No. 4.] CATTLE COMMISSIONERS. 443 



Through fear of injury to their practice, or from some 

 other cause, there is an inexcusable if not criminal laxity 

 with some veterinarians in reporting to their boards of health 

 cases of this disease which come to their knowledge. A 

 veterinarian of Taunton reported to us that he knew of 

 twenty-four cases in that city, of which but five had been 

 reported ; and another in West Newton reported that he 

 knew of five cases, of which but two had been reported. It 

 is not unfrequent that cases of the disease are reported, and 

 the information given that the animal has been killed and 

 nothing need be done. If such reports are true, if the veter- 

 inarians are honest with the public and themselves, the spirit 

 of the law is complied with, and the nuisance abated quicker 

 than it could be done by statute provision. But the danger 

 in the case is, that all veterinarians will not be honest in this 

 regard ; and the animal, not having been placed under the 

 control of the board of health of the locality, may be so 

 treated by quacks or others as to disguise the disease, and 

 then traded to some unsuspecting person, to his loss, and the 

 creation of a new centre of infection. That this has been 

 done we have every reason to believe. From the most reli- 

 able source we have been informed that a horse-trading quack 

 of the town of Amesbury had, on a certain occasion in the 

 month of August last, boasted that first and last he had got 

 more than a hundred glandered horses from Brighton and 

 vicinity, " fixed them up and shoved them." We have found 

 great difficulty in securing evidence which would convict in 

 court for such illegal transactions, and solicit information in 

 this regard from all good citizens who respect law and desire 

 the public welfare. 



We desire again to call public attention to the fact that this 

 is a contagious, loathsome and incurable disease, which may 

 be contracted by any person who has the care of, or comes in 

 contact with, such diseased animal ; and the utmost caution 

 should be exercised by those who must care for them, until 

 they can be destroyed. The ordinary symptoms which indi- 

 cate this disease are a disturbance of the lymphatic system, 

 an induration of the sub-maxillary gland, a straw-colored, 

 sticky nasal discharge, and ulceration of the mucous surface 

 of the septum. 



