220 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Nebraska has a regular State veterinarian, Dr. Julius 

 Gerth, and also enjoys the services of Dr. F. S. Billings, as 

 an investigator of hog cholera and Texas fever, assisted by 

 Dr. Thomas Bowhill. 



Illinois is armed and equipped with a cattle commission, 

 consisting of three of the laity, as well as a chief, and an 

 assistant State veterinarian. The balance of New England 

 has followed the example of Massachusetts, in having cattle 

 commissions, with the exception, I think, of Rhode Island. 

 Maine has five cattle commissioners, one of whom. Dr. 

 Bailey, is a veterinary surgeon. New Hampshire has a 

 Board of three ; Vermont of three ; Massachusetts of three ; 

 one, Dr. "Winchester, being a veterinarian; Connecticut has 

 also three. These Boards can employ veterinarians, how- 

 ever, if the public service require. 



Massachusetts allows the Cattle Commissioners five dollars 

 a day each and expenses when on duty, but they are not on 

 duty continually, some years doing much work, and other 

 years but little, as the exigencies require. Five dollars a 

 day is a small amount to pay men who are liable to be called 

 upon at any time, no matter how inconvenient for them to 

 leave their business. This is especially true in the veteri- 

 narian's case, who may be summoned at a busy time, when 

 he may have valuable patients to attend. The propriety of 

 havinsc a State veterinarian to investigate outbreaks of real 

 or supposed contagious disease among the live stock of the 

 Commonwealth has often occurred to me.. One who should 

 be continually on duty, with headquarters in Boston, and a 

 clerk in attendance when he is not there, to inform enquirers 

 as to his whereabouts and time of return. The Board of 

 Cattle Commissioners might be retained to co-operate with 

 him in case it became necessary to stamp out an extensive 

 outbreak of any contagious malady. B}^ keeping careful 

 records of what he did he might compile a very useful and 

 valuable mass of information relating to animal diseases and 

 the public health, and devise means for the better protection 

 of our live stock from infectious disorders ; besides increas- 

 ing our knowledge of some diseases not yet thoroughly 

 understood. Our Cattle Commissioners have extraordinary 

 powers, surpassed only by such men as the Czar of Russia 



