SECRETARY'S REPORT. 29 



attempting to save them by separation. The question was then 

 put Ijy the president, and it was decided to refer the matter to 

 the president and superintendent. The president afterwards 

 left the management of tlie subject on their part to Mr. Payson, 

 with full powers. It was then agreed to have tlie cattle 

 appraised and examined on Tuesday, Mr. Payson declining to 

 make any proposition until then (Tuesday). On our arrival at 

 Deer Island, Mr, Payson came forward and stated that he 

 thought it best for the State to "take the wliole, unless that after 

 seeing the lungs of those we might kill, he would take six or 

 eight which were the least liable to have the disease. Accord- 

 ingly three Jersey heifers (the least exposed of any in the whole 

 herd), and five cows from the infected barn, were selected by 

 Mr. Payson, who several times remarked tliat certain cows, 

 pointing them out, would not have the disease, having constitu- 

 tions strong enough to resist it. Without going into any 

 elaborate argument about experimenting at Deer Island, suffice 

 it to say, that it would be highly improper to use that place for 

 experimenting, as proposed by Mr. Lincoln. On the island is 

 an institution containing from six to eight hundred people, 

 requiring the milk of more cows than can be pastured there in 

 summer, and unless the milk of the diseased ones was used 

 (and who would dare to take the responsibility of allowing the 

 milk to be used under such circumstances), the institution 

 would be deprived of one of the most important products. It is 

 well known that if a disease breaks out in one of our correc- 

 tional institutions (as for instance at the State prison a few 

 years since) more is said about it than there would be if any 

 number of children in other circumstances should be attacked 

 with disease by eating the products of diseased cows ; and if an 

 epidemic should break out on Deer Island, while the milk in 

 question was being consumed, much censure would be cast 

 upon all the parties concerned. 



From the want of time necessary, it is impossible to notice 

 all the inaccuracies, misstatements, and fallacious reasonings in 

 the minority report. A few lines relating to the experiment 

 will suffice. In a note on the 23d page is the following state- 

 ment: " Sixty days have passed since, and neither of the cows 

 has shown any evidence of having had the disease, unless a 

 slight cough in one of them may be considered such. 



