SECRETARY'S REPORT. 9 



even inferred, not the slightest indication, like those of the 

 disease termed plenro-pneiunonia, was exhibited. 



'Abont the first of x\.pril, from inquiries made at Brighton 

 and Cambridge, it became known to the commissioners that a 

 disease of a peculiar nature had appeared in tlie herd of 

 E. Welch, a milkman in South Boston. On examhiation, it 

 was ascertained that a cow which had been exposed in Dorches- 

 ter, had been purchased and introduced into liis herd about the 

 9th of January, and that several of his cows had been taken sick. 

 Accordingly his herd was isolated, but as in this and other 

 instances, it appeared to the commissioners that, in such situa- 

 tions, the isolation could not be perfectly secured, arrangements 

 were made for the removal of the infected herds to some secure 

 place, where the public would not be endangered, and where 

 experimental knowledge might more readily be acquired as to 

 the nature and progress of the disease. Accordingly the com- 

 missioners took possession of a farm at Squantum, which was 

 under lease to one 0. C. Barnes, the owner of an infected herd, 

 and all the herds w^iich were then known to be infected, were 

 removed thither in the night time. The buildings to which the 

 cattle were removed were old and fully ventilated in every 

 direction, but the disease soon took hold of the healtliy animals, 

 and when killed very few were found to have escaped the infec- 

 tion. A sick cow was purposely tied between two apparently 

 perfectly healthy. These in the course, of a few weeks became 

 sick, while the cow in the middle became apparently better, but 

 when killed was found badly diseased, the unhealthy portion of 

 the lungs having become encased with a firm membranous 

 covering. 



Many members of the last legislature visited Squantum, and 

 were present when cattle were killed. They were all satisfied 

 as to the peculiar character of the disease ; and those who 

 doubted when they went, returned convinced. In fact, there 

 remained no longer room to doubt the infectious nature of the 

 disease. Many animals fully exposed entirely escaped. Well 

 fed milch cows rarely failed to take the disease. Bulls, oxen, 

 heifers and poor cows were more commonly among the exempts. 

 It does not appear that the disease is so infectious as the small- 

 pox among human beings. It is, however, sufficiently so to be 

 very alarming. As an approximation, it may be stated that 

 2 



