious disease shall present 

 themselves, it shall be the duty of the said health officer immediately to cause the 

 said animal or animals to be slaughtered, and their remains boxed with a sufficient 

 quantity of quicklime, sulphate of iron, or other disinfectant, and with sufficient 

 weights placed in said box to prevent the same from floating, and to be cast into the 

 waters of the said port. It shall also be his duty to cleanse and disinfect by suitable 

 agencies the berth or section of tho ship in which said animal or animals were lying 

 or slaughtered, and also to cause tho clothing and persons of all taking care of the 

 same or engaged in slaughter and burial to be cleansed and disinfected. 



3. William Kelley, of Dutchess County, Marsena E. Patrick, of Ontario County, 

 and Lewis F. Allen, of Erie County, are hereby appointed as commissioners under 

 this act, and with powers and duties as hereinafter enmnerated. 



4. In the event of any such disease as the rinderpest or infectious disease of cattle 

 or sheep breaking out or being suspected to exist in any locality in this State, it shall 

 be the duty of all persons owning or having any interest whatever in the said cattle, 

 immediately to notify the said commissioners or any one of them of the existence of 

 such disease; whereupon tho said commissioners shall establish a sanitary cordon 

 around such locality. And thereupon it shall be the duty of the said commissioners 

 to appoint an assistant commissioner for such district with all j»ower3 conferred by 

 this act on the said commissioners or their agents or appointees, which said assistant 

 commissioner shall immediately jjroceed to the place or places where such disease is 

 reported to exist, and cause the said animal or animals to be separated from all con- 

 nection or proximity with Or to all other animals of the ruminant order, and take 

 such other precautionary measures as shall be deemed necessary ; and if in his opinion 

 the said disease shall be incurable or threaten to spread to other animals, to cause the 

 same immediately to be slaughtered, their remains to be deeply biu'ied, and all places 

 in which tho said animals have been confined or kept to be cleansed and disinfected 

 by any of the agencies above mentioned ; and also to cause the same to be carefully 

 locked or barred so as to prevent all access to the same by any animals of a like kind 

 for a period of at least one month. Any animal thus slaughtered shall be appraised 

 imder the supervision of said commissioners, and one-half of the value of said animal 

 shall be paid by the State to the owner thereof. 



5. It shall be tho duty of the said assistant commissioner, immediately on liis being 

 notified of his appointment, or at any time thereafter of the breaking out of the said 

 disease in any place contiguous to the same and within the county in which he resides, 

 to give public notices of the same in at least one newspaper printed or published in the 

 said county, and to cause notice to be posted up in at least five conspicuous places in 

 said neighborhood, and it shall be his duty to enjoin, in said notice and otherwise, all 

 l)ersons concerned in the care or supervision of neat cattle or sheep not to come within 

 one hundred feet of the said locality without the special permission of the said assist- 

 ant commissioner. 



G. It shall be the duty of the commissioners appointed under this act, whenever 

 they are advised that any such disease has made its appearance within the limits of 

 tho State, to jniblish in the State paper and in at least one paper published in any 

 county whore such disease exists, a statement of the methods approved by the New 

 York Agricultural Society for the treatment of cattle afiected therewith, for the isola- 

 tion of the same, for the disinfection of the premises or building in which said cattle 

 are found afiected as aforesaid, and for tho prevention of the spread of tho same 

 through any agencies of whatever kind. 



7. The commissioners aforesaid, and all such assistants as they may appoint, when- 

 ever in their judgment or discretion it shall appear in any case that the disease is not 

 likely to yield to any remedial treatment, or whenever it shall seem that the cost or 

 worth of any such remedial treatment shall bo greater than the value of any animal 

 or animals so afiected, or whenever in any case such disease shall assume such form of 

 malignity as shall thi-eaten its Bj)road to premises, either contagious or infectious or 



