8 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



The Commissioners were also notified that there were sick 

 cattle at the barn of Martin Beatty in Lexington. On examina- 

 tion, an ox (the mate had been killed by order of the selectmen,) 

 and a cow with diseased lungs were found. Isolation of the 

 whole herd was continued until June 16th, when, in company 

 with the recently appointed Commissioner, F. D. Lincoln, Esq., 

 of Brimfield, the herd was again examined. No evidence of 

 disease was apparent, excepting in the two above mentioned, 

 both of which were diseased to an extent that would not justify 

 the return of the animals to the owners. Accordingly, both 

 were slaughtered. The autopsy of the ox showed that the lower 

 portion of the right lung adherent to the ribs, a diseased mass 

 of lung tissue, was encysted and floating in pus. In the cow, 

 the left lung was diseased ; otherwise, the condition was similar 

 to that of the ox. 



From the history of the cases, and the pathological appear- 

 ance, it was evident that the disease in both animals was of 

 long standing, and as no other cases occurred, the remainder 

 of the herd were released from further isolation. 



On the 10th of May the Commissioners received a notice from 

 the selectmen of Lincoln that the disease existed in the herd of 

 George Nelson, and that the animals were kept isolated by their 

 order. 



Two cows had died, one on the 17th of March, the other on the 

 4th of May ; several others had been sick, and were much emaci- 

 ated. Genei'ous diet was ordered and isolation continued. On the 

 27th, one of the cows, being greatly emaciated and evidently 

 much diseased, was killed. A considerable mass of disease was 

 found in the right lung ; the formation of pus had commenced. 

 The herd was kept isolated until August 3d, when three were 

 selected as having diseased lungs, and a fourth did not thrive. 

 It was decided to have the four slaughtered. The autopsies 

 justified the decision in the three ; the fourth was healthy. 



June 3d. The Commissioners visited the farm of Levi Smith 

 in Ashby. One of a pair of oxen purchased in Marlow, N. H., 

 and kept in the Box Tavern stable, in Stoddard, on the night of 

 the 24th of March was found sick, the right lung being exten- 

 sively diseased. The autopsy disclosed the right lung wholly 

 consolidated, and weighing, by lestimate, at least twenty-five 

 pounds. 



