No. 4.] CATTLE COMMISSIONERS' REPORT. 



509 



might be in the neighborhood of 10 per cent., which, under 

 the circumstances, was a mere estimate. 



Since the introduction of the tuberculin test, the whole num- 

 ber of animals examined by the Board with this agent is 

 26,958: — 



Number condemned as tuberculous, 



Percentage of diseased animals in all classes of work, 

 From Dec. 15, 1894, to Dec. 15, 1895, the total number of 

 animals reported by the local inspectors and quaran- 

 tined as suspicious, Avhich have been examined by the 



Board, is 



Number condemned as tuberculous, 

 Percentage of diseased animals, .... 

 From June 5 to December 16 the total number of animals 

 examined upon voluntary request is 

 Number condemned as tuberculous, 



Percentage of disease, 



In the counties of Dukes County and Barnstable the total 

 number of animals examined is ... 

 Number found to be tuberculous, .... 



Percentage of disease, 



Total number of carcasses examined in slaughter houses, 



Number condemned, 



Percentage of disease, 



Total number of animals examined at Brighton, Water 

 town and Somerville, from December 26 to April 30, 



Number found diseased, 



Percentage of disease, 



1,795 

 44.7 



1,081 

 26.4 



9 

 .31 



192 

 1 



256 

 4 



4,389 

 16 



4,015 

 4,093 



2,856 



18,738 



6,270 



Since the adoption of the new regulations relating to inter- 

 state cattle, substantially all of these animals are examined 

 before coming here, therefore statistics of no value can be 

 gathered from the few that have been examined and killed in 

 this State. The percentages shown above vary so widely, 

 according to the class of work, that the commission feels again 

 that it is impossible to make any reasonably accurate state- 

 ment as to the actual percentage of the disease existing within 

 the State. In estimating the percentage of disease, the result 

 of the examination of animals quarantined by local inspectors 

 is naturally very largely in excess of the actual amount of dis- 

 ease in the State, because these are animals which present such 

 symptoms as render them suspicious of being tuberculous. 

 "Whether or not the figures gathered from the herd work may 

 be considered as showing the average amount of disease in the 



