484 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



to work satisfactorily, and very few complaints have arisen 

 under it. Cows with nodulated udders have been tested 

 with tuberculin, as have also some doubtful cases ; if they 

 reacted, they were destroyed. 



Reducing the limit of value from $60 to $40 has resulted 

 in a saving to the State. The appraisals have been very 

 evenly made, and the average value, $22.50 per head, is 

 much lower than it formerly was. The work of the local 

 inspectors seems to be sufficient to protect the people from 

 the milk of cows owned in Massachusetts which are suffi- 

 ciently diseased to be a danger to the public health, besides 

 which, the badly diseased cows are the greater sources of 

 danger to others. 



A few herds have been tested with tuberculin and reacting 

 animals removed, but only where the owner has shown a 

 disposition to co-operate with the commission. 



The reports of the inspectors show that the inspections of 

 previous years have resulted in a healthier condition of the 

 cattle, and it seems as though the work previously done 

 by them had resulted in a diminution of the disease ; it 

 certainly has, as far as the bad cases go ; whether a tuber- 

 culin test would show a corresponding improvement is un- 

 certain. 



Many other States now require cattle brought into their 

 limits to be kept for dairy or breeding purposes to be tested 

 with tuberculin. Among those in New England are Maine, 

 New Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode Island ; while, outside 

 of New England, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Illinois re- 

 quire it, and others will undoubtedly adopt similar require- 

 ments in time. The United States government also requires 

 that all cattle imported shall be tested with tuberculin at the 

 port of entry, as well as holding them in quarantine there 

 for ninety days ; therefore it seems only proper that Massa- 

 chusetts should maintain similar rules and regulations for 

 the protection of her owners of live stock ; yet this Board 

 has been hampered and impeded and imposed upon in every 

 possible way by avaricious cattle traders and dishonest vet- 

 erinarians, who disgrace what ought to be an honorable pro- 

 fession by making out imaginary certificates of test upon 

 animals that never had a drop of tuberculin under their 



