1891.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT— No. 4. 409 



State Cattle Commission, 

 Secretary's Office, Dedham, Mass., Jan. 3, 1891. 



To Boards of Health of Cities and Towns and Citizens of the Common' 

 wealth. 



The Cattle Commissioners of Massachusetts, in conformity to 

 the requirements of the Public Statutes, hereby make and publish 

 the following rules and regulations for the suppression of con- 

 tagious diseases among domestic animals : — 



Rule 1. Whoever has knowledge of, or has good reason to 

 suspect the existence of, a contagious disease among any species 

 of domestic animals in this State, whether such knowledge or sus- 

 picion is obtained by personal examination or otherwise, shall 

 forthwith give notice thereof to the board of health of the city or 

 of the town where such diseased or suspected animals are kept. 



Rule 2. The board of health of a city or of a town, having 

 received notice of a suspected case of contagious disease among 

 any of the domestic animals in their city or town, shall forthwith 

 make an examination thereof personally, or by a competent person 

 appointed by them for that purpose ; and, if satisfied there are 

 good reasons for believing that contagion is present, shall cause 

 the suspected animals to be securely held by the owners or other 

 reliable person, and shall immediately inform the Cattle Commis- 

 sioners. 



Rule 3. An order, written or verbal, to securely hold such 

 suspected animals in isolation, shall be binding, whether given by 

 a member of the board of health of the city or town, an author- 

 ized agent of such board, or by a single member of the Cattle 

 Commission. 



Rule 4. Persons having the care or custody of suspected ani- 

 mals, whether such animals are their own property or otherwise, 

 and having received an order for their isolation, shall neither sell, 

 swap, trade, give or in any way dispose of such animals, nor drive 

 or work or move or allow them to be moved away from the place 

 of isolation, nor allow other animals not already exposed to 

 come in contact with them, till permitted so to do by the Cattle 

 Commissioners. 



Pleuro-Pneumonia. Hog Cholera. 

 Rule 5. In cases of suspected contagious pleuro-pneumonia 

 among cattle, or swine-plague or cholera among swine, the entire 

 herd must be secured against communication with other animals of 

 the same species that have not been exposed to the suspected ani- 

 mals ; and owners of other herds which may have been exposed 

 and afterwards moved should be immediately notified and warned 

 of the existing danger. 



