No. 4.] CATTLE COMMISSIONERS. 447 



above have fallen under our observation in different parts of 

 the State. But tuberculosis does exist here among our 

 cattle, though not to such an extent as to cause serious alarm 

 or justify their indiscriminate slaughter, or our total absti- 

 nence from the consumption of their milk and meat. 



As a measure of precaution, and to keep it in abeyance, 

 we recommend the continuance of the rules and regulations 

 published in our last report. In order to secure the inspec- 

 tion of animals intended for slaughter, and of all provisions 

 offered for sale, we recommended in that report that all our 

 towns by vote at their last annual meetings accept of the pro- 

 visions of chapter 58 of the Public Statutes, which would 

 give their selectmen power to appoint such inspectors. The 

 recommendation was not heeded ; we now therefore recom- 

 mend to the Legislature the passage of an act similar to the 

 last clause of section 13 of our contagious disease law relat- 

 ing to glanders. This would give the commissioners power 

 to forbid the sale of tuberculous cattle, to cause their destruc- 

 tion, and to prevent the sale of milk and meat containing the 

 germs of the disease. 



}Ye might here close our report on this part of our duty 

 but for the fact that a very serious if not invidious attack 

 has recently been made upon Massachusetts by the Cattle 

 Commissioners of the State of Maine. By a report from 

 that State, published in the " Boston Herald" of the 23d 

 ult., it appears that that board, empowered, as they suppose, 

 by a law of their State, have declared it " a crime to do 

 business in Massachusetts cattle," and that " the importa- 

 tion of a single cow, no matter of what breed, from Massa- 

 chusetts, is absolutely forbidden." That board, it appears, 

 was led to take this action from the statements of one Geo. 

 H. Bailey, their veterinarian, which were as follows : 

 " That the Crowley Brothers of Lisbon, that State, had 

 recently imported there several car-loads of cheap cattle 

 from Brighton, Mass., which he had caused to be killed, 

 and found them badly infected with tuberculosis." He 

 further says, " Massachusetts does not attempt to stamp 

 out this disease, and the condition of affairs in that State are 

 simph' shocking ; that that State is fairly honeycombed with 

 diseased cattle." It should be noticed that Dr. Bailey does 



