192 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



this work. It might be worth while to have such a plant to 

 do this, combined with other work, either at the State Experi- 

 ment Station at Amherst or at some more available location 

 near Boston. At present all the heads from dogs and other 

 animals to be examined for rabies, swabs to be inoculated 

 into guinea pigs for diagnosing glanders and the like, sent 

 to the Cattle Bureau office are forwarded to the Harvard 

 Medical School for examination. With a laboratory as sug- 

 gested above work could be done on hog cholera, making the 

 diagnoses that are now made at the Harvard Medical School, 

 preparing material for the preventive inoculation against 

 symptomatic anthrax, and perhaps making mallein and 

 tuberculin. 



While the Governor has authority to send delegates to a 

 conference or convention as cited above, he cannot authorize 

 any one to incur any expense on the part of the Common- 

 wealth beyond its boundaries if sent to investigate any 

 matter. 



For example, November 10 a telegram was received from 

 Dr. Leonard Pearson, State veterinarian of Pennsylvania, 

 from Milton in that State, announcing an outbreak of foot- 

 and-mouth disease. It seemed at the time that it was im- 

 portant and desirable to send an agent of the Massachusetts 

 Cattle Bureau at once to the scene of the trouble in order to 

 ascertain its extent and origin, and to see if there was any 

 danger of its extending to Massachusetts. This was suggested 

 to the Governor, who referred the Chief of the Cattle Bureau 

 to the Attorney-General to ascertain if an agent could be sent 

 at the expense of the Commonwealth. After consulting the 

 law the Attorney-General gave it as his opinion that such an 

 expense could not legally be incurred. 



It would seem that here there is a defect in the law that 

 ought to be remedied, as there must be instances when it is 

 more important to be able to send an agent to investigate and 

 report upon some matter than it is to be able to send delegates 

 to some conference or congress. In this case there was but one 

 thing to do, and that was to wait patiently for what informa- 

 tion could be gleaned from the newspapers and from corre- 

 spondence with State officials in ISTew York and Pennsylvania, 



