No. 4.] CATTLE COMMISSIONERS. 459 



prevails in each, has failed of complete success, through the 

 neglect of our city and town officers to discharge the duty 

 assigned them bylaw. It is apparent that 45,516, though 

 a very large number, is yet a small minority of all the neat 

 stock of the State, yet enough to be taVen as a fair repre- 

 sentation of our cattle, so far as their health and exemption 

 from tuberculosis is concerned. The official work of in- 

 specting these cattle has been thoroughly done, and all cases 

 of suspected disease reported to us. Of the 105 suspected 

 cases examined by us, 81 were found to be tuberculous, and 

 were destroyed. The per cent of disease thus found, 

 though so very small, is sufficient to justify the strengthen- 

 ing of the law by the amendments herein proposed, and 

 continued effort by the system which has been adopted. 



Glanders. 



This disease has been quite prevalent during the year, 

 and with the same peculiarities of locality that have been 

 noted in former reports. The number of animals destroyed 

 by both boards in accordance with the provisions of law has 

 been 184, which is less than the numl^er killed in 1891 ; but 

 we have reason to believe that, notwithstanding its illegality, 

 many have been destroyed by the advice of practitioners, to 

 avoid publicity and screen the stables of their owners from 

 the suspicion of being infected with the disease. 



Hog Cholera. 



We have been notified of the existence of this disease in 

 but four localities, on which, being sporadic in character, no 

 action was taken but to cause strict isolation, and this has 

 been effectual to prevent the spread of the disease to other 

 herds. 



Practical experience has convinced the Board that the law 

 of 1892, " To prevent the spread of tuberculosis," could be 

 made more effective, and would remove most of the diffi- 

 culties we have encountered in its administration, if it were 

 amended as follows : Give to each member of the commission 

 power to quarantine a suspected animal, and to kill, or 

 cause to be killed, any animal which he judges has an in- 

 fectious or contagious disease. The mayor and aldermen of 



