No. 4.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. xxv 



The law of 1895 granted practically full compensation for 

 all Massachusetts cattle found diseased with tuberculosis 

 and condemned by the Cattle Commission. It also provided 

 that the expense of quarantine after ten days should be 

 borne by the State. The expense of examination of the 

 cattle and enforcement of the law is also borne by the State. 

 The law of 1895 also provides that "Until June first, 

 eighteen hundred and ninety-six, the use of tuberculin as a 

 diagnostic agent for the detection of the disease known as 

 tuberculosis in domestic animals shall be restricted to cattle 

 brought into the Commonwealth from any point without its 

 limits and to all cattle held in quarantine at Brighton, 

 Watertown and Somerville : provided, however, that tuber- 

 culin may be used as such diagnostic agent on any animal 

 or animals in any other portion of the State upon the con- 

 sent in writing of the owner or person in possession thereof 

 and upon any animals condemned as tuberculous upon phys- 

 ical examination by a competent veterinarian." 



This restriction of the use of tuberculin was enacted on 

 the demand of cattle owners. 



Massachusetts has certainly dealt generously with the 

 owners of cattle in her legislation for the suppression of 

 tuberculosis. It appears that the law is at present working 

 well, and that the Cattle Commission has requests on file 

 for the inspection of more herds than can be inspected under 

 the present appropriation. Consequently, a continuation of 

 the restriction upon the use of tuberculin can for the present 

 do no harm ; but, in order that the State may not lose the 

 benefits that should be realized from the expenditure of her 

 appropriations for the reduction of tuberculosis, it would 

 seem that the Cattle Commission should be empowered and 

 required to test whole herds in which one or more diseased 

 animals have been found, and that the commission should be 

 empowered to require owners of herds in which one or more 

 tuberculous animals have been found to make such changes 

 in their stables and stable management as shall seem to be 

 necessary to secure to their cattle the conditions known to 

 be essential to health; also, that full compensation for an 

 animal or animals found to be tuberculous upon any inspec- 



