No. 4.] CATTLE COMMISSIONERS. t63 



posed to entail. In June of that year Dr. F. H. Osgood of 

 Brookline and Leander F. Herrick of Worcester were ap- 

 pointed to the Board. It was also enacted, in 1894, to pay 

 half the appraised value of tuberculous cows killed by order 

 of the commission. In October, 1894, Charles A. Dcnnen 

 of Pepperell was appointed to succeed Prof. Levi Stock- 

 bridge, who resigned after being reappointed for another 

 three-year term. 



In 1895 compensation was increased to full appraised 

 value, with a limit not exceeding $60 for cattle condemned 

 and killed as tuberculous. 



The more recent history of the commission is a matter 

 within easy reach of every one's memory. The opposition 

 of the farmers to having a compulsory tuberculin test of all 

 the cattle in the State ; the appointment of Dr. J. M. Parker, 

 in October, 1896, to succeed Dr. C. P. Lyman ; the res- 

 ignation of Dr. Osgood in December, 1896, and the ap- 

 pointment of Dr. Austin Peters to the position ; the large 

 appropriations of $300,000 and $250,000 for the eradication 

 of contagious diseases of animals in 1896 and 1897 ; the 

 reaction in 1898, with the reduction of the appropriation to 

 $20,000, and the attempt to legislate the Board out of ex- 

 istence, — are all occurrences of comparatively recent date. 



In 1899 the laws relating to contagious diseases of animals 

 were once more recodified, the commission reduced to three 

 members again, and more conservative methods have since 

 prevailed, with an annual expenditure of a smaller amount 

 of money than a few years ago. 



The foregoing history of the Massachusetts Cattle Commis- 

 sion is given to call attention to the length of time it has been 

 in existence and the varied duties it has been called upon to 

 perform ; and to emphasize the fact that it is not a tuber- 

 culosis commission alone, but was created to protect the live 

 stock interests of the State from the ravages of all contagious 

 animal diseases, and incidentally to protect the public health 

 from the dangers of disorders common to animals and man. 



The invested capital in the live stock industry exceeds 

 that of any other in the United States. It is said that the 

 business in the Chicago stock yards during the past year 



