SECRETARY'S REPORT. 7 



of commisdoners with sucli vast powers as were conferred by 

 the Acts of April and June, 1860. In view of these facts it 

 was decided by the commissioners, at the outset, to take noth- 

 ing for granted but to commence de novo and proceed with 

 care and discrimination in the examination of all cases which 

 might be presented for consideration. 



A representation had been made in print by a committee of 

 the State Board of Agriculture, about the middle of February, 

 to the effect that the disease called pleuro-pneumonia had 

 made its appearance in the county of Norfolk, and on the 1st 

 of March a communication was received from the selectmen of 

 the town of Milton, calling upon the commissioners to visit 

 the herd of William A. Hougliton, of that town. On the first 

 day of January, 1862, this herd consisted of eight cows and 

 two Jersey heifers. The first sickness in a cow of this stock 

 was noticed about the middle of the same month. This 

 animal had been in Mr. Houghton's possession four years. She 

 was kept with the other stock until the 8th of February and 

 was then transferred to the barn of Mr. Isaac Houghton in 

 Dorchester, where no other cattle were kept. This cow con- 

 tinued sick, becoming very much emaciated, and on the 10th 

 of March was killed by order of the commissioners. On 

 examination both lungs were found badly disease^, the right 

 lung contained a hard lump weighing about four pounds firmly 

 encased. On cutting open the covering a quantity of very 

 offensive matter appeared surrounding a piece of solidified 

 lung in which the cells were distended and the usually very 

 thin membranous tissue was thickened to a quarter of an inch. 

 The left lung exhibited similar developments, with the excep- 

 tion that the cyst was smaller. Mr. Hatfield, the butcher, 

 declared that among all the cattle he had killed, some of which 

 had been variously diseased, he had never seen any thing 

 resembling what was presented in this case. A portion of 

 the lungs of this animal was taken to the State House and 

 exhibited to the governor and council and to many members of 

 the legislature. On inquiry of Mr. William A. Houghton it 

 was ascertained that another of his stock was sold in January, 

 in poor condition^o a German butcher engaged in the manu- 

 facture of Bologna sausages. Still another died in February, 

 before notice was given to the selectmen. This notice was 



