136 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



or three hours, and repose until the next day. I am ready to 

 back up Mr. Ellsworth in that, through thick and thin, for I 

 have tried all modes of feeding, and that is the mode that suits 

 me best. 



Adjourned to two o'clock, P. M. 



Afternoon Session. 



The meeting was called to order at two o'clock by Dr. Loring, 

 who said that Professor Law desired to make a statement in 

 regard to the disease now prevalent among the cattle in certain 

 sections of the State. 



Professor Law. I have asked permission to make a state- 

 ment in regard to this disease, because of the real importance 

 of the question to us all at this time. 



For a number of years we suffered, in different parts of 

 America, from pleuro-pncumonia, and it is due to the Common- 

 wealth of Massachusetts to say, that the admirable manner in 

 which that disease was stamped out of this State is a lesson to 

 many on both sides the Atlantic. At the present moment, we 

 are assailed by another disease, not so fatal as the pleuro pneu- 

 monia, but one which, to dairy farmers, is even worse, inasmuch 

 as it interferes very seriously with the products of the dairy, 

 rendering the milk absolutely useless and dangerous in its fresh 

 state, and sometimes leading to permanent injury to the animals 

 themselves. It is the Epizootic Aphtha, or " Foot and Mouth 

 Disease '' of English writers. It has been imported from Eng- 

 land, has prevailed to some extent in Canada for some months, 

 and has reached the United States, certainly by one cliannel, 

 Buffalo, and possibly by others. As the disease is not directly 

 fatal, it is quite likely to exist in many different localities where 

 its importance is not recognized. But since it is a disease prop- 

 agated, in this hemisphere, at any rate, solely by contngion, 

 it is of the greatest importance that it should be circumscribed 

 wherever it is found, and stamped out. It can be very much 

 more easily done than in the case of pleuro-pneumonia, but it 

 requires an effort. 



The nature of the disease is that of an eruptive fever: It 

 produces a febrile state of the system, an elevated temperature 

 of the body and mouth, some costivencss, bleeding teats, tiglit- 

 ncss of the skin (" hide-bound " it is usually called), and an 



