512 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



loms of disease, local authorities should be given power 

 ... to slaughter such cows, subject to compensation," etc. 



So much for the protection of public health ; then it pro- 

 ceeds to show how, as an agricultural measure, by adopting 

 the principles of Bang's method stockmen can eradicate it 

 from their herds. 



It will be noticed that these practically embody the main 

 features of the measures adopted in Belgium and other 

 countries. They advise the condemnation of animals show- 

 ing physical evidence of disease and disease of the udder ; 

 further than that they look upon it as a purely agricultural 

 matter. 



The question of the advisability of keeping up the quaran- 

 tine on out-of-State cattle is one that has received a good 

 deal of consideration. The difficulties in its enforcement 

 are great, yet the benefits to the cattle industry and the 

 State from its enforcement would seem to more than coun- 

 terbalance whatever disadvantages there are. In reference 

 to this matter a prominent drover remarked recently that all 

 the dealers endeavored to get as good a class of animals 

 as possible for the Massachusetts market ; but when asked, 

 ' ' What would be the result in case the quarantine was 

 abolished?" he remarked, "Why, we would bring in the 

 animals we could get the most money out of." 



New York to-day is suffering from just the condition that 

 would confront Massachusetts if all quarantine was abol- 

 ished. At a recent annual meeting of the New York State 

 Veterinary Medical Society certain resolutions were adopted, 

 a portion of which read : — 



Whereas, There is no systematic work done by them [the New 

 York Commission] in the suppression of tuberculosis in farm 

 animals, but cattle brought from the west for shipment into the 

 States east or south of New York aud here tested by tuberculin 

 are habitually separated into two lots, representing the sound and 

 tuberculous ; and that the sound (those that do not react) are 

 shipped into New England and other States, while the tuber- 

 culous (the reacting) are sold into the herds of the State of New 

 York, carrying destructive disease into our herds and a most 

 dangerous infection into our meat and dairy products ; there- 

 fore, be it 



