No. 4.] TUBERCULOSIS. 375 



brings large numbers of cattle from other States to Massa- 

 chusetts, and there is always a likelihood of infected cattle 

 being brought in. Cattle are always liable to get the disease 

 from consumptive attendants. Consequently we cannot hope 

 to eradicate the disease from among our cattle. So long as 

 the human family suffer from it, our cattle will be liable to it ; 

 but it may be reduced to a minimum. The meat of cattle 

 affected with this disease should not be used for food ; 

 the milk of tuberculous cattle should not be sold in the mar- 

 ket ; it is not safe to breed from such animals, and they are 

 consequently worthless. The owners of such animals would 

 be only too glad to be rid of them, were they prevented from 

 selling their food products, and if it were not for the possi- 

 bility of selling the animal to some one who was not aware 

 of its condition. So the only value a tuberculous animal 

 can have is from the possibility of imposing upon some one 

 by the sale of unhealthy food products or worthless animals. 

 Thus the practical solution of the problem seems to be to 

 find means to prevent the trade in such cattle. Many of the 

 milk farmers of the eastern portion of the State, where all 

 admit tuberculosis to be most prevalent, procure their cows 

 at the Brighton and Watertown markets. There are gath- 

 ered for sale the surplus cows of western Massachusetts, 

 Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, as well as many from 

 New York and farther west. A law providing for the inspec- 

 tion of all cattle sold in these markets by a State inspector 

 is recommended. Along with this provision should go an 

 amendment to the contagious disease law, requiring the Cat- 

 tle Commission to order the slaughter and burial, without 

 appraisement, of animals found to be infected with tubercu- 

 losis, in the same manner in which glandered horses are dis- 

 posed of. Provision should be made for a post-mortem 

 examination of all cattle thus slaughtered, sufficiently 

 thorough to determine whether or not they were tubercu- 

 lous, and in case the post-mortem failed to show the pres- 

 ence of the disease, provision should be made for remuneration 

 to the owner for the damage suffered. 



While the above includes all that the Board desires to 

 recommend, if further provision be deemed advisable, it 

 is suggested that State inspectors might be appointed in 



