No. 4.] CATTLE COMMISSIONERS' REPORT. 499 



after the administration of the tuberculin, was transmitted to 

 the commission for inspection and approval. In this class of 

 work, prior to June 4, 1,514 animals were examined, of which 

 289 were condemned and found tuberculous, showing 19 per 

 cent, of disease. Upon June 4 the law of 1895 was passed, 

 which restricted the use of tuberculin, so that it became impos- 

 sible for the commission to further continue its systematic 

 work ; and as soon thereafterward as possible the commission 

 gave careful consideration to the matter of carrying out the 

 provisions of section 14 of this law, which provides that tuber- 

 culin may be used as a diagnostic agent on any animal or 

 animals in any other (than Brighton, Watertown and Somer- 

 ville) portions of the State, upon the consent in writing of the 

 owner or person in possession thereof. After giving the matter 

 careful consideration, the Board decided that the best method 

 of eradicating the disease, under the restrictions placed by this 

 act, would be to make tests of entire herds. In arriving at this 

 decision the Board was influenced by the opinion that such a 

 measure would result in the most economical method of ad- 

 ministration, because a large number of animals could be tested 

 at one time, by the same agent ; that it was more likely to do 

 permanent good, because, by removing the disease from the 

 entire herd, the owner would have an interest, thereafter, in 

 seeing that the disease was not re-introduced into the herd, 

 thus making each owner practically a quarantine agent against 

 untested cattle ; and that the cleaning up of an entire herd 

 enabled the public to ascertain readily the sources from which 

 a supply of uncontaminated milk or an animal free from tuber- 

 culosis might be obtained. Accordingly the Board adopted the 

 rule that it would test all herds where written application was 

 made by the owner or person in possession, in the order in 

 which such applications were received, so long as the appro- 

 priation at the command of the commission was unexpended. 

 These applications are all made upon uniform blanks, of which 

 the following is a copy : — 



Voluntary Rkquest for Tuberculin Test. 



City ok Town of 

 To the Board of Cattle Commissioners, 52 Village Street, Boston, Mass. 



Gentlemen : — Believing in the value of tuberculin as a diagnostic agent 

 for the detection of tuberculosis in cattle, and believing that no injury 



